clack-clack

DjEep · Post by **DjEep** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 9:25 am

The westy has made a loud clacking noise for as long as I can remember. Hasn't seemed to ever get "better" or "worse," but only starts after the first major blip of the throttle after starting. Seems to be coming from the area of #3, but it could just be the fact that I can't hear as well on the right side, plus there is an air cleaner in the way on that side. Cam Clicking? Crappy rockers? Bad bearing (gulp)? Thin oil? NOTA?

Add'l Info: 1776DP, external oil cooler (first hypothesis was oil starvation due to added capacity), new-er 043 heads w/ SS valves, guessing about 60,000mi on bottomend.

RSorak 71Westy · Post by **RSorak 71Westy** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:50 am

Have ya taken the valve cover off on that side and tried adjusting the valves?

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:22 am

Does it go away right away? Maybe it's just that the oil hasn't had a chance to work it's way around the engine for the first few cold seconds. I've had a couple cars do that, never amounted to anything.

DjEep · Post by **DjEep** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:04 am

RSorak 71Westy wrote:Have ya taken the valve cover off on that side and tried adjusting the valves?

I've put 30,000 miles on her, I hope I've adjusted the valves sometime in there.

It sounds louder than just valve clatter. Although I have never really been sure if I am using the feeler right.

So I could be setting them perpetually loose.

Does it go away right away? Maybe it's just that the oil hasn't had a chance to work it's way around the engine for the first few cold seconds. I've had a couple cars do that, never amounted to anything.

Opposite. Starts after a second and doesn't go away. I swear it quiets down a bit when I hit the brakes. That is why I first thoough about oil level. As in, when I hit the brakes, the oil in the sump sloshes forward a bit and lubes up the area better for a second.

The only reason I waited a year to ask this was the fact that lots of people have seen this bus and no one has said "what is that sound?" I swear I am the only one that hears it, but it seems to be the dominant sound coming from the engine, other than exhaust.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:39 am

Could be an exhaust leak?
I had a loud beetle once kept expecting to throw a rod but it ran clattery for years and from the oil cooler area like yer describing.
I get jumpy with sounds too, especially many miles from home...everything sounds ominous.

DjEep · Post by **DjEep** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:12 am

I thought about this too. I noticed a bit of "fweem" lately, and found a bit of blowout on the #1 exhaust gasket, #3 looked ok from my one-angle view. Maybe I'll pull both heaterboxes and change them out this weekend.

I just got an idea. To test this theory, could I just pull the #3 plugwire and see if the noise stops?

RSorak 71Westy · Post by **RSorak 71Westy** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:48 am

Yes the noise will def change if it's an exhaust leak and you pull the plug wire.

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

clack-clack

clack-clack