Any practising exorcists around ?

My rebuilt engine has been screaming like a Banshee and it's been driving me bonkers. Tried all the usual stuff like overtight belts, starter etc but it's definetely coming from the top of the engine. Ray from V8D said he's never heard anything like it in 30 years. It's either possessed or an air leak is rushing past something acting like a reed. My money is on posession because of the other problems.

Switch on headlights and I get one headlight on and one driving light on. Switch on main beam and the right indicators come on ( without the flasher unit in place ).

Very close to trailering down to Brighton and shoving it off the pier.

If there were a bunch of ghosts around the factory they could have asked one of them to draw a frikkin decent wiring diagram.

Hi Kenny,
I don't know if this has any relevance to your V8S,,
but I once had an old Sierra that made a sort of squealing/ screaming/ zinging noise, esp under load. It was due to completely knackered crankshaft thrust bearings allowing the starter ring/flywheel to contact the sandwich plate.
This can be checked by testing the endfloat on the crank, in case they have been omitted on your rebuild.
Just a thought.

Keep us posted,
Glen

Also just to throw this one in when you say that you have checked for over-tight belts etc I assume that you have done the obvious and tried starting it with the drive belt completely removed to eliminate water pump and alternator. Sorry/apologies if you have already done this but it is easy to miss the obvious when you are getting frustrated with a problem.

regards

graham

It's a real odd one. What I've tried so far :

- Removed fan belt. No difference
- Changed starter, checked it was disengaging. No difference
- Depressed clutch - no difference
- Disconnected air filter/ inlet pipe thingy. Possibly louder, hard to tell as my ears are already bleeding
- Sprayed carb cleaner around plenum checking for leaks. Not definitive but didn't seem to change revs
- Disconnected throttle pot - no change
- Removed rocker covers, loosened rocker shaft and gave it good lubing. No change
- Blanked off various vacuum pipes to plenum ( like brake servo, back to ecu etc ) - no change
- Removed and resealed plenum base. Slight change in noise, louder if anything
- Checked my daughter hadn't dropped a kazoo down the trumpets. Can't see anything
- Removed plenum on the off chance it might start. Didn't start
- Kicked next door's cat. Similar noise but didn't change with revs
- Checked for holes/cracks around throttle bodies . Couldn't see anything.

The sound matches the (crank ) revs but is much higher pitched. Ray at V8D has had a good look and his bet is also on a crack or something in the plenum. Unfortunately the trumpets are too big to try the old plenum. Ray has taken the CF plenum away to try on another car to see if the sound goes with it.

It's so loud & high pitched it needs to be something pretty stiff acting in an air stream which would tie in with a layer of CF vibrating.

I should have taped the sound. Two people who heard it over the phone both said 'F***in Hell'

If it isn't the plenum then I'm at a loss. I just hope it isn't something embarrasing like a dropped rubber glove down the trumpets

Where did you put your vuvuzela after England lost the penalty shoot-out?
Sorry

“Throttle bodies” - ? Have you fitted a non-standard induction system? Got some photos?

When the engine was re-built I assume the block was line reamed for the crank bearings and the cam bearings correctly? If one was slightly out of alignment the sideways stress on the bearing might cause a whine - maybe.

Sorry if that was misleading. I have a twin throttle plenum from ACT. I was referring to those throttles.

That'll be it then