12 replies to this topic

[Adge456]

Hi all,

I’ve been using my little mini pretty much as a daily recently and it’s been running absolutely fine.
I drove to work earlier and it was perfect. I was driving home however and mid way I heard a clicking sound. I got on to a national speed limit and kept it slow around 35-40 (can’t be exact with my dials!) in order to not make anything worse. But it did get worse it got pretty loud; not excruciatingly loud but loud all the same. I thought it was coming from in front of me so immediately thought it was gearbox. I pulled over after granny driving down the national speed limit road and had a look. I noticed the noice seems to be coming from the passenger side by the radiator and thinking about it then it sounds like something sticking into the fan (that can be a reference of the noise, my uncle always goes mad at me when I say something is clunking and he says “that’s not a clunk it’s a thump, he’d probably call this a ticking noise”) but there is nothing fouling it.

The noise only happens when I have my foot on the accelerator. It doesn’t happen when idling, coasting or dropping the clutch.

I hope somebody has a few ideas as to what this could be as looking at it, I can’t see anything (on quick inspection on the side of the road with a torch at least). There isn’t any ‘new’ wear damage on the fan so I don’t think it is that.

Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post.

Adge.

[Its a min]

Hi Adge,

 

You've not given a lot away.

 

Year, model, electric or belt drive fan?

 

My first thought was that it may be something stuck on the inside of the radiator catching the fan but if it doesn't happen when idling, coasting or dropping the clutch,it sounds unlikely. Does it only happen when revving the engine? Does the noise get louder and faster if you rev the engine even in neutral?  Does the noise appear to be coming from the top, middle or bottom? Engine side or fan side? the more information you can provide will help.

 

I'd probably be looking at water pump, timing chain (though that would be more a rattle unless maybe the tensioner is floating), belt etc. But don't discount simple things like fan bolts loosened, something caught in the radiator/water pump and believe it or not, even the wheel nuts coming loose...it's happened to me!

 

Sorry I can't be of more help but I'm sure some of the more knowledgeable guys on here will have a better idea but do provide as much info as possible.

 

Good luck.

[panky]

A blown exhaust manifold gasket or leaking down pipe to manifold joint can sound like that,.

Edited by panky, 20 September 2019 - 08:12 AM.

[DeadSquare]

If there a difference between bring up the revs in gear with your foot on the clutch, and when the clutch is just trying to grip ?

[Adge456]

Sorry, it is an 86 Mayfair. Belt driven fan.

Thanks for the advice from everybody. The only thing I can see that’s out of the ordinary is there seems to be oil leaking from the rocker cover gasket. So I will replace that, though I doubt that would be doing anything to cause that noise. The oil is on the back of the engine so I suppose it could have wore the gasket for the exhaust manifold so I’ll try replacing them as that might be the easiest thing to try right away.
The only thing I can see from near the water pump (without taking it off and taking the plate off) is there is black residue around the ‘nozzle’ that connects the fan, not sure if this is normal.

I’m not entirely sure I know what your meaning deadsquare,
It doesn’t make the noise when it’s ticking over but when you accelerate it’s there. If you mean there is a noise when I find the bite, I don’t think so, it seems to just be the acceleration part. Although it seemed to slow down slightly and get slightly louder when I went up a hill, which will be to do with the engine struggling but not too sure why it seemed to get a little louder.

Thanks again

[Bobbins]

Are you sure it isn't pinking?

[Adge456]

Pinking?

[Adge456]

Sorry, just done a quick google search on that. So fuel mixture being wrong? How would I change that? Is it the screw on the carb?

[Its a min]

Sorry, just done a quick google search on that. So fuel mixture being wrong? How would I change that? Is it the screw on the carb?

 

Hi Adge,

 

It's the nut under the carb where the jet fits.

 

This will help: https://sucarb.co.uk...ion-adjustments

[Bobbins]

Too much advance on the distributor will also cause pinking

[Homersimpson]

Just a long shot, has the head gasket gone between two cylinders?

This makes a ticking sound when you accelerate as air moves from one cylinder to the other and the engine is noticeably down on power.

Can you video the noise and post it for us to listen to before you start adjusting things?

[hunterg30]

speedo cable can make a clicking noise if not routed right or lack of lube

[Ethel]

Will it do it in neutral, what happens when you change gear - is it related to road or engine speed?

Bits that don't transmit power to the road won't be affected by load, the fan, Speedo etc.

Pinking would probably be absent or less pronounced with a cold engine and you could use the choke to enrich the mixture when it's ticking for diagnosis.

From what you've said so far some form of exhaust leak sounds favourite. Try obstructing the tailpipe, that'll up the idling pressure and might force the leak to reveal itself.