351 Cleveland 2V awful noise

[Dallas]

Hello

I have a 1971 Mustang with 351 Cleveland engine 2V H code

My mechanic just changed the distributor and now the car running, but there is a terrible noise. He told me that since he put a sort of grease on the distibutor cap to have a better electric conduction, maybe some of this grease went on some belt, but the noise it's more than a squealing, it's louder and when I accelerate in neutral, it seems to disappear but at idle it's very loud and it's something that goes in the same synchronism of the engine rotation but sometimes seems metallic

Could you please gime me your opinion about this matter ?

I'm from Italy and here it's a nightmare found a mechanic expert in V8, my Stang is killing me here in Italy

Help me please

Thanks a lot

 

[will e]

Hard to tell from the description. You could remove each belt (one at a time) and see if it goes away.

The car wasn't running before? How long did it sit? Did the mechanic hear the noise when he started it or did it start making the noise after you left?

 

[Dallas]

Thanks for your reply

The noise wasn't before the mechanix changed the new distributor, the car sometime has some minor issue ( e.g. bad carburation ), but it was always running well

He told me that maybe some grease felt down but the noise it's very loud, it's not metallic but loud

Could it be something related to the timing chain or the water pump ?

I'm scared that maybe the mechanic didn't install properly the distributor but the car is running and the engine sound it's, good, but the noise persist

Initially he told me that I have to heat the engine and the noise could disappear, but I don't think so

Hard to tell from the description. You could remove each belt (one at a time) and see if it goes away.

The car wasn't running before? How long did it sit? Did the mechanic hear the noise when he started it or did it start making the noise after you left?

 

[jbojo]

If the sound started with the new distributor I would take a look to see if the distributor gear is aligned properly and is the right one. They make dizzy gears out of many different types of metal to match different metals used in camshafts and using an improper one will wear out the camshaft gear early. That would be the first thing I'd check.

-jbojo

Also, you do have oil pressure correct? The Dizzy drives the oil pump and if not connected properly you will have no oil pressure.

 

[caspianwendell]

Can you make a video and post it so we can hear it as well? An old mechanics trick is to take a board (2"X2") and with the engine running, touch the board to various places such as water pump, fuel pump, distributor, etc. and put your ear to the board to locate the noise. Not the best stethoscope but it will get you close to the problem area.

 

[Dallas]

Well I've bought a distributor on Rockauto choosing the proper one for the 1971 Stang with 351 Cleveland H code but I've seen on the box that is China made and I started to think that maybe the quality could be extremely poor

Could you please suggest me a suitable brand and model ?

Thanks

If the sound started with the new distributor I would take a look to see if the distributor gear is aligned properly and is the right one. They make dizzy gears out of many different types of metal to match different metals used in camshafts and using an improper one will wear out the camshaft gear early. That would be the first thing I'd check.

-jbojo

Also, you do have oil pressure correct? The Dizzy drives the oil pump and if not connected properly you will have no oil pressure.

 

[jbojo]

MSD makes a good one but there are many out there to choose from. I would try to isolate the problem area first as it may be something entirely different and the distributor that you have is just fine. Do you know if the mechanic put some grease on the distributor gear? I believe that engine oiling in that area sometimes isn't very good but not completely sure about that.

-jbojo

 

[Dallas]

Yes, the mechanic put some grease on the distributor cap saying that it could help to have a better electric conduction between distributor and spark plugs and told me that some grese felt on the belts causing the sound but it's so loud

The strange thigs is that the car was running perfectly and when I will accelerate the noise seems to disappear and the mechanic told me that I have to heat the car

In any case I will post a video but how can I do to post a video ?

Thanks to all of you for your support

MSD makes a good one but there are many out there to choose from. I would try to isolate the problem area first as it may be something entirely different and the distributor that you have is just fine. Do you know if the mechanic put some grease on the distributor gear? I believe that engine oiling in that area sometimes isn't very good but not completely sure about that.

-jbojo

 

[jbojo]

I meant a little grease on the distributor gear itself. The video would definetly help isolate the issue.

-jbojo

Yes, the mechanic put some grease on the distributor cap saying that it could help to have a better electric conduction between distributor and spark plugs and told me that some grese felt on the belts causing the sound but it's so loud

The strange thigs is that the car was running perfectly and when I will accelerate the noise seems to disappear and the mechanic told me that I have to heat the car

In any case I will post a video but how can I do to post a video ?

Thanks to all of you for your support

MSD makes a good one but there are many out there to choose from. I would try to isolate the problem area first as it may be something entirely different and the distributor that you have is just fine. Do you know if the mechanic put some grease on the distributor gear? I believe that engine oiling in that area sometimes isn't very good but not completely sure about that.

-jbojo

 

[Dallas]

Tomorrow I will try to post the video if I will be able to start the engine, because right now, again, the engine seems not to start

I installed a WPS distributor singe vacuum DST 2813

One thing that I've noted it's that the engine, when I rotate the key, seems to be under stress to rotate and the noise seems to come from the low right part of the engne block ( considering the right from the right side of the driver )

I meant a little grease on the distributor gear itself. The video would definetly help isolate the issue.

-jbojo

Yes, the mechanic put some grease on the distributor cap saying that it could help to have a better electric conduction between distributor and spark plugs and told me that some grese felt on the belts causing the sound but it's so loud

The strange thigs is that the car was running perfectly and when I will accelerate the noise seems to disappear and the mechanic told me that I have to heat the car

In any case I will post a video but how can I do to post a video ?

