Unusual sound when driving

[W.F. Brown- III]

I started out with my '48 Special Deluxe yesterday and had a very unusual sound.  The motor starts and runs fine.  Shift into first gear and let the clutch out and it sounds like a log chain clanking around.  Same with second and third.  However, if I push the clutch in, the sound goes away.  After the car has built up speed, no sound at all.  It runs good and has plenty of power.  After several miles of driving the sounds when starting out through the gears becomes less and less noticeable until it eventually disappears.  Start out the next day, and same thing again till everything gets good and warmed up.

 

Any ideas as to where I should start looking?  Transmission?  Clutch or throw out bearing?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[greg g]

when was the last time you had driven it?  Could be  the throw out bearing if the noise is there with the clutch pedal down and gone when it is released.  There is also something about noise from the bell housing in the resources section of this web site but I do not remember the particulars.

[W.F. Brown- III]

I drive the car every couple days.  The sound only is there when starting out and in all three gears (plus reverse).  After it is up to speed, no sound at all.  The sound is only when "under load" when starting.  If I put the clutch pedal down (and the car is still moving), the sound immediately stops.  Release the clutch and sound starts.

[W.F. Brown- III]

I had a similar sound start up a year or so ago, but that time it started while driving (not while starting out under a load).  Same thing - when clutch was engaged (pedal up) sound, when disengaged (pedal down) no sound.  I never got an idea on what it was and before I could get the car to the shop to have a real mechanic take a look, the sound went completely away.  I've probabally driven it 2,000 miles since then without issue, then all of a sudden it's back.

[greg g]

might want to check that there is lube in the trans.  It might be low and taking a while to get everything lubed.  If it need more lube make sure you don't use the new stuff.  It doesn't like brass and bronze which the synchros and related pieces are made of.  GL 1 is still available but you will need to look for it.  sent you a PM

[knuckleharley]

 

 

Any ideas as to where I should start looking?  Transmission?  Clutch or throw out bearing?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My money is on the throw-out bearing. Especially if the noise goes away when the clutch pedal is held all the way to the floor.

[W.F. Brown- III]

might want to check that there is lube in the trans.  It might be low and taking a while to get everything lubed.  If it need more lube make sure you don't use the new stuff.  It doesn't like brass and bronze which the synchros and related pieces are made of.  GL 1 is still available but you will need to look for it.  sent you a PM

 

I checked the oil in the transmission first thing.  It was not low.

[W.F. Brown- III]

My money is on the throw-out bearing. Especially if the noise goes away when the clutch pedal is held all the way to the floor.

 

That's what I was afraid of.  Oh well, I guess it could be worse.

 

Thanks.

[greg g]

way back when I had a Volvo 122.  I swapped out an automatic and put in a standard. I used parts from a doner car and stuff I had laying around.  The pilot bearing I chose and installed would not let the input shaft fit.  So rather than remove the clutch and flywheel, I used a pieceof emery cloth on the end of the end of the inut shaft and "turned down the shaft to fit the pilot. When I shifted that under way it gave a little ziiiiiiinnnnggg sound as the clutch was released in each gear. Maybe your pilot bearing has dried out or worn.  The pilot is a scintered brass piece which holds oil.  Maybe after 70 years its needs a sip or two.

[grady hawkins]

I had a similar problem with the throw out bearing.in my D24

It was especially noticeable during cold weather but decreased when warmed up.

I eventually replaced the bearing

[W.F. Brown- III]

To my surprise, and I must admit also to my embarrassment, I managed to "fix" what was making the noise.  It was the oil level in the rear end.

 

I had never had a problem with the oil in the rear end leaking, and always check it about twice a year.  Out of desperation to find the problem with the noise, I decided to check the oil level today just to make sure.  Well, needless to say, it was extremely low (almost none in there at all).  I filled it back up with 90 weight gear oil and took it for a test drive.  No sounds whatsoever when shifting or under load.

 

I could have sworn the sounds were coming from the front of the car, but apparently I was wrong.  Well, now I have one more place to check on a regular basis.  Live and learn.

 

Thanks to all who offered advice.

[Don Coatney]

To my surprise, and I must admit also to my embarrassment, I managed to "fix" what was making the noise.  It was the oil level in the rear end.

 

I had never had a problem with the oil in the rear end leaking, and always check it about twice a year.  Out of desperation to find the problem with the noise, I decided to check the oil level today just to make sure.  Well, needless to say, it was extremely low (almost none in there at all).  I filled it back up with 90 weight gear oil and took it for a test drive.  No sounds whatsoever when shifting or under load.

 

I could have sworn the sounds were coming from the front of the car, but apparently I was wrong.  Well, now I have one more place to check on a regular basis.  Live and learn.

 

Thanks to all who offered advice.

Where did the oil go? In had to leak out somewhere and there should be visible signs of where. Suggest you find out where it leaked and fix that problem before it becomes a lot more serious as in failure of the rear brakes.

[W.F. Brown- III]

I couldn't really tell where it leaked from. I don't see anything that would indicate it's around the wheels. The car is parked on the same spot in a dirt floor garage that's been used since my Granddad bought the first family car in 1922, so there's more oil in that spot than in the entire state of Texas. I plan to put an old sheet down to see where a leak may be coming from.

[knuckleharley]

Where did the oil go? In had to leak out somewhere and there should be visible signs of where. Suggest you find out where it leaked and fix that problem before it becomes a lot more serious as in failure of the rear brakes.

Especially since the most likely place is inside the rear brake drums. Pulling them to look would be the first thing I would do.

[W.F. Brown- III]

I plan on doing that. It had to go somewhere.

[dpollo]

The ball and trunnion ( Detroit) universal joints can make some pretty alarming noises if the lubricant has hardened up.

 

Most have to be partially disassembled in order to relube. Sometimes a persistent noise can be reduced by putting a washer under the centering spring behind the tin cover. This causes the universal joint to run in a slightly different position.

 

Another odd noise I experienced with a 54 Plymouth turned out to be the rear wheel bearings outer cup turning in  the axle housing.

When they got warm, they stayed still, so no noise.  Same thing can happen with the tailshaft bearings in the transmission. Loctite made a repair which so far as I know has been permanent .