Betty's being bad :(

[spunkymonkey]

With about 5 days to go till Lichfield I gave her a service. Everything at the front end went fine - engine is sweet as a nut so then I did her 3000 mile belt tension (she's been starting to squeal occasionally lately). Wound it up to a 1mm gap, which is still off the stops at the front, and readjusted the selector linkage to bring the lever forward again. No real problems so far.

Hit the road for a test drive and what a noise! Suddenly there's a whine from the back end of the propshaft area that would sound like a worn gearbox in a normal car - it drowns out the belts whenever you accelerate - and a nasty grinding if you rev her in neutral. The whine is definately engine speed related rather than belts but it's definately not from the engine - so I guess that leaves propshaft or prop bearings. There's also a lot of vibration all of a sudden at high revs in neutral

I've had a look as far as I can with the guards off and the only thing I can see that looks a little wrong is that the propshaft seems to be sitting back as far as it can rather than being pushed forward by the spring - if you push it with a screwdriver it moves a good 1/2 - 3/4 inches forward but as soon as you run her it's moved to the back again.

Anyone come across this sort of noise after tensioning belts (nothing else was disturbed at that end)? If no-one can suggest anything I may have to pull her engine before Friday to have a look at the prop but would really rather not if possible!

[dafdaffer]

is the prop hitting anything like the handbrake cable or linkages?

is the primary touching the floor or anywhere else.

does the noise go away if you put the primary back where it was?

have you greased the splines?

i will have a think.

[spunkymonkey]

The prop doesn't seem to be hitting anything and tensioning the belts shouldn't have made it suddenly start if it was that???

Couldn't see the primary touching anywhere but might be worth lifting the access panel for a better view I guess - would be good for display at Lichfield as well

I haven't wound the primary all the way back but took it far enough to close the pulley gap to about 1/2 mm and it's still the same

Haven't greased the splines cos I haven't been in that deep but it will slide forward with a gentle push from a screwdriver on the end of the shaft.

It is starting to look like a quick engine out to try and see what's going on. Just hope it's not the input bearing on the primary - doesn't seem to be any easy way to do that if it is!

[pauldaf44]

unlucky luckily my service today made Gladys run better if you can still limp her to lichfield im sure a few extra heads and pairs of hands will have it sorted in no time. I had what sounds like a similar noise because the selector wasn't fully engaged a smart tap with a hammer underneath sorted it. As you adjusted the selector levers position it may be worth while checking that it is still fully engaging if so its an easy fix.

Paul

[spunkymonkey]

Cheers Paul - that's certainly worth checking before doing anything else - especially as I had to fight it (just a little bit!!!) to disconnect the selector rod

[dafdaffer]

you haven't over tightened the linkage for the vario have you, light pressure on my stick(if you like) creates a vibration and noise. i think mine is over adjusted as it rattles like crazy on pull off.

[spunkymonkey]

Nope, the linkage has free movement in both directions and the shift is about where it was before I started. Anyway, I hope I've solved it.

In 4 1/2 hours today I've had the vario guards off, the vario cover under the seats off (spot welded in place so that was fun!) and the engine out and back in again. There was nothing untoward visible around the vario so that was wasted time - except we now have a removable panel for display purposes.

When I got the engine and prop out, though, the spring from the back end was sitting in the front of the tunnel, which would explain why the prop kept moving backwards. All I can think is that the splines were tight enough to stop it moving until I disturbed them by adjusting the belts. Not sure what sort of noises you get with the spring not fitted but I'm hoping someone will say "exactly the ones you've described".

The reason I don't know whether she's cured or not is becaise, having done all this, I started her up before refitting the panel and back seat. I think it was quieter but it's noisy anyway with the seat and cover out. Didn't get to try her again once they were back in because the little so and so ran out of fuel!!!! I really can't be bothered to go for a can of petrol tonight so we'll know for sure in the morning.

At least I know that the prop's not grinding itself against anything and the bearings seem ok so, if there's still noise, we'll just have to get used to it (although it's quite hard to tell with the vario input bearing - do these ever give trouble???)

[Bob Scrivens]

Hi joe
Yep I had the same problem, adjusted the belts and then the transmission started to sound like a Japaness Banzie party.
Found that the gear selector was not engaging the gear fully because the handbrake cable was fouling the operating arm, adjusted the route of the cable and now the gear can be engaged fully, the noise was still there when I got to about 60 mph but is getting better the more I use it?
I found last weekend it started about the 70 mph mark so I assume the gears are settling in?
Also check that the gear selector lever is not under load when in gear or that can a bit of noise in the car.
Hope the above helps.
Its stange but I came back from Princethorpe last weekend, but even with all the strange noise that came from the car I felt it would take me any where I wished to go!
Even had a smile on my face.

Bob

[spunkymonkey]

All's well again The only time I can thing that the spring might have dropped out was when I did the rings but I didn't remove the prop that time so it must have moved forward enough to let the spring out then slid back in with the engine. Thinking back, I do remember it seemed awkward to get the engine to go all the way back.

Anyway, she's now sounding refined again and I've asked her forgiveness. Whether she grants it or not, no doubt we'll see over the weekend ;D

[dafdaffer]

yes that would explain it, it was the first thing that i wrote in my first post but after re reading your post again i saw that you said it was pushing back into the spring.so i re edited it. i must have read it wrong. ;D

its quite a common thing. the prop seems to always stick at the front so when you pull the engine it comes off at the back. i have done this twice now once with a 44, and once with a 66. but the 66 is worse as the engine does not come out as easy as the 44 and when you fill the car with oil and antifreeze then realise its not on you tend to be a bit p'eed off.

when i put ester together i rebuilt it all to find the spring under the car, after ten minutes of kicking the contents of the garage about and the air turning blue i realised it was off the old prop ;D

[pauldaf44]

Good news indeed if you buy betty a present im sure she'll forgive you.

[spunkymonkey]

Well, at least it was still there in the tunnel - having had the engine out for the rings by the roadside it wouldn't have still been where I dropped it Funny that she didn't complain for the past couple of thousand miles without it - guess the splines must have had a sticky bit that was holding it far enough forward.

As for a present - she's got a gallon of cheap oil and some gun-gum on the exhaust flange that's now leaking and she can be grateful for it ;D

[pauldaf44]

Gladys had a gallon of Halfords Classic car oil 20W50 seeing as I use her most days I thought she deserved it she does seem quiter and has stopped leaking she must be gratefull.