Help Is this 308 noise something bad

Hope that's not some object stuck in your cam-belt. See the white thing in the belt in your picture.

 

wrong end of the engine

 

Noises travel pretty far especially through metal. So you really need to use the mechanic stethescope and sometimes you can actually feel the noise through your hand too as you hold the stetchescope pointer. If you don't have a stethescope put klenex in one ear and the handle end of a long screwdriver in on the other ear. Then give a listen to narrow down the source. If you think it is a tensioner bearing they have rubber seals. You can actually fill a hypdermic needle with grease and poke the grease seal and regrease it. If the noise stops you confirmed the diagnosis. Out of position cams can also cause more valvetrain noise. Using external cam locks are more likely to cause cam timing problems because the only way to confirm true cam timing is with a degree wheel and dial guage or factory marks as second best. And a Throw out bearing is really not a crazy idea. Sound can travel and really fool you at times. That's why you need to stethescope it to really narrow it down otherwise guessing is costly and time consuming.

 

I haven't been able to check out the YouTube posting (that web site is blocked from my office)...

However, I had a really nasty noise from the cam belt area, harsh metallic, rather like dry bearings. This noise was originally over 5000revs and then progressed to start lower and lower down the rev band.

It turned out to be a crack in the alloy cambelt cover runing from one of the fixing holes. Sympathetic vibration was causing the cover to resonate and the edges of the crack were grating against each other, causing an awful noise.


May or may not be relevant in this case, but easy to check and none critical if this is found to be the culprit. Just remove one cover and try the engine to see if the noise goes away. Then remove the other cover etc.


My cover was repaired using resin repair about 2 years ago and is still holding okay.


David

308 GTS carb

 

Stethoscope is a great tool (I've got an electronic one with headphones I can't stand those things poking my ears). It's amazing how it cuts right through the background noise to the source of the problem.

I had a Miura with a clutch that made just that kind of noise unless the clutch release lever was adjusted "just so".

 

yes. The adjust procedure is the same as the one in the gt4 workshop manual you can find on the net.

standard disclaimer - the above applies to unmodified carbed 308's and some early gtsi's. If the arm on the bell housing as a big spring on it, or just look under the dash- if there is a stop/bracket above the clutch pedal preventing it from raising higher, you care about free play

 

I had a very similar noise on my 328. It would only happen when dead cold and would go away after about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
The problem was the A/C compressor. Since it didn't work anyway I've removed the belt et voilá, problem solved. The stethoscope was essential to find the source of the problem.
And yes, the compressor (and all A/C system) will be reconditioned before next summer

 

Are you positive it's not the belt, rather than the compressor making the noise?

It's very common on the 308/328 for the belt to make a clicking noise for awhile, and then disappear. It will do it especially on humid days, and after cold starts.

Check it out, you might save a few bucks.

 

What!!! The sound I heard on the You Tube is not normal timing gear noise. I think you might need a second opinion.

 

Huh?

 

Sorry guys but I can tell you if Carlo says it's normal I'd be more than inclined to believe him! One of the most honest and experienced mechanics anyone could ever ask for!!

That's great news Bill. Now if I could just get an appointment with City Glass my car would be done and we could go drive them together!!

 

I think it's one valve or lifter is making the noise.

 

IMO if the sound goes away when warmed up, It may be an oil isues,first off verify your are not down a quart or two.

Are you running 20W50 or 20W60
as I have heard some f-chatters may be using, next oil change , try a different viscosity if your already running 0W50 then disregard

if not then try this 0W50..

http://www.evasivemotorsports.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ENEOS0W50&Category_Code=ENEOS&Store_Code=EM

a bit expensive... but cheeper than having a F-cert mechanic spend a couples of hours trying to diagnose what might be a simple oil issue

 

the thing I never considered when listening to the video was how close to the engine the microphone was, and the effect of it being inside the wheel well area.

the timing gears and tensioner bearings are pretty noisy if you stick a stethoscope on them. If that's what the mic was picking up, then "no problem found" seems pretty reasonable.

besides, any time a mechanic tells you to keep your wallet in your pocket, I'd believe them

 

If my car made that noise from oil starvation at start up, I'd be ****ting bricks.