Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-10-2020, 10:02 PM   #1
ricconhan
Member
 
ricconhan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Wayne,NE
Posts: 42
Default Knock/rattle/tap at freewheel speed

I've got what's hard to describe, I'll call it knock/rattle/tapping at freewheeling speed, when accelerating or deceleration it's quiet, but at freewheeling speed it's there, I've tried changing the spark advance, adjusted GAV, just had the pan off and checked and adjusted the bearing clearances, went through the oil pump, visually checked the fiber timing gear and am just wondering what I'm missing. The only thing I haven't tried yet is somewhere or someplace I read that it may be necessary to raise the distributor just a tad to eliminate the rattle. I talked to a gentleman close to where I live today and he was saying that his A did the same thing. Anybody want to take a stab at it, I'm all ears. Oh, and I'm usually traveling around 35 - 40 or more mph when it shows up.
I had the head off when I dropped the pan and the valves looked good, pistons not hitting the gasket or head, I put about 4 oz. MMO in gas tank with every fill and when I first got the car I even put a few oz. of Seafoam in the fuel also because I know previous owner did pretty much only parade driving, but after having the head off and verifying the valves were good I backed off the Seafoam.
__________________
"I'd rather be sitting in my A Model thinking about God, then in church thinking about my A Model."

Last edited by ricconhan; 08-10-2020 at 11:37 PM.
ricconhan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 10:32 PM   #2
Synchro909
Senior Member
 
Synchro909's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,472
Default Re: Knock/rattle/tap at freewheel speed

I'm all ears too! Sounds like a common thing.
__________________
I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.
Synchro909 is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 08-10-2020, 11:07 PM   #3
ricconhan
Member
 
ricconhan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Wayne,NE
Posts: 42
Default Re: Knock/rattle/tap at freewheel speed

Quote:
Originally Posted by Synchro909 View Post
I'm all ears too! Sounds like a common thing.
Synchro909, are you saying that your's does this also?
__________________
"I'd rather be sitting in my A Model thinking about God, then in church thinking about my A Model."
ricconhan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2020, 12:07 AM   #4
Brentwood Bob
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: brentwood, ca
Posts: 4,214
Default Re: Knock/rattle/tap at freewheel speed

Might be the distributor shaft a tad long. Puts pressure on the cam. My fix was to get more vertical clearance, with the two piece distributor shafts.
You had the head off which makes this a possibility.
Brentwood Bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2020, 09:50 PM   #5
ricconhan
Member
 
ricconhan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Wayne,NE
Posts: 42
Default Re: Knock/rattle/tap at freewheel speed

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brentwood Bob View Post
Might be the distributor shaft a tad long. Puts pressure on the cam. My fix was to get more vertical clearance, with the two piece distributor shafts.
You had the head off which makes this a possibility.
Tonight I went down to the shop and loosened the set screw on the distributor and raised it a whisker then went for a drive, it may have helped a little but she still has a little rattle at freewheeling speed, is this typical for the A's or where do I go from here. You talk about a two piece distributor shaft ??? my distributor has a stub shaft approx 3-4 inches, then a longer shaft approx 6-8 inches into the cam gear, then of course the oil pump. I'm not sure if that's what's called a one or two piece shaft.
__________________
"I'd rather be sitting in my A Model thinking about God, then in church thinking about my A Model."
ricconhan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2020, 10:18 PM   #6
Synchro909
Senior Member
 
Synchro909's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,472
Default Re: Knock/rattle/tap at freewheel speed

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Quote:
Originally Posted by ricconhan View Post
Synchro909, are you saying that your's does this also?
Mine makes a noise when I am holding a steady speed at anywhere between about 30 and 50 mph. My wife describes it as sounding like a diesel engine but not as loud. I've checked all I can think of from end float of the rods, camshaft and crank to timing gears (I have an aluminium one) to pistons hitting the head gasket to a ring ridge in the bore. Nothing made the slightest difference so I have lived with it for the last 50,000 miles or so
My ears are still pricked!
__________________
I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.
Synchro909 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2020, 11:11 PM   #7
Brentwood Bob
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: brentwood, ca
Posts: 4,214
Default Re: Knock/rattle/tap at freewheel speed

You have a 2piece shaft. When I fit a different distributor and made sure the distributor was seated in the head I tightenened the retaining screw on the side of the head to secured the distributor. I created a rapid noise at speed.
I took out the new replacement lower distributor shaft, and filed it and fit it so there was clearance when I replaced the distributor and snugged the retaining set screw on the head.
So when I test drove the car, no more rapid knock at speed.
I think when I replaced the first distributor, and replaced the lower shaft the new shaft had to be fit to the engine I have. Worked for me. Just raising the distributor a scootch would probably not be that effective.
But it is hard to second guess your situation.

Last edited by Brentwood Bob; 08-12-2020 at 11:24 AM.
Brentwood Bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2020, 10:20 AM   #8
Dave in MN
Senior Member
 
Dave in MN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Jordan, MN
Posts: 1,410
Default Re: Knock/rattle/tap at freewheel speed

Have you tried to duplicate the sound while in neutral with the tires blocked by slowly raising the rpms? If you have someone in the car slowly raising the rpm until the sound presents itself, with the hood open, see if the sound is louder on one side vs the other.
If you cannot duplicate the noise while "freewheeling" in neutral, the noise may be coming from the drivetrain behind the engine.
If you can hear the noise while parked, take your fan belt off to see if it is still present.
Please try this and get back to us.

Poking fun at myself: I once had a severe main bearing knock until I removed the fan belt! Oops!
Good Day!

Last edited by Dave in MN; 08-12-2020 at 05:39 PM.
Dave in MN is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:45 PM.