Noises I am not used to

Funny sound though. When you are accelerating, it sounds like a rubbing sound in tune with the speed. Let up on the gas, it stops. I can't find any tell me what it is dust (tire, brake pad, etc.). Am I just not used to these things. Afterall most cars make some noise. The front tires are wearing in the inside edges. Anything to be concerned about? I had it a VW Paradise and voila, the carbs are solved and they heard a "pulley" making making noise and fixed it with some new fittings.

Fred, whatever it is, it'll be circular in cross-section.
I'd run down the list mentally, and check the car in a logical pattern with someone else's foot on the accelerator and the brake on.
If you can isolate it to one part of the car, then look for the shiny metal in the vacinity of the noise.
I'll guess you have something in your fan, a misaligned pulley or a rear bearing which groans under load.
Just guesses, but the part won't be square in shape.
;)

Could be your fan inside the shroud. If the shroud has a minor dent near the fan, it could come into contact with it.

Thanks for the thought Cory and Lane. I assumed the pulley was OK since the shop found that one and replaced the "key". Maybe it is still bad. The fan? I had not thought of that one. Like I said, I am watching and looking for dust and shiney parts (rubs).

F.

Fred, take off fan belt for a very short run If it is the fan/alternator rubbing,that isolates it. Just dont run for ong with out belt on. Your car sat for a long time. Dragging brakes get hot. Feel your wheels after a drive. If one is hot or "smells hot" you mayhave a rusty brake or a rubber line that is not allowing the fluid to return after applying the brakes. Just some ideas. Good luck.

Fred -

Remove the fan belt and pulley (don't forget the woodruff key) and start your engine. Without the pulley/generator spinning, you can isolate the noise as fan-related or not. Obviously, without the pulley/fan you don't want to run the engine but for a very short time.

DANG, Will! You beat me to the punch!! :-)

Reach around towards the front of the engine and see if the intake fan wobbles. The large nut may have loosened. Check for debris in the fan vanes while you're in there. Grab the crank pulley and tug on it, see if it moves back and forth/in and out of the case. And be sure to do as everyone suggests and run the car a bit without the fan belt attached.

Uh, when you do what TC suggests, just remember to do it with the engine OFF. Those fans can remove fingers quickly.

OK...............just what I thought. Knowledge among the speedie faithful. I have weekend of experimentation to complete. THANKS.

Fred Adler
San Diego

You might consider the tin that sits around thje lower engine pulley. The half of this taht fixes to the engine (fwd half) can rub against the pulley. No can see, but it could be happening. Was on my car. This is especially true if you have a full-flow oil pump, as this eq't is attached in this location and extends to give not very much room for the tin ti sit. Most will need to be bent out of the way, and some folks cut holes to allow the troublesome bolts to stick through. Might be part of your sit-chee-ation -?-

Thanks, I will add it to the list. I may just be something as simple as wheel bearings. With it only doing it under "stress" of acceleration, I wonder. The pulley key was replaced when I had someone set the carbs since that just did not work like the instructions from WEBER. It could still be something weird with the pulley.

Thanks again,

Fred Adler
San Diego

fred, i hate to say it but..see what happens when you clean the motor...

Boy are you right Bob..............but the when you wash and wax the outside, you know it runs better.

Fred Adler
San Diego

I've got a similar noise and it IS NOT the engine as it has lived thru 2 different engines. It is more prominent after a left turn and MUCH less prominent after a right turn. At about 1/2 power it is not there at all.
I'm guessing wheel bearings as I have not yet gone thtu those. Does that seem likely?
There are no external signs of anything rubbibg on the axles etc.

StanS Binghamton, NY

So does it tell me how to repack the bearings in one of those old VW manuals? I saw the rear seals for sale for very little in CP1.

Fred Adler
San Diego

If you're gonna re-do the bearings, check the axle nuts first, be sure that they're tight and torqued properly. Then jack up the rear of car and rotate the wheels with the the car in gear and the e-brake off. Put one hand on the axle and rotate the wheel with the other. If there's any independent movement of the wheel you might have bad splines in the drum. Even a tine bit of wear at the splines is gonna translate into some serious movement at the tire, and it'll only get worse more quickly than you can imagine.

If everything checks out, rock the wheel in and out at the top and sides to check for slop. If there's is any at all, you may need new spacers as well as bearings, if there is a lot, you'll need new stub axles.

Thing is, everything is gettin' old, even if it looks good the wear will surprise you. If you combine worn shims, with an old axle housing and toss in just a smidge of stub axle wear, you'll end up with an inch (or more) of play at the tire's edge.

I'm only cautioning you since I'm in the midst of all of this with the 356, and STILL finding various pieces and parts that need replacing or re-bushing. When and if you DO manage to get all of the stock components up to spec, and add just a few aftermarket up-grades, you're just gonna be SO THRILLED with the results.

These platforms can be made to perform WAY better than the original Speedsters that tore it up way back when, you just need to get in and do the work.

Thanks a lot. Much more to think about and take care of.

Fred Adler
San Diego

Hi Fred,

Not your present problem but I see a future issue.In the picture it looks like the charging wiring from your alternator is laying on your
throttle linkage (don't know if it just looks that way from here). If so
one day they will weld themselves to each other once the wire has been worn through. (Just a thought).

Thanks Bruce. You are right. I better route that differently.

Thanks again,

Fred Adler
San Diego

Fred, just for a reference point on that red wire - I (unknowingly) installed a bad alternator that had an internal ground at the post where the red wire attaches. I then went to the front of the car and commenced to reattach the battery leads. Visualize that my line of sight to the rear of the car was blocked by both the engine cover and the front hood. It must have taken me maybe 2 or 3 seconds to realize SOMETHING was terribly WRONG. Like my garage was INSTANTLY filled with acrid black smoke! I yanked off the battery terminal - which was still only finger tight. Ran for the fire extinguisher. No fire! Stop to take assessment and let my now 120 beat heart rate settle down. Can you say adrenilin cocktail? Go in house and change my drawers!

That simple little red wire was now a blackened copper wire, clear back to the firewall (good thermal insulation on the firewall must have helped). NO red vinyl covering left on that wire at all - vaporized - hence, the black, acrid smoke. Luckily, the only damage, other than the wire itself, was a burn mark still on my fiberglass fan shroud. Replaced the wire and alternator and all has been fine for many years.

In summary, give that little red wire a great deal of respect!

Thanks Dave...........

Fred