Engine knock

[57 Ford Kustom]

Guys, I have a engine knock on number one cylinder. This happens to be the same cylinder that I had a stripped rocker arm stud, I ended up tightening the lock nut down the proper distance and double nutting it. The knock is at idle and rpm's under 1500, then it disappears. Should I plan on a rebuild this fall, or is it something else, thanks, Tim

[Ecode70D]

Tim
    That's a bummer.   I hope that some of the guys chime in and that it will somehow be a quick fix.  You are having a bad stretch of luck .
     I think I know what your father would do but you probably don't want to hear it right now.
Jay 

[Tom S]

Lifter not pumping up at low rpm?

[lowrider]

Make sure it's not the fuel pump making noise. Take a mechanics stethoscope or long screwdriver & listen to it while its running. If its bad you'll be able to here it. They make noise at the same rpms as lifters.

[57 Ford Kustom]

I drove the car to church today, the one thing I noticed is it knocks on idle, but if I put thecar into gear the knocking stops, I'll try the screw driver tick and try to isolate the issue! Thanks, Tim

[rmk57]

Try removing the number 1 cylinder plug wire, start it up and listen. If the knock stops it may be a wrist pin, piston slap, connecting rod bearing. If the noise continues go through the same procedure with all eight plug wires. I guess the reasoning is you don't get the cylinder firing and the sudden downward pressure and stress on the bearings etc...

Randy

[Ecode70D]

Tim
     In addition to all of those great suggestions, give some thought to a loose flywheel/flex plate or  torque converter.  That's another noise also goes away when it is put into gear.

[57 Ford Kustom]

Rmk, it is cylinder 4, the spark plug ceramic is black, and the wire is close to being melted away. What would this indicate? Thanks, Tim

[Tom S]

What would this indicate?

Might indicate that the plug wire is shorting out &  #4 plug ain't firing at all, or only part time.

[57 Ford Kustom]

I took the wire off and the installation is broke at the spark plug end. I'm hoping to replace it, and that will be it. What do you think? Tim

[RICH MUISE]

Sure...go ahead.
LOL...sorry Tim I couldn't resist.
Sounds like you found an easy fix. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[57 Ford Kustom]

Thanks for the go ahead Rich! Lol! I'm upset because they were a set of motor craft wires, but there is a reason why they do not sell them any more. I bought a pair or professional grade Autolites this time. But, if this fixes the knock, I'm a very happy man! On a different note, I watched a episode of American muscle this morning. They said that the early 70's Detroit started to reduce the horses in there engines. Sure enough, my 69' 351w produced 290hp from the factory, but by 71' it was reduced to 164hp! Glad I have the 69' version! Tim

[Tom S]

Thanks for the go ahead Rich! Lol!

HA!  When you posted "What do you think?" I was about to chime in with something along the same lines.  'Hmm, lemme see, change the plug & wire as opposed to ....  ?'     
Yeah, the '69 & '70 engines are the ones to have.  More compression.
About 1972 or '73 I wedged a used $300 '69 351W into my first van, a '69 Econoline.  Took out a gutless 240 six.  After I wrecked that van in '76 I got a '72 Econoline with a 302 automatic.  That thing would not work in the snow with that damn automatic trans.  After a while I pulled the 2 barrel 351 engine that already had a 4 barrel carb, along with the three on the tree stick, out of the wrecked '69 & put both in the '72 van & added headers.  Back then I sometimes took that van out on the streets where everyone used to cruise at night.  The van didn't look like much & all the '69 thru '74 Econolines only came with 2 barrel 302s.  I'd look for guys driving those brand X pickups with 350s in them.  They would get a big surprise & I never got beat at the impromptu stop light drags.   
That van was my daily driver & do-it-all machine for years & years & I still have it.  Don't drive it any more. The body is totally rusted away & it also got hit hard in the side by a taxi.  It's just a parts van for my other '72-'74 Econos now. : (
The 351W still runs strong.  Never had the heads off, changed a couple timing chains though.
Great engine!   

[57 Ford Kustom]

Guys, another gremlin, I replaced the spark plug wires, rattled a few windows, came back and found that the new spark plug wire had really gotten hot. I went to pull it off and it had melted! Probably the same thing happened to the first one. I pulled the plug and it was white it has gotten so hot! Pulled the valve cover off and cranked the engine, the intake and exhaust valve working fine, checked everything I can think off shy of pulling the head. Does anyone have a suggestion of what might be happening? I was hoping to drive it to graduation, guess not. Thanks, Tim

[Ecode70D]

Tim
    I know that you would not have had any part of the wire anywhere on a hot exhaust manifold, so I won't go there.
    From what you stated, it seems like the replacement wires were not on for a long time. 
      Questions ....
             Is the whole wire melted?
             How much of the new wire is melted? 
             Where is it melted?
             Is it only at the plug area?