TR2/3/3A Annoying Vibrating noise??

[Momikey]

Hello,
Hey I get a annoying vibrating noise when stopped at lights it is coming from the driver side I cant quite place were, it seams like it might be right on the other side of pedals in engine area or under car. It doesn't sound like something is bad maybe just loose? Any ideas what it might be?

 

[Geo Hahn]

Bonnet prop would be my first guess.

The emblem on the apron can also make a racket at idle if it is loose.

 

[Momikey]

Bonnet prop would be my first guess.

The emblem on the apron can also make a racket at idle if it is loose.

I will check it out but it sounds pretty loud to be one of those things but you never know.

 

[Kleykamp]

My accelerator pedal vibrates because it needs new bushings. Stops if I rest my foot on it. Makes quite a racket at idle.

 

[NutmegCT]

Could be lots of things, but when I got my TR3, it had a loud rattling sound at idle, which stopped if I pressed down on the bonnet. Turned out it was the bonnet prop (stayrod); the rubber holder had dried up and wasn't holding the prop tightly.

Got a replacement rubber holder from Moss - problem solved. Part #19 on this diagram:

Tom M.

 

[Momikey]

Bonnet prop would be my first guess.

The emblem on the apron can also make a racket at idle if it is loose.

So I tighten the bolt at the top of the Bonnet prop and that took away a lot of the noise, now I here a whinning noise that I didn't notice before because of the rattling I am going to oil the parts in the distributor that the book says to oil to see if that's the whinny squeaky noise if not maybe the belt?
What do you guys think?

 

[bobhustead]

Use a piece of hose as a stethoscope on all the possibly suspect parts.
Bob

 

[Geo Hahn]

The hose works or you can even get a tool made for this purpose:

https://www.harborfreight.com/mechanics-stethoscope-69913.html

I would be wary of doing much lubing on the distributor - a drop or two under the rotor and a smear of lube on the cam is the routine, if it is the source of noise some further investigation may be in order.

Suspects to listen to (with the hose or stethoscope) include the water pump, the generator/alternator and the timing cover (chain tensioner).

 

[Momikey]

How do you know if the water pump is not working or going out?

 

[Don Elliott]

Get a big soft sponge like you might use to wash your car and stick it dry between the hood stay rod and the inside of the hood (bonnet). Mine used to vibrate at 800 to 1200 RPM when stopped at a light. The sponge is not a permanent fix because every time you lift the hood, the sponge falls down.

I took the plunger along the edge of the front apron (valance) apart and had a machine shop turn down the shaft that extends upwards. Then he turned a piece of black Nylatron to put the OD of the shaft back to the original diameter. I had him turn a top-hat type bushing (also out of Nylatron) and the noise has completely gone. I think that the original painted vertical shaft wear on the OD just a bit in the hole in the sheetmetal top of this assembly - even to the point it may become oval and this looseness causes a noise.

But the engine is tuned properly where it idles at 400 to 700 RPM and, as we say up here "Voila".

 

[CJD]

How do you know if the water pump is not working or going out?

Of course the usual failure mode is a coolant leak, however, most seals are designed to make a high pitched noise before they totally fail. I'm sitting here thinking how to describe the noise...not quite a squeal and not quite a swishy sound. Once you've heard it, you can pinpoint it in other cars you hear, like when pumping gas and a car with a dying pump pulls up.

 

[Momikey]

of course the usual failure mode is a coolant leak, however, most seals are designed to make a high pitched noise before they totally fail. I'm sitting here thinking how to describe the noise...not quite a squeal and not quite a swishy sound. Once you've heard it, you can pinpoint it in other cars you hear, like when pumping gas and a car with a dying pump pulls up.

cool thanks