Clank noise from Crank pulley & Lights flicker (video) Help!
03-07-2012, 08:54 AM
#91
Thanks for the info guys. Today, I will pull the pulley off and run the engine in order to REALLY pin point this noise using a stethoscope.
Unfortunately, I am at a transition point in my career and I don't have a permanent garage to drop an engine. I will post my findings this afternoon with a video.
Unfortunately, I am at a transition point in my career and I don't have a permanent garage to drop an engine. I will post my findings this afternoon with a video.
03-07-2012, 10:16 AM
#93
03-07-2012, 11:00 AM
#94
No-I think the only way to verify the shaft isn't moving is to either pull the the transmission -flywheel and IMS flange or possibly by removing the oil pump. Logray can probably shed more light on that .
03-07-2012, 12:03 PM
#95
Three Wheelin'
If the bearing lock ring wasn't in place and the bearing wasn't driven all the way home and the center support nut wasn't cinched down maybe? It's an interference fit though with the bearing, and it might have worked it's way out of the tube a little??? (I guess meltdown would happen shortly thereafter) Probably more likely explanation for your theory would be the center bearing support isn't fully pressed in the back side of the bearing, and/or the center support nut isn't torqued properly causing the tube to float forward/aft... and maybe the noise you are hearing is chains slapping (should be grinding really) against the case on the 4-6 side (I guess that would prob. be more of a constant noise though). You might have similar noises on the opposite end if this is the case. If you remove the oil pump and coolant console you could grab hold of the ims tube and see if there is any forward/aft play in it. There should be none (well, maybe a few .000x", whatever the ims bearing will allow). Also inspect the condition of the oil pump hex driver. It would probably be easier to drop the transmission and inspect the ims flange if you suspect this, although once you drop engine and trans both are just about as easy.
Before tearing into the engine though, (assuming they are both dropped), certainly it would be worth pulling the transmission/fw and also oil pump to eliminate the "easy" fixes (relatively speaking).
If the thrust shims in the bearing carrier failed you would have forward aft movement in the crankshaft, particularly if you have the car on stands and someone operating the gears, clutch mechanism, you would have better potential to see the crank pulley move forwards/aft (but that doesn't have anything to do with the IMS tube floating around).
Try to get a better isolation on the noise, top/bottom/front/sides/etc. We are all speculating wildly here... and as Macster pointed out so well, the Internet guessing game can often lead you down the wrong path...
Before tearing into the engine though, (assuming they are both dropped), certainly it would be worth pulling the transmission/fw and also oil pump to eliminate the "easy" fixes (relatively speaking).
If the thrust shims in the bearing carrier failed you would have forward aft movement in the crankshaft, particularly if you have the car on stands and someone operating the gears, clutch mechanism, you would have better potential to see the crank pulley move forwards/aft (but that doesn't have anything to do with the IMS tube floating around).
Try to get a better isolation on the noise, top/bottom/front/sides/etc. We are all speculating wildly here... and as Macster pointed out so well, the Internet guessing game can often lead you down the wrong path...
03-07-2012, 12:10 PM
#96
Sorry, I misunderstood what dcdrechsel mentioned. 
Of course I would not see any play in the crankshaft... I would LOVE to eliminate everything that I could possibly do before removing the engine/transmission.
Of course I would not see any play in the crankshaft... I would LOVE to eliminate everything that I could possibly do before removing the engine/transmission.
03-07-2012, 02:29 PM
#98
Gentlemen, We may have a breakthrough... I pulled the crank pulley off and the sound stopped. Very strange... I used a stethoscope around the area and I don't hear anything abnormal. I put the pulley back on and tested it with and without the belt. The same noise came back. I am seriously thinking about just buying a pulley and being done with this. Thoughts??
03-07-2012, 02:33 PM
#99
Three Wheelin'
Ahhh more good news.
Have you inspected the area around the pulley and the pulley itself to see where it might be clicking... maybe the TDC lock pin boss, is there a bolt that's not tightened all the way that it could be contacting? I'll look through some pics.
Or perhaps the pulley just has a crack or something and when it's spun around it clicks.
Is the nose of the crank OK?
The fact that you found an old bolt behind the pulley makes me wonder if there is some damage or still a piece of it lodged somewhere.
Try a new pulley?
Is the locating pin in the nose OK?
Looking at that area there's not a lot for the pulley to come in contact with unless perhaps a case bolt is loose, or the tdc pin boss is damaged
Have you inspected the area around the pulley and the pulley itself to see where it might be clicking... maybe the TDC lock pin boss, is there a bolt that's not tightened all the way that it could be contacting? I'll look through some pics.
Or perhaps the pulley just has a crack or something and when it's spun around it clicks.
Is the nose of the crank OK?
The fact that you found an old bolt behind the pulley makes me wonder if there is some damage or still a piece of it lodged somewhere.
Try a new pulley?
Is the locating pin in the nose OK?
