Found where ticking in engine is coming from

[andrewterri]

Using what I have read here I used an air pump tube as a stethoscope and found the ticking on my engine. It is coming from the distributor shaft. The noise is not as loud on the block around it or on the cap itself. Now the million dollar question....What does it mean? The shaft just runs on cam gears and they really cant click so this tells me it must be something inside the distributor right? Could overfilled oil caused this. I made the horrible mistake of not paying attention to detail and thinking a jug of oil was four quarts not five. I put the entire jug in plus a half quart for the oil filter. Once I noticed I check the oil and it was very high on the dip stick. I cleaned the dip stick and rechecked and it was correct. I have since checked every time before a launch and after as normal and the oil is always high on stick then after I wipe it off and rechecked it is right on. The engine already leaks oil as it leaks near every fluid possible . I am going to drain the quicksilver and refill with some cheap oriellys oil that I have here while keeping the new filter in place just ensure the level is right. While I know it is never smart to ignore problems as they will only multiply and become very expensive, is a ticking distributor something that needs to ground the boat until the cause is found? After the oil change I am doing a compression test and pulling valve cover to check for and adjust valve lash. Any help on what is causing the ticking sure would help. Some details I left out, the ticking is not always there. It seems to be getting worse in the sense that it is happening more often than not and it appears to be louder, however, that could be that I am paranoid about it. I am OCD about something not functioning properly. When I realize its not it bugs the he** out of me and has to be fixed. Good for the boat but drives the wife crazy:lol:

 

[stonyloam]

Might be a loose centrifugal weight. Take off the cap, rotor and remove the points plate, the weights are under there.

 

[alldodge]

Had to go look at your other post to find you have a 1989 3.0Lm always good to say what your working on, or put it in your sig

I think you motor has the DDIS ignition unless its been changed. Take the top off the distributor and have a look

 

[andrewterri]

Yes all dodge, I am sorry, I should have listed that. I will put it in my signature line today. It is all stock. I just replaced the points, condenser, cap, and rotor about 2 months ago. I also set the point gap at .20 to get a dwell angle of 31. I just checked again as the lap top is in the boat with me and the ticking is coming from the base plate of the distributor. I checked the timing again and using the picture I have because my timing marks are rusted off it is showing 6 degrees BTDC. I can not get it to hold 8 degrees. The timing is all over the place as the motor will not hold it. It drops down to about 3-4 degrees BTDC on its own about every 45 seconds or so. I tried to reset timing and same issue, it only wants to be at six. Don't know if it is because it was overtightened by PO and left there for a long time so there is a flat spot somewhere or if it is just bad. For back info when I did the dizzy tune up I was trying to fix a rough idle problem. I still have it when the motor is not in gear. The motor is jumping around like there is a vacuum line off somewhere, but to my understanding there is no vacuum line on this engine is there? Do you think the distributor is bad?

 

[alldodge]

Manual 10 has the 3.0 timing at 6 BTDC, the 120 and 140 is 8

Take the cap off and grab the rotor and see how much side and up/down play you have. There is no vacuum line or port but if you have a leak around the intake or carb it can cause this. Spay some crab cleaner around to see if it changes

 

[andrewterri]

ALLDodge, I checked the distubitor shaft. When I took the cap and rotor off there was a metal cap on the shaft and it would lift up about 1/4 inch. There was no side to side play. With the rotor on there was good snap back after turning slightly to check advance weights. I also sprayed the carb cleaner and there was no change in throttle. Do Dizzy's normally click because of the points? The sound I am hearing with the tube coming from the dizzy almost sounds like a higher pitch then without. There is sound coming from the timing gear cover that sounds to match in pitch and frequency. Do the timing gears make any noise? I don't thing there sound be any noise coming from there other than normal operating sounds. I checked compression thinking it might be rings and got 140, 130, 139, 140. I am using an old cheap gauge so it is just an idea. I don't like to see #2 10 points lower but that does not explain the sound. I am not hearing anything from the valve cover the suggest it is being caused by valve lash. Sounds deeper. All gauges show normal operation.

