Need a little help figuring out a sound

[stouchton]

Got a curious sound I can't figure out - occurs when engine rpm is high (like doing 45mph in 3rd or winding out 2nd).

It actually is best described as sounding like a little bell ringing under the floor boards!

It is not loud, my passengers have never noticed it. But I hear it and I am confused as to what it could be. Just sounds like a little metallic ring.

I have no severe vibrations, car runs great and notice no "symptoms". Just this little ding-ding-ding coming from near the shifter area - though it is real had to tell where it is coming from!!!!

It does not make the sound when rev'd in neutral.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[Tom Wesenberg]

Can you feel it by touching the parking brake handle?
Or the shift lever?
Are the metal floor plates snug?

[stouchton]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Can you feel it by touching the parking brake handle?
Or the shift lever?
Are the metal floor plates snug?

Did not try touching the parking brake handle, but will do that.

Did not feel it in the shift lever - I do feel a vibration but nothing that seems to synchronize with the ring.

The metal floor plates are snug.

[Patrick L.]

Have you tired changing the spark lever position ? Does the noise seem to change with engine load ? Just trying to make sure its not spark knock.
Its more than likely what Tom says, a rattle.

[cp5491r]

Just guessing but perhaps the brake rods rattling on their guides (anti-rattlers) when the car is in motion.

[Keith True]

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I have one like that.Mine are the repro gland rings I used on the exhaust manifold.They deformed in the heat and wound up in the muffler.If I ever have to take the muffler off I will shake them back out again.

[heneste]

Mine has some of the floor board screws that have been stripped so they tend to rattle or allow the forward floor board to vibrate a bit on the passenger side. This becomes more noticeable as the speed increases.

I've also gotten some noise coming from the speedometer cable. So you could have the cable starting to vibrate more as the speed increases.
Maybe try and lubricate the speedo cable if it's dry.

Is your check plate on the bell housing still tight? That can also cause a little tinny noise as the car gets more motion.

[stouchton]

Originally Posted by Patrick L.

Have you tired changing the spark lever position ? Does the noise seem to change with engine load ? Just trying to make sure its not spark knock.
Its more than likely what Tom says, a rattle.

Yes - I did try retarding and advancing the timing with no change to the sound.

[stouchton]

Originally Posted by Keith True

I have one like that.Mine are the repro gland rings I used on the exhaust manifold.They deformed in the heat and wound up in the muffler.If I ever have to take the muffler off I will shake them back out again.

I would imagine you could hear that if you simply bump the muffler with your hand? Looks like it is time to crawl under and start bumping on things!

[stouchton]

Originally Posted by heneste

Mine has some of the floor board screws that have been stripped so they tend to rattle or allow the forward floor board to vibrate a bit on the passenger side. This becomes more noticeable as the speed increases.

I've also gotten some noise coming from the speedometer cable. So you could have the cable starting to vibrate more as the speed increases.
Maybe try and lubricate the speedo cable if it's dry.

Is your check plate on the bell housing still tight? That can also cause a little tinny noise as the car gets more motion.

I do have some floorboard squeaks (have not installed the welting around them yet).

Speedo cable is freshly lubricated, however the sound does not change its rhythm with changes in vehicle speed so I'm thinking it is not related.

Inspection Cover is a good one! I never checked that!!

[stouchton]

Originally Posted by cp5491r

Just guessing but perhaps the brake rods rattling on their guides (anti-rattlers) when the car is in motion.

This is a good possibility. I have one spring that is not tight against the rod and have not fixed it yet. I would imagine I could just wrap it tight with tape and take her for a test drive?

Thanks.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Model A's seem to "develop" unknown sounds, sometimes "new" ones, above 45MPH. Once, something sounded distasterous!!----loose knob on the windshield opener goody!! After After installing front & rear FloatA -Motors on Minerva & a rubber tail pipe hanger, she was like a TOTALLY different car!!!
Even at 60 or 65, she just went, "HMMMMMN!! & I could even hear what the engine sounded like. Before doing the mounts, she sounded like she was tearin' up the motor, above 45 MPH!
I added that self sticking, half round, hollow weatherstripping that the "A" parts places sell, around the doors & trunk lid & she was quieter still. It comes in 2 sizes & is NOT noticeable when installed. The larger one lays perfect in the deck lid drain channel & keeps the lid from rattling at times. It's hard to find it in the catalogs, BUT it's there!---Bill W.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

...I added that self sticking, half round, hollow weatherstripping that the "A" parts places sell, around the doors & trunk lid & she was quieter still. It comes in 2 sizes & is NOT noticeable when installed. The larger one lays perfect in the deck lid drain channel & keeps the lid from rattling at times. It's hard to find it in the catalogs, BUT it's there!---Bill W.

Here's what Mac's sells: A701980HC2

[Tacoma Bob]

MMMM "sounds like a little bell" Check to see if something.......anything, is slapping against the torque tube. I'm envisioning a hollow tube and something hitting it.

[quickchange]

Have you had anything apart or is noise been there a long time , For what its worth years ago had this tinging noise after trans had been out in a 34 Ford , sounded like a 50cent coin in a tin, not all the time , turned out the inner clam shell on the rear of trans was missing & drive shaft was touching the inner part of the unervisal, put one in which spaced the torque tube rearwards the thickness of plate & noise gone ,

[700rpm]

There is a little cap piece at the bottom of my shift lever (and yours, too, if it's built right) that slips over the top of the shift tower. It has two little horizontal pins that should hold it in place. But sometimes mine comes loose and sounds like a small bell. This could be your problem. It's about two inches in diameter.

[Dick So. Cal.]

Are the bushings in the clutch and brake pedal snug? Try putting side pressure on them when driving.
Just a thought. This happened to me.

Dick

[redmodelt]

At 45 and up maybe a little bell starts ringing (maybe someone stuck it on your car in the middle of the night) to keep the road gremlins away!

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I'm too TIRED to put FAM's on Vermin, havin' a bitch of a time gettin' motivated, just to do 2 or 3 hours work & drive him! I'm PATHETIC!!
Found 2 noise protection goodies in Gregg's tool box, they "might" STIFLE some A Model noises, wouldn't you know it, NEITHER one has a RADIMO in it! Jist baked a Blueberry pie, anyone hungry?----Bill W.

[stouchton]

Thanks guys - you gave me a big laundry list to look at - all good stuff!!!

Tomorrow afternoon I get home early, and will start looking. That cap on the shifter really has me intrigued, cause that is where my ears tell me the sound is from.

I'll post back what I find!