Terminator Gods help....

mrose75

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OK, I moved from KS to TX last summer and had to trailer the Cobra down because my brand new Mechman alternator didn't work. Left the car at my parents house and continued on 2 hour south to where I was moving to. I came back up pulled the Mechman, sent it off. Then came up on Thanksgiving and when the Mechman came back and put it on Thanksgiving weekend. Mechman still doesn't work, but that's another issue.

When I put it back on to test it I start the car and immediately start hearing a ticking. I didn't take a video at the time but I went back up this past weekend to pull the Mechman again atop send it backhand shot this. I'm not sure what it is. It sounds like its coming from the bottom end on the passenger side. The ticking is in sync with engine RPMs as far as I can tell. Like I said, the car was sitting under a car cover from July until Thanksgiving and that's when the ticking started, it was not present before (also why the engine bay is so dusty). Any help IDing this would be greatly appreciated.


From underneath:

I hope it's not something catastrophic, but it is what it is. Any help is welcome.
 

nxhappy

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sounds like something up top maybe a lifter or a valve. I wouldn't drive it anymore. Maybe pull the valve covers off and take a look.
 

mrose75

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Thanks for the replies. Yes, definitely not driving it, alternator is going back to Mechman again this week. You think its top end even though it's louder underneath? I mean it doesn't make sense to me that there would be a metallic ticking from underneath, but I swear that's where its coming from.
 

nxhappy

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Thanks for the replies. Yes, definitely not driving it, alternator is going back to Mechman again this week. You think its top end even though it's louder underneath? I mean it doesn't make sense to me that there would be a metallic ticking from underneath, but I swear that's where its coming from.
noises are very deceiving lol. It could be echoing off walls or other things.

If you are somewhat inclined, I would pull the plugs out at the very least and do a compression test. That will tell you if Mr Pistons are OK.
 

mrose75

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I'll look into that. Tried the Long metal object stethoscope trick and got nothing up top but..... In the meantime I've contact the local speedshop that I've been told know Cobras, so we'll see what they have to say. Just sucks that it's a 2 hour drive every time I need to get to it and I'm pretty busy so it may be sitting for a while.
 

MG0h3

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Always so hard to tell from videos. Is there a little bit of a squeak in there Im hearing? Hard to tell again but seems slow for top end. Maybe try reving a little higher. Sure its not the alternator bearings/brushes? Started when you installed it and the damn thing is faulty.

Run the car with no blower belt.
 

mrose75

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Always so hard to tell from videos. Is there a little bit of a squeak in there Im hearing? Hard to tell again but seems slow for top end. Maybe try reving a little higher. Sure its not the alternator bearings/brushes? Started when you installed it and the damn thing is faulty.

Run the car with no blower belt.

Well, you may be hearing some squeaking. I realized when I was taking the alternator out that the belt had jumped one rib off the crank pulley. Only one rib. I reset it, and crank it up again and sure enough, it was hanging off by one rib again. So, not sure if you hear squeaking from that.

And I didn't even think to run the car without the belt.... Doh!!

The car is in Killeen. I'm in College Station.
 

nxhappy

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Always so hard to tell from videos. Is there a little bit of a squeak in there Im hearing? Hard to tell again but seems slow for top end. Maybe try reving a little higher. Sure its not the alternator bearings/brushes? Started when you installed it and the damn thing is faulty.

Run the car with no blower belt.
very true, could be the damn alternator
 

mrose75

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Always so hard to tell from videos. Is there a little bit of a squeak in there Im hearing? Hard to tell again but seems slow for top end. Maybe try reving a little higher. Sure its not the alternator bearings/brushes? Started when you installed it and the damn thing is faulty.

Run the car with no blower belt.

I got the alternator back from the manufacturer after having sent it in. I doubt its that jacked up, but hey.... It hasn't worked right since I've owned it so maybe. But the ticking was coming from the other side, or so I think anyhow.
 

nxhappy

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wouldn't be hard to pull the cover and peek at the valvetrain
 

MG0h3

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Pull the belt and run it. I always go back to what I just did when a problem crops up like that. I suppose its possible you dropped a valve seat but not the most likely cause.

Id work the clutch while its making the sound too.
 

nxhappy

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Pull the belt and run it. I always go back to what I just did when a problem crops up like that. I suppose its possible you dropped a valve seat but not the most likely cause.

Id work the clutch while its making the sound too.
very good point
although I have not heard an alternator like that, it is possible
so to recap....car was parked, no noise, new alternator installed, and noise popped up ??
 

MG0h3

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Well, you may be hearing some squeaking. I realized when I was taking the alternator out that the belt had jumped one rib off the crank pulley. Only one rib. I reset it, and crank it up again and sure enough, it was hanging off by one rib again. So, not sure if you hear squeaking from that.

And I didn't even think to run the car without the belt.... Doh!!

The car is in Killeen. I'm in College Station.

Missed this somehow. Pull the belt and spin all the idlers by hand. Either one has failed or the new alt. isnt lined up--or now both and thats the noise.
 

mrose75

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Pull the belt and run it. I always go back to what I just did when a problem crops up like that. I suppose its possible you dropped a valve seat but not the most likely cause.

Id work the clutch while its making the sound too.
Yeah, I don't understand how it sat for months and then when I pop the alternator back in.... tick, tick, tick.... I thought maybe exhaust leak, manifold gasket went bad after sitting for so long but it sounds pretty definitively like a metallic tick.
 

mrose75

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Very near Killeen is Central Texas Performance. Jeff is a great guy. Hope you get it sorted out OP.
That's actually where I plan on taking it. I shot them an email with the videos right after posting here. Great to here from more than one source that they are good.
 

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