Can a dizzy make a rattling noise?

[Numbles]

Since a few weeks ago my distributer or something on the front of the engine has been rattling.

At first I thought it was the crank pully. So I tightened up the bolts because I found that 2 were backed out a little. And then sprayed everything with WD40. That took care of the extreme loudness of the noise but it is still there. No amount of WD 40 can get it to stop. The sound is like if the crank pully was somehow tapping the waterpump pully, that aluminum tapping sound would be it. But its not.

Could It also be the balancer. The crank pully/dampner will move left and right about 1-2 milimeters at idle but will straighten out after you rev the engine. At which point the noise speeds up with the RPM's.

Im lost and have no idea what It could be. I havent made any changes to the car. I pulled the dizzy for the intake swap and did the Underdrives about a couple of months ago. Noises just started last week.

Any help or suggestions are apreciated.

 

[jwater7]

does it happen all the time or just periodically?
If all the time, can you pop the hood, and pinpoint its location when it's idling?

 

[4Jenna]

Mine did (dizzy) made some loud rattling noises..I put my hand on the dizzy while the car was running and could feel the rattling/buzzing in my hand. I pulled the dizzy and spun it by hand, and it wasn't spinning nice and free...my bearings went south.
So i changed the dizzy...problem solved.
Hope this helps...good luck

Chris

 

[Numbles]

It happens all the time. It was intermittant but now always rattles. I think its the dizzy because when I pulled it for the intake swap it didn't go in without some persuasion.

 

[jwater7]

Sounds like you're on the right track then.
You might want to pull it back out again to make sure everything is fitting right and snug. If you have access to another one (or someone in your area has a really good return policy ), swapping it in would also diagnose it.

 

[WHITE94COBRA]

It sounds like the balancer to me especially if it moves back and forth.

 

[Numbles]

Its the balancer. There is enough clearance for a good balancer, however, mine is showing its age and now moves enough forward and back to touch the underdrive waterpump pully. Thats what the aluminum tapping noise comes from. Thanks for the help.

 

[HISSIN50]

replace that thing ASAP. when the balancer cant effectively absorb the torsional vibes, that is not good.

good luck.

 

[4Jenna]

End up like me..a 2 piece crank..lol

 

[Numbles]

I did a search and found an old thread on sfi aprooved balancers. Im gonna go with the one on Ebay that a few members have gotten.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[4Jenna]

Romac?

 

[Numbles]

Yep.

Anything bad with it. Im going to BUY ONE NOW, tomorrow afternoon.