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Mon Apr 26, 2021 3:49 pm

I think a bad thing happened.

This is a 1600DP engine I had rebuilt less than 5000 miles ago by Ken Jansen, but another shop did the final assembly and install, and reused some parts. So I was in the process of replacing some tired components.

Long story short- I dropped the nut and washer from the rear carburetor mounting stud. I found the nut against the fan shroud behind the generator, but never found the washer (the thin little wave washer). I was in the process of replacing the leaky intake manifold boots and intake crush gaskets. So now I have it all back together and there's a ticking/clicking sound coming from cylinder one or two intermittently.
I have no idea how it could have made it under the manifold and over the tins but I'm stumped on what else this sound could be. I'm guessing when I lifted the end casting it went in.

What's my next step? I ordered a scope to see inside the cylinder and hopefully it's in there.

Thanks in advance.

Mon Apr 26, 2021 4:15 pm

Welcome!
Go fishing with a skinny magnet on a stick, the ones with the bendy shaft work best for reaching back around to the base of the head.

Tue Apr 27, 2021 12:48 pm

Thanks. I'll give it a shot. I should have those flex magnets tomorrow along with the scope.

I'm still in shock it made it in there.

Tue Apr 27, 2021 6:41 pm

Maybe it is a loose valve. Have you tried adjusting them?

Loose plug wire, if it arcs, kind of makes a snap noise.

Something caught on the cooling fan vanes and hitting the interior of the shroud?

V-belt broken?

Exhaust leak?

Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:40 am

I just did the valves a hundred miles ago or so, but I'll double check.

I'll double check the wire but this sound only started after I lost a washer.

I spun the fan after reinstalling the shroud and it spun freely with no noise.

Fresh belt.

I don't think it's an exhaust leak. I cannot hear the sound under the car. only from above cylinder one or thereabouts.

Wed Apr 28, 2021 3:40 pm

No luck with the magnet. The flexible shaft is too stiff to be much use after it goes in. Difficult to get to the bottom of the cylinder where a washer would be sitting.

The camera was a total bust as well. Couldn't make out much of anything.

I'll probably have to rig up some kind of hose on a vacuum cleaner for my next attempt.

And I'm not even sure anything is in there. I'm just guessing. Ugh.
I guess this is a lesson to find missing pieces before moving on.

Wed Apr 28, 2021 3:57 pm

Get the magnet in as near to the bottom as you can, then blow compressed air into the plug hole along side of it to stir things up in the cylinder, the washer just might go by the magnet once close enough to stick.

Wed Apr 28, 2021 4:32 pm

Excellent advice. I will try that tomorrow.

I also realized I was using the wrong resolution on the borescope so I'll try seeing if there's even anything in there again.

Wed Apr 28, 2021 4:36 pm

Even if you can't peer down into the far corners you'll be able to see fresh clean dings on the piston crown if the washer was what was making the noise.

Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:14 am

I'm pretty sure I'm only seeing scratches on the piston from me poking around with the magnet. Both piston 1 and 2 have similar markings now.

Piston #1

Piston #2

Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:19 am

Here's a video on cylinder one.

Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:32 am

Also just checked the valves and they feel good.

I'll try using the magnet with compressed air next just so I can say I tried everything.

Thu Apr 29, 2021 12:41 pm

I just put it all together and let it warm up.

The clicking sound seems to be coming from the passenger side of the crank pulley area or something but I can't pinpoint it. It eventually faded out and went away. I drove the car around the block and got on the throttle a little bit. Sounds and feels great. No clue what was going on.

I'm thinking nothing was ever in the cylinders other than my anxiety. The sound was never chaotic like it would be if there was debris. Just a tick sound that occurs right around when cylinder one or two fires. I'll use my timing light to verify when it happens but it isn't constant. I'll also tourque down some of the exhaust to double check that, but I think I let anxiety get the better of me.
Better safe than sorry I guess. Didn't want to explode a fresh rebuild.

Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:17 pm

Gasket on the heat riser maybe. Try tightening the bolts. They make a tick sound and it fades as the pipe expands.

Thu Apr 29, 2021 5:06 pm

74 standard wrote: Gasket on the heat riser maybe. Try tightening the bolts. They make a tick sound and it fades as the pipe expands.

Ah, an exhaust leak. You can find those with some brake fluid, but it makes for ALOT of smoke!

Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:23 pm

VW_Jimbo wrote: 74 standard wrote: Gasket on the heat riser maybe. Try tightening the bolts. They make a tick sound and it fades as the pipe expands.

Ah, an exhaust leak. You can find those with some brake fluid, but it makes for ALOT of smoke!
Ok I'll bite.
How if there's pressure in the exhaust system. Does the brake fluid trick work?
Never heard of that one before.

In the past I have pressurized the exhaust with a vacuum cleaner on the blow setup. And applied some soap/water solution to find a leak. Bubbles would appear in the area of the exhaust leak that needs attention.

Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:59 pm

67rustavenger wrote: VW_Jimbo wrote: 74 standard wrote: Gasket on the heat riser maybe. Try tightening the bolts. They make a tick sound and it fades as the pipe expands.

Ah, an exhaust leak. You can find those with some brake fluid, but it makes for ALOT of smoke!
Ok I'll bite.
How if there's pressure in the exhaust system. Does the brake fluid trick work?
Never heard of that one before.

In the past I have pressurized the exhaust with a vacuum cleaner on the blow setup. And applied some soap/water solution to find a leak. Bubbles would appear in the area of the exhaust leak that needs attention.

It’s an old trick! That ought to tell you something!

Anyways, get the car up to 2000 - 3000 rpm and dribble in some brake fluid. It goes in and BURNS!!!! That burning creates LOTS OF SMOKE!!!!! LOTTA SMOKE!!!!! LOTTAA LOTTSA SMOKE!!!!! I MEAN A FU—LOAD OF SMOKE!!!

And best of all the smoke comes out of anywhere it can!

Fri Apr 30, 2021 6:30 am

VW_Jimbo wrote: 67rustavenger wrote: VW_Jimbo wrote: 74 standard wrote: Gasket on the heat riser maybe. Try tightening the bolts. They make a tick sound and it fades as the pipe expands.

Ah, an exhaust leak. You can find those with some brake fluid, but it makes for ALOT of smoke!
Ok I'll bite.
How if there's pressure in the exhaust system. Does the brake fluid trick work?
Never heard of that one before.

In the past I have pressurized the exhaust with a vacuum cleaner on the blow setup. And applied some soap/water solution to find a leak. Bubbles would appear in the area of the exhaust leak that needs attention.

It’s an old trick! That ought to tell you something!

Anyways, get the car up to 2000 - 3000 rpm and dribble in some brake fluid. It goes in and BURNS!!!! That burning creates LOTS OF SMOKE!!!!! LOTTA SMOKE!!!!! LOTTAA LOTTSA SMOKE!!!!! I MEAN A FU—LOAD OF SMOKE!!!

And best of all the smoke comes out of anywhere it can!
Ah Ha! For some reason my mind was thinking, pour the brake fluid on the exhaust connections. NOT down the carb throat. Duh! Makes perfect sense now.

Fri Apr 30, 2021 10:23 am

I'll try torquing those bolts down. If I can't get it to shut up I might try to shimmy some new gaskets in there. I noticed some of these crush gaskets are kinda janky these days.

Fri Apr 30, 2021 12:52 pm

Rebop wrote: ...I noticed some of these crush gaskets are kinda janky these days.

I got some copper exhaust gaskets for my new build because of this. Kinda scary when I figured out why I felt like crap after driving around with the windows closed and the heat on. Big exhaust leaks.