Help with new noise

[shaneus]

I'm at wits end. Two weeks ago I hit cut in pavement that was pretty rough at about 20mph. Soon after I notice a sound like rocks flying off tires onto the underside of body. No rocks in tires though. I have looked at everythingand cant find source. I have:

• Lifted and spun each wheel.
• lifted one rear wheel with trans in neutral (to spin rear drive shaft and transfer case).
• Put transfer case in neutral and fired up engine and run through all gears.
• Pulled flywheel inspection cover off and found nothing visible or broken parts (thinking maybe spring from disc or pressure plate).

It drives fine and doesn't make noise just rolling along on level ground. At idle it sounds like a sewing machine. Sound comes when pulling away from stop or from little bumps in road. Big bumps don't seam to make it worse.

My 40 is a 1970 and has a fresh 2F with H55 5 speed and split T/C. Converted to mini box power steering, has newer disc front end. Has 4" spring lift with all new shocks and poly bushings on springs / shackles. All new motor trans mounts.

Noise seams to be right under tranny cover. but is not in the same place all the time. Cant feel anything hitting cover when I put hand on it. Cover was cut and lifted to give plenty of clearance over top of trans.

Any ideas ? My best guess is metal on metal in a bind somewhere and flexing of chassis makes the nose come. Just cant find it after two weeks of looking. Finally decide to just drive it and if serious it will get worse and I'll find it. That plan isn't working, noise just stays the same.

Thanks, Shaneus

 

[honk]

Check the motor mounts.

Actually jack the front of the vehicle off the ground with your floor jack pushing up on the oil pan skid plate. Do that and a broken engine mount should be easy to assess.

 

[Weber Sarge]

If the motor mounts are good as well as the bell housing rear mounts , drive line in the rear is the next suspect . Check the rear wheels for proper torque , also make sure there is no up/down play in the rear wheel/axle bearings . Make sure the rear brake drums haven't ovaled the holes out if the wheels have ever become loose . Check the rear pinion shaft for play as well - sounds from back there transmit up that hollow drive shaft easily . I'd also look at the staked nut on the back of the transfer case rear output and make sure there is no play in the bearings up/down or in/out . Spring hangers , bushings and centering pins on the rear axle would be next .
Sarge

 

[shaneus]

Hats off to the brainy posters !

Didn't get to look at it for a couple of days and really didn't think it was a motor mount, I had talked myself into it being a bad disc or pressure plate (cause this would be the biggest pain in the neck I could think of).

Decided to check while I had my son around to run floorjack under oil pan while I watched.

First mount I looked at had lost the nut. This being the front drivers mount where the stud goes through the frame mount. Haven't got a new nut on it yet but I am sure this was it.

As many times as I've had the engine / trans in and out of this thing it doesn't surprise me. Be a good time to check for loose bolts elsewhere.

Thanks again.

 

[cruiserkreutz]

Sounds like you found the culprit. You have my dream drive train setup. How do you like the 2F, H55, split case arrangement? Love to see some pictures.

 

[ColoraDOOM]

Same on the 2f, h55 setup. Pictures!

 

[shaneus]

After putting on new nut I went for test drive. Sad to say it was not the issue. Still have the same noise. I'm thinking now the heater may be the cause. I had to make lift kit for tranny tunnel cover to clear H55. I later on installed the heater box from a 1978 rig I had parted out. Clearance was tight and I think bottom of heater box is resting and binding on top of tunnel cover. I will adjust the mounting feet I made for the newer box and try to lift it a bit. Got my fingers crossed.

I was trying to keep this from becoming a long unfinished project, so I wanted to keep it all toyota and not start a big fabrication job. When I got it it had sat for maybe 30 years with seized engine. To the best of my knowledge it has only 59k total miles on vehicle.

As far as how I like it, I love it. The power steering is not awesome but its enough, the power is not v8 but its best I've driven in a stock engine, The overdrive is nice but I cant tell you any numbers, speedo is screwy and I dont have a tachometer.

Will try to figure out pictures, if I can I will start a thread with photos and details of build.

 

[Weber Sarge]

No tach , no accurate speedo - smart phone and it's internal gps to the rescue - get a digital speedometer app , they actually work well with a windshield mount for the phone . Don't really want a tach in mine - the engine is 39yrs old , no overdrive and 33's with 4.11's @70-75mph going to work - I'd rather not know , really .
Sarge

 

[shaneus]

So Sunday I had time to make sure the heater box wasn't rubbing the tunnel cover and making the noise. I made adjustments and now heater clears tunnel cover by 1/4" or so. No change.

This is starting to get old.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Maybe if you post a video, with sound...

Is/are your complaint/symptoms exactly the same as you originally posted?

 

[antFJ]

exhaust hitting the frame?

 

[shaneus]

Well, I haven't figured out noise yet but I did get out and take a few pictures.

Sat in the sun a lonnnggg time, with a 12" pipe wrench laying on this fender.

Made crossmember to support H55 by stock mounts. Kept all original mounts as well. Cam see mini truck box and mount from Stoneys. Can also see where I dropped a gallon of house paint and it blew up all over the underside of my landcruiser.

Converted old low mount alternator bracket into power stearing pump bracket. Wanted pump low enough to clear stock air filter.

Had stock bench re-done. Made lift kit for tunnel cover (original was trashed so I don't feel too bad for the butcher job), Heater box is from a 1978 model.

Running a 350 cfm holley (sorry I'm a holley guy). Mini steering box with cooler. Wilwood master (no booster) for front disc's).

I am by no means done but its around town drive able. Lots to do before I take it into the boonies and depend on it.

 

[shaneus]

Hooray! Noise found and fixed. In the end the noise was sheet metal of tunnel cover just touching top of tranny shifter cover on spot that houses rail.

When I modified tunnel cover I cut and lifted the top of cover two inches. I had left a small lip of old cover thinking I had lots of room. Turns out it rubbed by about 1/32" in top of tranny. This made cover a pretty good drum head.

Glad I found it cause the tearing out of seats, heater box, gas tank and tunnel cover to go exploring would have sucked to come up empty handed.

Cruiser is quiet and rattle free and fun to drive again. Thanks for all the good input.
Shaneus