Engine Knock/Ping

[PULSE]

Having never had an old car before theres a lot of things I'm not sure on, as in, how the thing is supposed to run, because I've never had anything to compare it against. Anyway, I took my car down to an exhaust place a few weeks ago and he said to me that he noticed the engine was pinging. I didn't know what that was so a bit of a google when I got home and now I do. Anyway, it doesn't get driven much as theres still work being done to it, but I need to drive it to a carby place to get it tuned (20 - 30 mins away), so I don't want to be driving it that far if its possibly damaging the engine.

Its a 2T/3T and I've put a 32/36 weber on it and just left whatever jets were in there (hence why im going to get it jetted/tuned), recently it was overheating and I didnt notice it for a couple of short drives, but I've flushed the radiator and replaced the coolant and it doesnt overheat now. It was also very low on oil (below the Lowest mark on the dipstick), which I hadn't checked since I got it either so I drained the oil and and replaced it along with a new oil filter. After the guy has told me it was pinging, each time I start the car I've been paying close attention to it and now its very obvious. I tried retarding the timing a little but that didnt help. From what I've read on the internet also, pinging should only really happen under load not at idle. Well my problem is mainly at idle, but it does increase in speed as the RPM does. I've haven't really driven it much since I heard of this problem but it still has seen a few kays like this.

I've also read on the internet it could be caused by using crap fuel, but its got premium in there atm. However it doesnt have any of that lead replacement additive?

Anyway, what other causes of the problem are there?

Cheers, Matt

[LeeRoy]

Too far advanced ignition timing. Is the vacuum advance also hooked up correctly?

[PULSE]

Is the vacuum advance just the line that runs from the dizzy to the carby? if so yes it is hooked up and the line seems to be in pretty good condition. Should it have small hose clamps at the ends though because it doesnt? Theres a possibility of other vacuum leaks in the carby though, would that have any effect?

[allencr]

Is the vacuum advance just the line that runs from the dizzy to the carby?
Yes.
Should it have small hose clamps at the ends though because it doesnt?
No, unless the hose doesn't fit tight enough & leak free.
Theres a possibility of other vacuum leaks in the carby though, would that have any effect?
Yes, if the vacuum advance wasn't working completely, then there would be much less of a chance that 'too much Ign. advance' is causing a 'ping', and if there are other vacuum leaks, the mixture may get leaned out enough to be more prone to pinging.

I think it's a little valve clatter. What's the compression & lash/gap?

[PULSE]

I've got no idea I didnt build the engine and don't really have much info about it??

I was just searching youtube then for some vids of a 2T or 3T running just to make sure that it is infact pinging and not a noise that it should be making. And I found this vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYgwYTYRJdc

My engine makes the same clicking noise that you hear the engine in the video make at idle, except when my engine is revved, the noise gets faster with the engine RPM.

[LeeRoy]

Its a noisy cam. More than likely from large tolerance between the cam itself and the shim.

Did you have the head rebuilt when you got the motor done?

[PULSE]

I didnt get the motor done myself, it was done before I bought the car. This is all I know about the engine really, taken from the thread that the car was advertised in when I bought it:

Engine
Hybrid Single-cam, 2T Head/3T Bottom End

Engine was just put together, care of the team at Grumpy Engines. It's a 2T head which has been fully reconditioned along with a 3T bottom end with lumpy camshaft. Had all the gaskets replaced, completely serviced - just needs the 32/36 Weber back on her and she'll be running well again!

And now that I listen to that video again, the sound is sharper, like a more harder type sound if that makes sense.

[LeeRoy]

And its always done it?

My suggestion would be to just take it to the dyno place and get it tuned. Provided they are good at what they do they will be able to tell you what it is and why its making the noise, and then if its a problem theyll be able to rectify it.

