Y-Block Death Rattle?...Help

Just for kicks check the screws in the carb butterfly. I have had one of these come loose and get on top of the piston and raise all kinds of hell. Just a thought.

 

Does the gear on the starter spring back when you wind it down the shaft there? It looks to me like it is stuck where it would be engaged all the time. I'm no Y block guru but I have done a ton of Brit stuff and the drive would only look like yours does if it was stuck in the engaged position. It should freely wind itself back up away from the starter housing.

 

Drop the transmission dust pan cover on that bellhousing and then rotate the torque converter to where you can get a good line of sight on the mounting ears of your flexplate. 56 and earlier used a flexplate that was very, very week, and was knowing for the rivets popping loose. 57 and earlier supposedly changed. With a vehicle this old, there is always a chance you have a flexplate issue.

Whatever the case, the video made it sound like it was coming from the back of the motor. Let us know - look at all of these inquiring minds LOL

 

IF it has the air cooled automatic check the two tabs that are riveted to the flywheel that the torque converter and starter ring bolt to . my 56 had a bad rattle only when the engine was at idle with no load on it sounded like a pretty heavy knock .i couldnt figure it out till one morning i went to start it and it began cranking but all of a sudden the starter was spinning and the engine wasnt .turns out the rivets had sheared off the two flex tabs . after replacing the rivets with grade 8 bolts it ran fine and the knock was gone . i figured out the knock was the torque converter rattling on the flywheel
Mike

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I did crawl underneath while it was running and used a length of heater hose to my ear to try to find the noise, but no luck. I have been out of town this week (just got home 'bout 10 minutes ago), but I am going to dig into this thing tomorrow, and will take a look at the flex-plate. I will post results tomorrow.

 

Just curious if you'd found anything out yet?

 

info?

 

Too many family trips have kept me from working on the car much, but the kids are back in school, and I am unemployed so I have time to get to work. Okay so pulled off the front of the motor today, and the timing chain looks fine.

Bdynpnt: I checked the flywheel and could not see any damage, could you let me know exactly what I should look for? Thanks for you help. I am gonna pull the pan tomorrow...in my gut I know I shoulda done that first, but I was hoping for easy!!!

 

Dear teamslacker, I have the same problem as you. My car is a55 Merc convertible. Did you sole your problem? Let me know. Thanks, Red Dawg.

 

Dear teamslacker have 55 Merc making the same noise. Have you found a solution to your problem yet? Thanks

 

Fuel pump?

 

If it's flywheel it probally change under load trans neutral to drive.

 

drain the oil when it is warm and check for any metallic flakes. I would even consider droping the oil pan if it can be done with out yanking the motor.

 

I worked in an engine rebuilding shop in the early 60's and it seems like I remember
that the Y-block Fords may have had a kind of flakey sheet metal oil slinger on the
crankshaft snout inside the timing cover. That was a long time ago, and I might not be remembering correctly here, but it seems like those were kind of loose anyway.
I wonder if that could be the culprit?

 

My 56 TBird made a similar noise. The flex plate for that year only attached on 2 sides 180 degrees apart. Its very flexible. The torque converter would "bump" at low RPM and then get quiet as speed increased and harmonic balance took over. I solved the problem by using a later mode flex plate that attached evey 90 degrees.

 

CHRIS F100, WHAT YEAR FLEX PLATE DID YOU USE ON YOUR 56 T BIRD? I MAY TRY IT.Thanks, Red Dawg.

 

I seem to recall that I used a 57 TBird plate. This was about 20 years ago. As an alternative if you have the plate with the 180 degree spacing you could try to tighten up the rivets which actually hold the flex fingers to the plate. That is what usually works loose.

 

If you think it might be a piston slap I used to with the motor running pour a little STP down the carb as it runs & see if the noise goes away. Also I've had a bad piston wrist pin sound like that in a Y-block = noise goes away under power or load. Get a stethascope to find if the is coming from the top or bottom of the block.

 

How did you finally get on? Noone answered your question about your starter motor. The bendix gear has overridden the ratchet and needs to be reset. You just need to disassemble it and reset it. It'll probably last another fifty years if you do that. If it won't release it remains in contact with the ring gear and destroys the starter and ring gear.
Regards