hidden_hunter Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Hey guys, I've got the car my 1922 Cadillac starting readily and idles nicely, however there is an occasional clicking sound. The whole motor has been apart, so I'm not sure if it's just something finding its new home or something more major I should be worrying about. Oil pressure is inline with what the book say it should be so I don't think it's that, could be a tappet but I would have expected something a bit more regular if that was the case. I can't hear any sort of pattern and struggling to think what could be making the noise https://1drv.ms/v/s!AhZpPcMu-n3MipMqYLp8f87qd5J10A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 The clicking sound reminds me of a rebuilt magneto I used on a late teens Townsend tractor. I never did find out what caused the clicking. I've listened to the video 6 times and the clicking seems to be in the area of the magneto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted October 19, 2019 Author Share Posted October 19, 2019 3 hours ago, cahartley said: The clicking sound reminds me of a rebuilt magneto I used on a late teens Townsend tractor. I never did find out what caused the clicking. I've listened to the video 6 times and the clicking seems to be in the area of the magneto. I'm struggling to pin point it even in person, I can't even think of what in the generator would click - worn bearing perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Vacuum tanks will click when the float opens and closes.........a good Cadillac tuned correctly will have the idle hunt up and down slightly when the tank is filling. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFindlay Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Could it be the sound of a spark jumping to ground? Is it firing regularly on all cylinders? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted October 19, 2019 Author Share Posted October 19, 2019 Took it out for a drive today and it seems to have abated for the most part, so perhaps something just finding its new home (or ground itself off ) It drove really nicely and pulled well so not sure what it is at this point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 10 hours ago, PFindlay said: Could it be the sound of a spark jumping to ground? Is it firing regularly on all cylinders? Turn the light off and run the engine. If is sparkplug wire grounding, you will see it in the dark Matt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLYER15015 Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 Got a stethoscope ? If not, use a length of heater hose. Put one end to your ear, and fish around the engine while it's running with the other end. Watch out for the fan and other moving parts. Mike in Colorado 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old car fan Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 No vacuum tank on this car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share Posted October 20, 2019 1 hour ago, old car fan said: No vacuum tank on this car nope, fuel is delivered via air pressure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 What body style is your '24 ? Does it make a sound anything like a click ? My '24 does have its special noises, but not really much different from the '27. I don't know that it makes some sound like a click, but really you would have to compare each against the other. Of course the '24 and '22 have significant differences. - Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share Posted October 21, 2019 1 hour ago, C Carl said: What body style is your '24 ? Does it make a sound anything like a click ? My '24 does have its special noises, but not really much different from the '27. I don't know that it makes some sound like a click, but really you would have to compare each against the other. Of course the '24 and '22 have significant differences. - Carl 5 passenger coupe - given the whole motor has been apart perhaps it's just something finding its home - performance seemed to be pretty solid. It pulled well to about 35mph at half throttle (local speed limit!) and maintained it with little effort, so it doesn't objectively feel like there is anything wrong. We checked the push rods gap and most of them were now slightly too large (0.004"-0.005" rather than factory 0.002" to 0.003") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 There is some confusion here. My quoted posting was in response, and directed to, a now deleted posting by old car fan, previously just above mine. In that posting he mentioned that he has a '24. I have also wondered about various sounds coming from my engines. As I say, there are similarities. The '24 has about 62k, and has never been apart other than to check the bearings : fine condition, within spec. The timing chain is at max tolerance (1" circumferential free play of the fan - there is no provision for adjustment on these cars). High oil consumption, BUT I have recently come to realize that 20W/50 is TOO LIGHT (!!!) for our cars, or at least MY '24. The oil runs so cool (particularly in the cool Pacific northwest where all my few thousands of miles have been driven), that I doubt the multi-viscosity oil even reaches equivalent to a single viscosity 30,. That is a very speculative assumption, however, but setting up a test with the two oils at operating temp would be needed to confirm. I intend to use V.I. improvers in the future, after doing some experiments. Because the odometer was reading around 12k and change when I bought the '27, I don't know the real mileage. The odometer was working, and is quite accurate. But I believe, from my experience, that the mileage in the 40s. I pulled the heads, very little bore wear at all. Bearings in excellent condition. Had to replace the automatic timing chain tensioner, so no slop there. This car has no oil consumption issues on the 20W/50 synthetic. It has been driven in Temps in the 30s, to over 100 in the Nevada Summer. Here is the odometer after I put around 500-600 miles on the '27. If you click I to high-resolution, you may be able to read 12,770 miles. I wish I knew the truth. Oh ! The clock is rather accurate after a professional clean and lube. This all is not of much help, but I hope all continues well for you, your family, and vehicles ! - Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old car fan Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 Carl,ours is a 24 touring car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old car fan Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 Did not want to delete the post change my poor spelling.we are the care taker of the car.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagefinds Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 We had a '15 for awhile that had a clicking noise and it was just a bit of slack in the shaft to the starter generator. Might be something to check on yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 On 10/23/2019 at 1:58 PM, sagefinds said: We had a '15 for awhile that had a clicking noise and it was just a bit of slack in the shaft to the starter generator. Might be something to check on yours. I’ll remove the rod and see if there is any play Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude17 Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Could it be the fan belt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 53 minutes ago, Stude17 said: Could it be the fan belt? The fan is driven off the camshaft directly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude17 Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 1 hour ago, hidden_hunter said: The fan is driven off the camshaft directly Just a thought. I know nothing about these cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLYER15015 Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 Have you listened to the speedo cable ? My '31 imperial had a clicking noise, and come to find out the cable was dry as a bone. 2 squirts of moly grease in the bottom and now she's very quiet. Mike in Colorado Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 (edited) You’re not overheating at all are you? My Olds started a occasional clicking sound like a valve hanging up then snapping closed. Hunted around with a stethoscope and found the sound was coming from right around #6 spark plug. Eventually it stopped happening then the car started overheating and I found out my head gasket had failed due to a stripped head bolt. I believe the noise was the compression I could hear snapping by the gasket. Edited November 4, 2019 by chistech (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 That’s an interesting theory, I’ll see if I can hear it with a stethoscope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 Any diagnosis or further insights ? - Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 48 minutes ago, C Carl said: Any diagnosis or further insights ? - Carl Dropped the oil pan, double checked the bearings and the caps tightness - couldn't find anything amiss. Inspected everything I could see (including using a boroscope) and couldn't find anything that looked out of place (including the bores) About all I found was a head bolt that I didnt' really like the tightness on so replaced that. The oil was a bit fuel contaminated (it had been in the car for many failed starts) but there was no sign of metal in it or on the cheese grater filter. Nothing seems out of place, the oil pressure is good and its running well my theory is that it's the new top cover finding it's 'home' on my camshaft. I'll monitor it for now to see if it gets better/worse and report back Newest problem (see other thread) is that the indicators flash when the car is off but are solid when the motor is running.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 I might get a chance to fire up and drive my '24 in the next couple of days. You may see on some international news outlet that Seattle is about to experience two sunny, dry, relatively warm days in a row. That is a very big deal in this gloom capital of the lower 48. Our Summers are absolutely wonderful, though. Wish they would last longer. Global warming may help. If I do drive it, I will see if the old thing has a similar noise. - Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 You can better pinpoint with a 2.5 foor length of heater hose and your ear - basically you are making a stethoscope. I had a odd noise and it turned out to be a worn tappet and every time it rotated to a specific spot you heard a click. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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