Tick/clatter at idle

[Jon O.]

1972 Newport, 74,000 miles. There is a kind of low clatter sound that concerns me. Im almost 100 percent sure it is oil related. Car always has fresh oil. Sound coming from up top somewhere drivers side closer to firewall. It goes away with any rev at all. The sound is strongest when braking. Any suggestions? My guess is that oil is not reaching one of the valves or lifters.

 

[CBODY67]

Any oil light flickers?? Quick stops, fast acceleration?

 

[Jon O.]

Any oil light flickers?? Quick stops, fast acceleration?

I drive like an old lady, i want to keep the car forever so i dont know about quick stops or fast acceleraton. There was an oil light flicker once because the idle speed was too low, so i adjusted it up. Only been driven about 4 times in the past few months, and not very far.

 

[CBODY67]

Reason I asked about that is that our '72 Newport 400 2bbl, from new, sometimes would get an oil light when accelerating quickly, from stop, across an intersection. When that happened, I'd put it in "N" and blip the throttle until the light went out. On my '70 Monaco 383 4bbl, if it revved too quickly (as if one wheel lost traction and engine speed spiked), same thing. I think I read something about something similar in another thread in here, as to why it happened.

Never did figure out what the issue was with the '72. It ran well otherwise.

CBODY67

 

[CBODY67]

Now, as far as other experiences with our Chrysler B block engines, by about 80K miles, they had a burnt exhaust valve on #7 cylinder. From the '66 Newport to my '70 Monaco. Valve guide to valve stem clearance (from wear) usually caused the valve to not seat securely when it closes, which also wears the valve stem oil seal first. Such clearance can allegedly cause a "click/tick" as a valve lifter adjustment (on engines where that can happen, which is not a stock Chrysler V-8) can happen.

Might need get a mechanic to put a manual gauge in the place of the existing oil pressure sensor, just to see what the oil pressure might be, so you know, if nothing else.

Interesting that you notice it on stops more than acceleration. If it was more on acceleration, I'd suggest that the exhaust manifold nuts be checked for tightness, which can cause "ticks" too, but only on initial acceleration, as was the case with our '66 Newport when it was new. In that case, the rh rr nuts.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

 

[Big_John]

Sounds like lifter noise.

Two questions... What weight oil did you use and have you checked oil pressure?

I'm assuming you don't have a pressure gauge, so that might be the first thing to do. An electric version is easier to install and then you don't have the oil line running into the interior.

 

[Jon O.]

Now, as far as other experiences with our Chrysler B block engines, by about 80K miles, they had a burnt exhaust valve on #7 cylinder. From the '66 Newport to my '70 Monaco. Valve guide to valve stem clearance (from wear) usually caused the valve to not seat securely when it closes, which also wears the valve stem oil seal first. Such clearance can allegedly cause a "click/tick" as a valve lifter adjustment (on engines where that can happen, which is not a stock Chrysler V-8) can happen.

Might need get a mechanic to put a manual gauge in the place of the existing oil pressure sensor, just to see what the oil pressure might be, so you know, if nothing else.

Interesting that you notice it on stops more than acceleration. If it was more on acceleration, I'd suggest that the exhaust manifold nuts be checked for tightness, which can cause "ticks" too, but only on initial acceleration, as was the case with our '66 Newport when it was new. In that case, the rh rr nuts.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

Its not loud enough to be exhaust. You can only hear it in the drivers seat. Even ear next to engine i cant hear it.

 

[Jon O.]

Sounds like lifter noise.

Two questions... What weight oil did you use and have you checked oil pressure?

I'm assuming you don't have a pressure gauge, so that might be the first thing to do. An electric version is easier to install and then you don't have the oil line running into the interior.

10w30 have not checked pressure.

 

[CBODY67]

On a non-Chrysler car I drive daily, it came to have a tick at idle, sometimes. If I revved the motor, it'd be louder as the engine rpm decreased. Broken flywheel. Paid to replace it. Same thing a few months later! Replaced again under shop warranty.

So, with the car on a lift, remove the access plate and have a tech (with a bright light) inspect the flex plate where it connects to the crankshaft and also to the torque converter. Replace the bolts if any are found with a shiny patter on their shank.

On my car, the bolts were hitting the correct torque as they were stretched and then bottomed out in the threads, as if they were tight, but weren't completely as tight against the flywheel as they should have been. New bolts fixed it the THIRD time around.

CBODY67

 

[GOLDMYN]

exhaust manifold butterfly?

 

[Jon O.]

If it makes a difference, it sometimes stumbles when giving it gas right after starting. Rebuilt the carb in July. Unsure if the two problems would be related. It started stubling within the last week.

 

[Big_John]

If it makes a difference, it sometimes stumbles when giving it gas right after starting. Rebuilt the carb in July. Unsure if the two problems would be related. It started stubling within the last week.

Hmm... Actually, if you have some sort of internal gas leak, that could be watering down the oil just enough to thin it out and cause the lifters to rattle.

Take a sniff of the dipstick and see if it smells like gas.

 

[413]

If you can only hear it In The car then disconnect the speedometer cable at the transmission to rule that out. They are 50+ years old, they get dry and make noise. Just humor yourself and try it. It’s probly not it, but try it anyway.

 

[Jon O.]

If you,can only hear it I. The car then disconnect the speedometer cable at the transmission to rule that out. They are 50+ years old, they get dry and make noise. Just humor yourself and try it. It’s probly not it, but try it anyway.

At idle it shouldn't be moving right? clatter goes away with any acceleration at all.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Turn up the radio.

 

[Jon O.]

Turn up the radio.

That shaves time off it's life. I would have no problem with that if it was junk.

 

[Jon O.]

Ok Heres an interesting discovery.
Today I did the simple things first. I checked all the fluids, went out and warmed the car up and drove around a little to try and listen.
1. If you have the car in park the sound is not there.
2. When you put it in gear it starts making the clatter sound.
3. if you touch the gas at all, the sound disappears. Hard acceleration: No sound. Hard braking: Sound is a tiny bit louder than normal.
4. Interesting part: If you have the car in gear, but use the parking brake instead of brakes, the sound goes away. Somehow it is correlated with pushing the brake pedal.
I can best describe the sound as: taking a stick and running it along a deck rail. But really low volume. My exhaust is about the same volume as the sound, when sitting in the driver's seat.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Flex plate cracked?
At least it's better than my other suggestion.

 

[Ripinator]

Ok Heres an interesting discovery.
Today I did the simple things first. I checked all the fluids, went out and warmed the car up and drove around a little to try and listen.
1. If you have the car in park the sound is not there.
2. When you put it in gear it starts making the clatter sound.
3. if you touch the gas at all, the sound disappears. Hard acceleration: No sound. Hard braking: Sound is a tiny bit louder than normal.
4. Interesting part: If you have the car in gear, but use the parking brake instead of brakes, the sound goes away. Somehow it is correlated with pushing the brake pedal.
I can best describe the sound as: taking a stick and running it along a deck rail. But really low volume. My exhaust is about the same volume as the sound, when sitting in the driver's seat.

I'm wondering about the power brake booster. Maybe an internal vacuum leak?

 

[Jon O.]

I'm wondering about the power brake booster. Maybe an internal vacuum leak?

The car had an internal master cylinder leak a year or two ago, so it is possible.

It sounds just like this in a lower volume:
Don't use this video as a reference, it is only similar in sound, not diagnosis.
I tried to make a video of my own, but the camera didn't pick the sound up.