Thanks to all of you for your support

MSD makes a good one but there are many out there to choose from. I would try to isolate the problem area first as it may be something entirely different and the distributor that you have is just fine. Do you know if the mechanic put some grease on the distributor gear? I believe that engine oiling in that area sometimes isn't very good but not completely sure about that.

-jbojo

 

[Don C]

The shaft and gear also must have the correct end play and clearance.

 

[73QCodeGrande]

One thing that I've noted it's that the engine, when I rotate the key, seems to be under stress to rotate and the noise seems to come from the low right part of the engne block ( considering the right from the right side of the driver )

The "stress" your describing sounds like the timing is to far advanced. I agree with checking to make sure the distributor is installed the right way. Pull the distributor and check the gear for unusual wear marks to make sure its meshing correctly.

 

[Dallas]

I duly check all the rubber belts ans pulley and they are fine. Before to post the video I was wondering if this problem could be something more serious as the engine. Could it be the oil pump that is working without oil causing the noise ? Is the oil pump activated by a gear that have something to see with the distributor ? Sorry for my silly question but I'm not a mechanic

Thanks

Dallas

One thing that I've noted it's that the engine, when I rotate the key, seems to be under stress to rotate and the noise seems to come from the low right part of the engne block ( considering the right from the right side of the driver )

The "stress" your describing sounds like the timing is to far advanced. I agree with checking to make sure the distributor is installed the right way. Pull the distributor and check the gear for unusual wear marks to make sure its meshing correctly.

 

[jbojo]

The oil pump is driven by the distributor so if it is not connected correctly the motor will not be getting lubricated properly. Do you have an oil pressure gage or the oil light? Do you know if you had oil pressure when the motor was running?

-jbojo

I duly check all the rubber belts ans pulley and they are fine. Before to post the video I was wondering if this problem could be something more serious as the engine. Could it be the oil pump that is working without oil causing the noise ? Is the oil pump activated by a gear that have something to see with the distributor ? Sorry for my silly question but I'm not a mechanic

Thanks

Dallas

One thing that I've noted it's that the engine, when I rotate the key, seems to be under stress to rotate and the noise seems to come from the low right part of the engne block ( considering the right from the right side of the driver )

The "stress" your describing sounds like the timing is to far advanced. I agree with checking to make sure the distributor is installed the right way. Pull the distributor and check the gear for unusual wear marks to make sure its meshing correctly.

 

[Dallas]

I think that you are right buddy. The oil pressure it's low ( the arrow alll the way left to the L of low )

My fear it's to have broken something like a cylinder or piston or a bearing

I didn't use the car when I started to hear the noise

I hope to solve the problem maybe changing or re insalling the distributor

Could you suggest me a suitable model for a 1971 Ford Mustang with 351 Cleveland engibe 2V H code FMX transmission Turn O Matic

If I istall the actual distributor, how can I check if it's properly connected to the oil pump ?

Thanks for all your support

Dallas

The oil pump is driven by the distributor so if it is not connected correctly the motor will not be getting lubricated properly. Do you have an oil pressure gage or the oil light? Do you know if you had oil pressure when the motor was running?

-jbojo

I duly check all the rubber belts ans pulley and they are fine. Before to post the video I was wondering if this problem could be something more serious as the engine. Could it be the oil pump that is working without oil causing the noise ? Is the oil pump activated by a gear that have something to see with the distributor ? Sorry for my silly question but I'm not a mechanic

Thanks

Dallas

The "stress" your describing sounds like the timing is to far advanced. I agree with checking to make sure the distributor is installed the right way.

Pull the distributor and check the gear for unusual wear marks to make sure its meshing correctly.

 

[Thomas]

If you have no oil pressure, it is very possible that the oil pump drive shaft has fallen into the oil pan when The distributor was removed. It Happens sometimes that the lock washer falls away from the oil pump shaft when the distributor is pulled up.

// Thomas

 

[Luke]

If you have no oil pressure, it is very possible that the oil pump drive shaft has fallen into the oil pan when The distributor was removed. It Happens sometimes that the lock washer falls away from the oil pump shaft when the distributor is pulled up.

// Thomas

+ 1 to what Thomas said. That could be a very expensive noise you are hearing.

If you have no oil pressure, it is very possible that the oil pump drive shaft has fallen into the oil pan when The distributor was removed. It Happens sometimes that the lock washer falls away from the oil pump shaft when the distributor is pulled up.

// Thomas

+ 1 to what Thomas said. That could be a very expensive noise you are hearing.

 

[jbojo]

Dallas,

How long did you drive it this way? When you got it back from the mechanic was the oil pressure normal? There was oil on the bearing surfaces after the distributor change and as the oil goes away the noises would start to occur. I am afraid that the motor may be damaged now, bearings, lifters, etc if its been driven without the oil pressure. I would pull the distributor and look down the hole and see if you can see the oil pump drive shaft. If you don't see it then it probably fell into the oil pan when the distributor was removed as was mentioned by Thomas. Let us know what you find after checking for the oil pump shaft.

-jbojo

Dallas, I attached a pic of the spot where the distributor goes. The red arrow points to the oil pump drive shaft that you should be looking for.

 

[will e]

Goodness, I hope that isn't what happened.