440 engine noise - need help

[gregs69]

Hello, I have a 69 coronet with a 440 - 4 spd. I had an issue with the clutch fork and pivot. Changed them out on the car without taking out trans. Now, I started the car to adjust the clutch and getting a loud noise that appears to be coming from front of engine. The T/O bearing is not touching the fingers of the pressure plate. But when I push the clutch and it barely touches the fingers on the pressure plate, the noise goes away. Its like putting a tiny bit of pressure on the crank makes the noise go away. I tried moving the crank in and out front at the balancer and seem to have no play. Any ideas would be appreciated. I'm going to see if I can see anything touching around the balancer area.

Thanks in advance

Greg

 

[Lefty71]

How many miles on it?? Timing chain shot??

Can you get a dial indicator on the balancer and have someone push the clutch to check the #3 main bearing?? Doesn't usually cause a noise tho....

 

[gregs69]

About 200 miles on engine. Just started making this noise after I replaced the clutch fork?? I can push with one finger one the clutch pedal and it goes away?

 

[Lefty71]

Wow, no miles on the engine.... I'd be double checking things that may have been missed like damper bolt torque, pulleys coming loose, cam bolts, etc. Did you assemble it, or someone else??

Try the old wood dowel or broomstick against your ear trick.... You can really pinpoint a noise that way. Good Luck!

 

[Dennis H]

My understanding is that the throw out bearing quiets when pedal depressed, indicating that is where the noise is coming from. Clutch fork install is a delicate fix requiring precision.

 

[gregs69]

I did it. Had all the machining done but I put it together. I double checked all the torques but you never know? The engine is externally balanced and has the right flywheel and balancer. The other thing I did besides the clutch fork was check the vacuum on the engine and it stayed right at 20, and moved the timing just a hair. I will try and get a dial indicator and see about pushing the pedal in. I guess I will be looking for the crank to go in and out?

 

[AR67GTX]

Noises really telegraph well within a drive train. Just because it sounds like it's coming from the front, I would not discount something amiss in the back where you last worked on it. I would doublecheck the bellhousing closure and fork installation - basically everything you touched back there.

 

[gregs69]

An update. Anyone have the right bolt length that is used on the crank pulley. I did some retightening on the bolts on balancer and the crank pulley. Did the balancer bolt first, no change in sound. Tightened the pulley bolts and was WAY worse. I backed them off and sound seems to have gone away but pulley is way to loose to run and really see. Maybe they were hitting the timing cover?

 

[5.7 hemi]

They really don’t need to be longer than 1/2 inch if using stock steel pulleys.

 

[Garys1969RR]

Your front pulley bolts are hitting the timing cover. When you push the clutch pedal down, it pushes the crank forward enough to where they aren't hitting anymore. You are about .020 too long on your bolts. Crank end play should be .017 max. I've had that happen before too. LOL

 

[67 GTX]

Is the noise a metallic knocking one? I have the same thing, and I only got it to go away when I played with the z-bar. It has since come back, and I have suspected contact with the timing cover.
Have you tried removing the crank pulley?

 

[65Fury440]

Pull the pulley bolt out one at a time, if they are hitting the cover, you can see the witness marks on the bolt head, AMHIK.

 

[AR67GTX]

Your front pulley bolts are hitting the timing cover. When you push the clutch pedal down, it pushes the crank forward enough to where they aren't hitting anymore. You are about .020 too long on your bolts. Crank end play should be .017 max. I've had that happen before too. LOL

That does make sense. In you other post I think he said the TO bearing/fork was continuing to make contact with the clutch which was probably displacing the crank forward.

 

[gregs69]

Follow up on the noise. It was the crank pulley bolts being to long. I replaced the 3/4" long with 1/2" long bolts and the noise is gone.
Thanks for all the replies
Greg