Looking at that area there's not a lot for the pulley to come in contact with unless perhaps a case bolt is loose, or the tdc pin boss is damaged
03-07-2012, 02:35 PM
#100
Meanwhile, as I try to diagnose my electrical problem...... I pull all of my fuses out except the instrument cluster (needed to see the flicker) and reinstalled them one by one. I was not able to pinpoint it to one fuse but it appears to me that it is something on the engine electronic side. Here is a list of the fuses that were installed and the flicker continued: B1 (instrument cluster), B8 (central locking/alarm control unit, engine electronics control unit, Tip control unit), B10 (instrument cluster, diagnosis, headlight adjustment beam), C1 (engine electronics), C2 (ignition, fuel injection, oxygen sensor heating), C3 (central locking/alarm system, power windows, inside lights, sunroof) C4 (fuel pump).
03-07-2012, 02:42 PM
#101
Three Wheelin'
I used to have the same flicker and low voltage problem, but it is gone now. My cars electrical system is perfect again, charges at 14.2-3 volts and once charged never drops below 13.6. No flicker.
Here's what I did.
Replaced:
Battery
Positive lead from battery to fuse box behind psngr footwell.
Positive lead from fuse box to junction box above transmission.
Positive lead from junction box above transmission to jump point on engine
Positive lead from jump point on engine to starter to generator
Sanded all exposed terminals on engine and wiring loom and protected with dielectric grease.
Negative lead from engine to body (sanded/wire wheel body contact)
Negative lead from battery to body
Alternator
Here's what I did.
Replaced:
Battery
Positive lead from battery to fuse box behind psngr footwell.
Positive lead from fuse box to junction box above transmission.
Positive lead from junction box above transmission to jump point on engine
Positive lead from jump point on engine to starter to generator
Sanded all exposed terminals on engine and wiring loom and protected with dielectric grease.
Negative lead from engine to body (sanded/wire wheel body contact)
Negative lead from battery to body
Alternator
03-07-2012, 02:55 PM
#102
Alright, I am about to post a video for you. I did not trust my table top so I inspected my pulley on a granite counter top instead. There appears to be some wobble in the pulley and I bet that with some slight movement in the crankshaft combined with the wobble it is hitting the pin boss on the block. although no signs of contact visible.. Check it out...
03-07-2012, 03:08 PM
#103
Three Wheelin'
Looks like a potato chip to me.
My old pulley does that too, but only very very slightly, much less than yours. It has a slight radial wobble, but is very very slight.
That line where the boss is looks normal, mine has that too.
If you want I can mail my old pulley to you today, and if it works out give me $40 or something for it, otherwise if not mail it back to me. Let me know.
The new pulley I bought is pretty much perfect, not out of round axially or radially.
My old pulley does that too, but only very very slightly, much less than yours. It has a slight radial wobble, but is very very slight.
That line where the boss is looks normal, mine has that too.
If you want I can mail my old pulley to you today, and if it works out give me $40 or something for it, otherwise if not mail it back to me. Let me know.
The new pulley I bought is pretty much perfect, not out of round axially or radially.
03-07-2012, 06:33 PM
#104
Looks like a potato chip to me.
My old pulley does that too, but only very very slightly, much less than yours. It has a slight radial wobble, but is very very slight.
That line where the boss is looks normal, mine has that too.
If you want I can mail my old pulley to you today, and if it works out give me $40 or something for it, otherwise if not mail it back to me. Let me know.
The new pulley I bought is pretty much perfect, not out of round axially or radially.
My old pulley does that too, but only very very slightly, much less than yours. It has a slight radial wobble, but is very very slight.
That line where the boss is looks normal, mine has that too.
If you want I can mail my old pulley to you today, and if it works out give me $40 or something for it, otherwise if not mail it back to me. Let me know.
The new pulley I bought is pretty much perfect, not out of round axially or radially.
03-07-2012, 07:33 PM
#105
I used to have the same flicker and low voltage problem, but it is gone now. My cars electrical system is perfect again, charges at 14.2-3 volts and once charged never drops below 13.6. No flicker.
Here's what I did.
Replaced:
Battery (tested good)
Positive lead from battery to fuse box behind psngr footwell. (you mean drivers footwell?)
Positive lead from fuse box to junction box above transmission.
Positive lead from junction box above transmission to jump point on engine
Positive lead from jump point on engine to starter to generator (done)
Sanded all exposed terminals on engine and wiring loom and protected with dielectric grease.
Negative lead from engine to body (sanded/wire wheel body contact) (done)
Negative lead from battery to body (done)
Alternator (done)
Here's what I did.
Replaced:
Battery (tested good)
Positive lead from battery to fuse box behind psngr footwell. (you mean drivers footwell?)
Positive lead from fuse box to junction box above transmission.
Positive lead from junction box above transmission to jump point on engine
Positive lead from jump point on engine to starter to generator (done)
Sanded all exposed terminals on engine and wiring loom and protected with dielectric grease.
Negative lead from engine to body (sanded/wire wheel body contact) (done)
Negative lead from battery to body (done)
Alternator (done)