 

[andrewterri]

I tried to post another question but there was an error and it might have bearing here so I will list it on this thread. When I pulled the plugs I noticed a slight amount of white near the electrode on #4 plug. I thought lean condition which I know can cause detonation and make an awful noise. I checked the two mixture screws on the I5 carb and they were at 3/4 and 1 turn out. Called I5 and they said the factory setting is 2 1/2 out. I got the mixture set right, at least on muffs. Thought I would add this for more information in case this is a detonation problem. Could over filled oil cause this noise? Like I said previously I check dip stick and it is very high, I wipe it clean and check again and its right on. There is oil by the base of the dizzy and fuel pump so I think dizzy seal might be bad. Oh, also if it helps I have excessive oil blow by from valve cover vent and that is what lead to thinking it was rings hence compression test.

 

[alldodge]

Sounds are just hard to describe in words. Your compression numbers look good, but thinking this is also with a cold motor. Since there is blow by I think it gets worst as it heats up.

Don't see the play in the distributor or over filling for a short time causing the issue. Points do make a sound when working, the points open and there is a spark which crosses the points. Normally you don't here the arc without doing what your doing. Noise in a motor will also resonate thru out the motor.

 

[hoowahfun]

The previous owner of my 1987 3.0 told me that it likes mid-grade fuel or higher. I honestly couldn't tell you if that's true or not since mine doesn't even run :facepalm: but might be worth considering.

 

[andrewterri]

Thank you guys. I had to fill up on the lake with 91 no ethanol the other day and it is still there. The motor was warm it was at operating temp and was running for about 15 min before checking so I could listen to the engine. At least the numbers are decent. I will just run it. Everything is checking out okay. The stringers are rotted and need to be replaced this winter. When the motor is out I will pull timing cover and go through the entire engine. I want to replace the stringer if it wont cost to much because the engine runs good and have put a lot work and money into boat and trailer.

 

[andrewterri]

The engine sounds like a diesel when it is idling. In gear it is a whole other boat and sounds fine. This engine has never liked idling and i have never been able to figure it out. Every once in a blue moon the engine will idle perfect and be smooth and quite. Went and checked timing before going to lake and it was off again so after warming up i readjusted it. That is a problem because i should not be loosing my timing. The dizzy lock down nut is tight.

 

[kenny nunez]

Any time the the timing and/or dwell moves around the distributor needs to be pulled and a bushing has to be added to the bottom and a new bushing on the top. There is a bushing in the block just above the oil pump and it is worn out. A good machine shop can add the lower bushing to the bottom of the distributor housing. You will not believe the difference how it will run after this is done. Another source of noise sometimes is the starter drive rattling , there should be a small bracket attached to the top of the starter and bolted to the block to stabilize it. To check this out, wedge a piece of wood between the starter and the engine block to see if the noise goes away.

 

[andrewterri]

I will call the machine shop I have used in the past and see if they can do that. This boat can do anything but idle. That would make sense. Can a worn out bushing cause a noise if it is really shot? I ask because what I am hearing is coming from that area. Starboard side of engine towards the front.

 

[gm280]

What about a broken off gear? If your time is changing, you could have a distributor gear that has a broke tooth or more. That would account for the noise and timing issues. JMHO

 

[Jcris]

Have you pulled the distributor? I'd ditch the whole set-up and replace it with an electronic ignition.
It seems like your ignition system is too erratic at idle

 

[andrewterri]

New Dizzy's are crazy expensive. I am waiting on a call back from the machine shop. When I take it to them to have new bushings pressed on I will be able to inspect it. I will also be looking at the cam gear when the dizzy is out and replacing the base o-ring. Think that is where my oil is coming out at on that side.

 

[andrewterri]

Hey guys, can I get the bearing off the dizzy myself or does it have to be pressed off? The machine shop called and said that I would have to get it off then they can press it on for a couple dollars. Is that how this deal normally works? Would it be better to look for a good used electronic set-up instead of rebuilding this on? Can the timing gears make any noise? It is my understanding that the gears are fiber and not metal.

 

[alldodge]

The shop doesn't want to buy the distributer if it breaks when getting the bushing out. Should come out easy enough, maybe a long screw driver and smack it out, its a bushing not a roller bearing. Have to remove the roll pin out of the lower gear first. Once you get the distributor out might find your noise maker. I would look at electronic my self.

Your normally not going to hear the timing gears unless your running low on oil pressure. Wouldn't swear to it but don't think the gears are fiber coated.