My son (he's in San Diego Area, I'm in Salt Lake, so this is a long-distance deal) has a '66 122 making a lot of noise. Here are the specifics so far (the engine being turned manually):
1. It's at about the level of the crankshaft - an approximation. Maybe it could be close to the cam - it's hard to tell.
2. It's a sharp slapping noise.
3. It's most pronounced when the spring for valve # 4 is fully extended.
4. The same noise comes with a similar situation with one of the front valves (I can't remember which one he told me).
5. Removing the rocker arm assembly and pulling out the push rod doesn't change the nature of the sound.
6. The push rod looks cruddy, but looking into the head through the hole the pushrod comes through doesn't show anything useful.

Does anyone have suggestions about what to look for first, and how to go about fixing the problem?

Thanbks for the help - in advance,

Jim Hampton

Was the engine running before the noise turned up or is this a "dead" engine?
Does anyone know when the engine last ran (if it isn't now) and why it hasn't been running since?
I assume you mean by manually turning that you are turning it over by either starter or wrench on the pulley gland nut. Does the engine turn completely round and round or does it stop dead in conjunction with the sound?

Does removing the plugs make the noise more or less pronounced?

Is the noise close to either top dead center or bottom dead center?

If the noise is not near the ends of crank throw (TDC and BDC) and occurs on either side, then I'd suspect a severely wasted rod bearing on the #2 throw. If you can make the noise by sharply wiggling the crank back and forth (rotate forward and then quickly backward) I'd be more confident. If the noise is near the ends of crank throw it may be a very nasty wrist pin or mangled rod.

The timing gear is the easiest thing to check so removal of the radiator, crank pulley and timing cover should be done before getting too excited. It can make similar noises. Removing the fuel pump and trying again is another nice idea that can help to isolate the timing gear (it exerts a pretty good side load on the cam).

Honestly, if the inside of the engine is pretty gunky and it doesn't run, a noise like that says "tear down" to me. At the very least you may find a "floater" in the oil pan that is causing the trouble.


--
Mike!

It was running, but noisy. Turning was by turning with a wrench to localize the sound. This morning it stopped completely. It just sort of slowly stopped.

I'm waiting for more information.

Thanks.

Any more suggestions, guys?

Thanks again,

Jim Hampton

Slowly stopped??? Like it was laboring and couldn't keep up the momentum and then wouldn't restart? Or is was running slowly then suddenly quit?

I'm sorry but it sounds fatal.

If you have the time to mess around, start with a complete tune-up (you will eventually need the parts for a rebuild anyway). The oil you drain out will be a telling factor.

Cut open the old oil filter with a hack-saw (realize that the chips will get in there so don't freak if there is a small amount of steel "dust") you are looking in the pleats for trapped bearing material so it will be messy... Also, whatever accumulates in the bottom of the cover (the "dome").

If you get more than trace bits of "bright-stuff" or any large (bigger than dust) fragments you can bet the bottom end is done.

Checking the timing set for the source of the noise is still prudent as it is a known potential source of noise/failure to run. Also it is much easier to get to than the pan!

g'luck
--
Mike!

Apparently (this is long distance, remember), my son was stopped at an intersection and the engine just slowly stopped as if it had run out of gas. The sound was at about the area of the fuel pump. I've never had one die that way - noisily - but it's the simplest thing to check and to hope for.

The car has been a daily driver for some time now. I drove it from San Diego to Salt Lake and back within the last nine months. No problems, engine performed well and sounded good and it cruised well at freeway speds. Oil changes didn't show anything special. Routine maintenance was -- routine. It has received good care for the few years my son has owned the car.

An oil change with examination of the drained oils sounds like a good place to looked for undesired information.

Thanks, and keep the advice coming.

Jim Hampton

I've recently disassembled a B18 so I know the innards, but I'm not much of a diagnostician...

The fibre timing gear would be the first thing to check. I hear that they can come apart but may have enough intact to keep the engine going. The broken off bits will "slap" against the timing cover. Another possibility (that could cause a slap noise) might include the lever arm on the fuel pump (which is operated by the cam). I'd think that anything involving the pushrods, cam followers, or rocker arm setup would make a more localized noise and probably not a slapping sound.

A problem regarding valve #4... Not sure there, but it might indicate some kind of head trouble. Maybe a bad valve spring? I'm not to knowledgable about head troubles, but those spings acting on a bad valve might aslo make a slap type of noise.


Good luck.
--
1967 P220 Amazon, 1972 145S, 1976 245 DL, 1983 245 DL, 1986 745 GLE, 1990 745 GL, 1995 945....
You mean to tell me that Volvo makes cars that are *NOT* Wagons?!?
1971 P1800E... Not a wagon, but it's just a donor car for the Amazon...