A ticking noise

Brinken · Post by **Brinken** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 3:38 pm

As I wrote on my project thread, she is up and running again. BUT I can hear a ticking noise, like the noise from an unadjusted valve. I can hear the ticking loud and clear in the tub under the dash, but I can hardly hear it if I open the hood and listen close to the engine. I can't hear it at all if I crawl under and listen from below.

What could it be? Do you guys have any idea what this ticking is coming from?

Summer in Sweden

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 4:15 pm

It could be several things, Jan-Olof.

You can try and pinpoint the noise by using a long screwdriver or other
metal tube or rod. Put one end touching the inside of your ear and the
other on various places on the motor. If no luck there try the bell housing.

This can at least put you in the area of the noise.

Good luck,

Post by **wesk** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:32 pm

You haven't finished localizing the noise yet. try removing the floor center panel and then drive the jeep and listen. If you can't locate the noise lying under the car or with the hood open then most likely the noise is behind the floor panel or the dash.

Brinken · Post by **Brinken** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 11:57 pm

Thanks Wes and Brian for the info. I'll try this

Brumbach · Post by **Brumbach** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 2:11 pm

Exhaust manifold leak?

Brinken · Post by **Brinken** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 2:38 pm

Thanks for this info, I will try that too

timjuhl · Post by **timjuhl** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 3:18 pm

Do you hear it when the Jeep is standing still? If you only hear it under motion it might be associated with the speedometer.

Tim

Brinken · Post by **Brinken** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 3:27 pm

It is only when the jeep is standing still, in motion there are so many other noises so I can't separate this specific noise.
Thanks anyway Tim

Brinken · Post by **Brinken** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 7:24 am

Wes, Brian, Bill and Tim, thanks very much for the very good and fruitful feedback. I have tried all your suggestions in your feedback, using Brians method, an iron pipe acting like a stethoscope. I listened at every position you suggested.

Finally I found the source to the ticking noise, it is the high performance ignition coil (that the former owner put there) located in the back of the engine compartment, on the wall to the tub.

The coil is ticking loud and clear and you can hear it very well when engine is on idle, when higher speed on the engine all other noises drown this particular noise. The coil also became extremely hot, I burned my finger touching the iron coil.

I started to suspect something electric causing the noise, as it disappeared emediately after switching off the ignition key, that was long before the engine stopped.

So now comes my next question: Why is the coil ticking and why does it get really hot??
Is it just because it is of poor quality (maybe made in China), or is it not matched with the electronic transistor driven box taking its input from the joints, making a strong signal to the coil? Or do you have other suggestions?

I know this question and my equipment is far off genuine Willys jeep stuff, but my goal is to get the jeep running, even if it has modern stuff connected to the engine.
I greatfully take all suggestions and feedback on my question

Xamon · Post by **Xamon** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 7:32 am

Generally ticking in any electrical system is an air gap somewhere causing it to spark across, this also generates a fair bit of heat. Check all connecting points for burning or melting although it is possible it is internal.

Brinken · Post by **Brinken** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 9:16 am

Robert, the coil is brand new, but exactly the same as the one that caught fire during my struggle to get the engine started. This could be another evidence something is wrong in the system, either the coil or the electronic ignition

Post by **wesk** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 9:22 am

That looks like a late model Honda coil.

You could check it with an ohm meter for obvious poor readings (less then 1 OHM primary & less than 4m Ohms secondary) but often times an arc caused by weak insulation is not always detectable with a resistance measurement.

I would just substitute a standard 12 volt 60's/70's vintage auto coil.

I see two red leads connected to the primary +. There should only be one. I will guess one leads to the ignition switch. Check and see where the other wire leads?

Brinken · Post by **Brinken** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 10:36 am

Wes, my experience of Fluke multimeter says that it is almost impossible to get any accurasy at all below 1 ohm, but I will try. The coil is bought from the largest car parts dealer in Sweden, as being "a general purpose coil", just two months ago, so it couldn't possibly be worn out, the only thing I can think of is poor quality together with the electronic ignition.

One of the red wires on the coil comes from the fuse holder and should be called "high positive" , the other is the positive to the electronic ignition box.

I mean, the first coil got over heated and caught fire, the asphalt filling was boiling and the bucket and the asphalt were on there way to drop downwords under heavy smoke when I noticed the fire, I was laying upside down under the dash looking for faults at that occasion.

I'll try to find a NEW vintage coil and see what is happening.
Do you guys have any further suggestions???

Post by **wesk** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 11:06 am

What are you calling "electronic ignition"? Here that term applies to computerized engine controls. A brain box that controls the engine by monitoring several operating parameters and then varying ignition and fuel flow accordingly.

If you are referring to the pointless distributor modification that simply replaces the mechanical points with a hall effect sensor that triggers the coil. If this is what you have the coil primary may be wired incorrectly.

If the unit in the distributor is Pertronics then this is their instruction:
http://www.pertronix.com/support/manual ... 12vneg.pdf

Brinken · Post by **Brinken** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 11:22 am

Wes, in the earlier post you reffered to ignition switch, that could be a more accurate word for it, it is a little printed circuit board with one driver transistor, one effekt transistor, and some resistors and capacitors connecting the transistors.
This board take the signal from the points in the distributor, make it a more well shaped opening and closing signal sent to the coil. It is not hightech at all, but it makes the points less stressed (as you were talking about in a thread a couple of days ago) and it makes a sharper pulse to the coil. The result will be a much stronger spark in the plugs