Recycled DSII Rattles

So I finally got my recycled DSII in, took her for a test drive and I noticed a certain amount of rattle at the high point in the RPM range. I don't have a tach so I can't pin point the RPM's but its nearing the limit. I also noticed a little squeak or squeal when i first take off. Is there too much play in the shaft, bent, otherwise FUBAR? IS this something that can be fixed? After calling many mechanics in the area none of them have or know about a Sun machine to test it on. The bushing looked to be in good condition, same condition as the LOM. There was a cartain amount of vertical play in the bushing shaft, from the bottom of the housing flange to the bottom of the gear. 2.510-2.515" when thw play is pushed up against the housing. Any thoughts?

Rattle, you sure it's not the engine pinging?

I’m absolutely unsure if it’s the engine pinging. I haven’t had the change to accurately set the timing. The initial is 14* or so (When it was set it was at a warmed up idle but not 500 rpm) the sound seems like more of a rattle, a very fast rattle noise. What could I expect a ping to sound like? It does it while at high RPM’s either while accelerating or down shifting from 2nd to third. It also seems to happen at a lower RPM’s when I’m in park. Maybe I’ll record the sounds on a video and post it on you tube if anyone thinks that would help.

Sounds like it is pinging to me.

Try backing off the timing and see if it goes away.

If don't have a dwell tach, get a vacuum gauge. They are about $15. Hook it up to your manifold vacuum, i.e. where the hose for the distributor comes off. Turn the distributor one way or the other until you achieve max vacuum (should be 18" or more). Then back it off (reduce the dwell) a touch. Drive it again and see if the noise is reduced or gone. If so, that was pinging, not dizzy rattle.

If it is only reduced a small amount, back it off some more until it disappears.

Then go out and buy a decent dwell tach and time your engine for real. Bet you will have to find TDC and re-mark the balancer.

Thanks, I will back off the timing tonight and see if that cures it. I will also get a dwell tach and vacuum gauge. I have already found and marked TDC and marked my balancer while I had the head off. I need to find a better vacuum source though. I have a holly 1946 and the distributor vacuum has been conected into one of its ports and i don't think its pulling any vacuum. I would like to use the port on the log but it only has brass fitting with only one port thats being used. can i by one with multiple ports?

The manifold has a plug bung and you can get aftermarket fittings with T's and such for multiple vac sources. Put a T in the single hole you have at the manifold. The stock config is a block with 3 ports.

The lowest port on the passenger side of the carb should work OK, as well as the next one up.

I've tried both and am currently using the lowest one, but I have also installed a spark delay valve because I had some slight pinging under moderate throttle changes.

What ludwig said. A good starting point is with the vac guage and turn the dizzy to the highest steady vac reading and then back off 1-2 hg then take a drive and see how that works.

So I bought a step colder plugs, 45's and retarded initial advance to 10*, opened the gaps to .050 and she runs like a camp. Not queit as peppy off the line compared to the 14* but over all faster. I still plan on buying the vacuum and tach along with dial back timing light. Thanks for the advice. You guys are awsome.

After doing all that stuff like we talked about before, I had a pinging that I could not get rid of without damaging the performance somewhat. I went to mid-grade gas, 89 octane not 87. It made a difference in the performance and removed the pinging. Drive out the gas you have and run part of a tank with mid-grade. I'll bet you notice a difference.

I'm already running 92

Tuned both the carb and distributor using a vacuum gauge. got her up to 18 inhg at 14* advance. More peppy and no ping at high RPM or under load. Things are looking good. Now I just need to find a rebuild kit for that carb and really get her running good.

Now that you have the vacuum up to snuff, try using a lower grade of fuel. If nothing else, it will save you a little money.

Also, try to get the max vacuum at idle by turning the A/F mix screw in until it stumbles, then back out to where vacuum peaks.