[w810sc]

Check your valve clearance:
(cut and paste from Rivers T, 2T, 2T-B etc. thread)

Valve Clearance - Intake Cold
T, 2T, 2T-B, 2T-C => 0.18mm
2T-G => 0.29 - 0.34mm (0.26 - 0.32 mm from April 1973)

Valve Clearance - Intake Hot
T, 2T, 2T-B, 2T-C => 0.20mm
2T-G => 0.29 - 0.34mm (0.26 - 0.32 mm from April 1973)

Valve Clearance - Exhaust Cold
T, 2T, 2T-B, 2T-C => 0.30mm
2T-G => 0.34 - 0.39mm (0.31 - 0.37 mm from April 1973)

Valve Clearance - Exhaust Hot
T, 2T, 2T-B, 2T-C => 0.33mm
2T-G => 0.34 - 0.39mm (0.31 - 0.37 mm from April 1973)

or follow these steps:

fonz

edit:
also forgot to ask,
is there oil reaching the head? I've had this happen to me where the bolt for the larger timing sprocket was missing. The cam was off-set (it moved backwards) to its bearings and was blocking the oil gallery path to the head. The front bearing of the cam has a grove in the center for oil to continuously flow to the head whilst lubricating the can. It got very hot at one stage too but didn't over heat.

[PULSE]

I'm not sure if its always done it, I never noticed it before until the exhaust guy pointed it out. Adjusting valve clearances looks slightly out of my league, I'm tempted to have a go but a bit scared I'll screw things up. Is it dangerous for the engine to drive it to the place to get it tuned like this? And if I got someone to adjust the valve clearances for me, what would be a ballpark figure to get this done? I'll call up and get a proper quote if its in my price range otherwise it looks like I'll be doing it myself Thanks for the help guys.

Cheers, Matt

[oldcorollas]

employ a nearby, knowledgeable Toymodder with beer to oversee the work you do and help wield spanners

[PULSE]

Your full of good ideas, anybody interested in giving me a hand? I'm in lilydale for those that dont know.

Cheers, Matt

[blacktop]

Hey your local to me but no dice with me helping! I'll somehow put a screwdriver where it shouldn't go and then you will likely be witnessing the only Nuclear explosion ever to come from a car!

I have this effect!

I wouldn't worry about it to much, my mate had a TA22 with a 2T and it sounded like that for 2 years! it went like a rocket to!!!

If you want a good old school mechanic go to Ken in Coldstream, his the only mechanic there and his on the main road, you can't miss him.

[w810sc]

Matt, adjusting the valve clearance is very easy, if I can get a chick to do it on her own TA22 with a 2T in it, I'm sure you will have no problems.
you will need:
- a feeler gauge with the correct thickness
- flat head screw driver (medium or small)
- spanner (I think 10mm)

Once you found top dead center on compression stroke, mark it on the crank pully and timing cover.

To check the valve clearance, choose the correct thickness on the feeler gauge and place it between where the valve and the rocker arm meet. The gap is too big if there is a bit of play between the two and it is too small if you can't fit the correct thickness feeler gauge in (pretty obvious there).


measure the:
- inlet valve clearances for piston 1 and 2
- exhaust valve clearance for piston 1 and 3

now rotate the crankshaft one revolution till the marks that you made for top dead center are align again. This time-
measure the:
- inlet valve clearances for piston 3 and 4
- exhaust valve clearance for piston 2 and 4

To adjust the clearance all you have to do is loosen the nut on the rocker arms (on the matching valve) with the spanner, and using the flat head screw driver, turn the screw located in the center of the nut clock wise or anti-clock wise depending if you need to increase or decrease the gap.

TIP:
try to keep the nut still with the spanner, others might recommend using a ring spanner as they feel comfortable with it. Doing this will limit the chance of your adjustments going wrong when you turn the adjusting screw.
do not pre load the valve when your decreasing the gap, cause once you remove the feeler gauge the gap will decrease.

fonz.

[PULSE]

Awesome, I'll be doing this tomorrow then! Thanks for all your help mate its much appreciated. I did search for guides on the net before but didnt really come up with much. So I need to buy a feeler gauge, do I need to replace the gasket for the rocker cover? Or any other things that I'm not thinking of? Cheers, Matt