Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Pat Russell · Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 131

[b]

I have a friend who is a professional whiz with car problems modern and vintage who uses a stethoscope to listen to unusual noises in car engines.

When my horse was alive I used one to listen to his breathing and heart rate. I still have it so is it worth me keeping it for a vintage car when I get it?

As I have said I am a very new member of the bullnose Morris club and hoping to be an owner of a Bullnose in the near future.

So how many of you enthusiasts use one ???
Pat

Phil - Nottingham · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1252 Location: Nottingham

I sometimes use a long screwdriver as a sounding rod - it is very good
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stuchamp · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 546 Location: Iowa, USA

Also a 3 foot length of heater hose.

Uncle Alec · Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 734 Location: Manchester

I sometimes use a stethoscope on customers' cars when I go to the customer's house or garage. I listen to the engine through the stethoscope, then say "put two aspirin in the header tank; if it's no better in the morning I'll come back".
Seriously I do rely a lot on my mechanic's stethoscope, but note that it has a 12" long thin metal probe at its extremity, not a rubber sounding cone.

buzzy bee · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 3382 Location: South Cheshire

Hi

I have one in my chest at work, very ocasionally use it, but find tractors are too noisy to use one to any great effect, a car may be different though!

Cheers

Dave

P3steve · Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 10:21 pm Post subject:

I also use a long screw drive and learnt what to listen to back in my old motor trade days, try it out its great fun to listen to differant bits of the engine be carefull though dont stick it into the fan belt or bldes etc, its a good way of spotting the early stages of a water pump or dynamo bearing failure as well as other engine noises, moving round the engine you will soon get to know the sound of things like the timing chain and cam shaft etc, you could at one time get a special stethoscope that had a rod on the end instead of the usual "cup" that medical ones have

Pat Russell · Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 131

Hello Everyone!

Again what an amazing response..thank you all for giving me all the tips.
I was speaking yesterday to an older gentleman who used a screwdriver.

Sorry not to hear from any ladies out there who are interested in engines.

I had to learn when I was first married as my husband was away a lot and we had not the money to pay other people to to change plugs,unstick a carburettor or change a tyre in my old Wolseley or fix the lawn mower.

My father a clever engineer with a penchant for cars came to my rescue and just taught me how to do simple things.
I have one of those brains that has to see someone do a repair ,also not expect me to understand the theory of why the part works.Also I cannot follow instructions from drawings or script.

Many many years later it has stood me in good stead. My grown up son, now with his own family did a short stint serving petrol in a local garage when he was about 17 .He came back one night saying "This lady came in with a puncture and I was amazed she could not change a tyre!"

Anyway..thanks for all the replies still looking for a four seater bullnose Morris

Pat (Patricia)

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7118 Location: Edinburgh

Somewhat related, I was recently trying to establish the cause of a vibration
that only seemed to appear at 1600 rpm.

There's a nice little freebee audio spectrum analyser program at:
http://freenet-homepage.de/dl4yhf/spectra1.html

I stuck a microphone into my laptop and watched the peaks as I altered the engine revs. What was interesting was that the peak associated with my vibration didn't change frequency when I altered the engine speed it just sat there at 28Hz. So from this I learnt that I had a resonance. I then went around the car tapping and looking for parts that resonated at 28Hz. I think I've established that the roof panel is the culprit.

Peter
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Pat Russell · Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 131

buzzy bee · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 3382 Location: South Cheshire

Hi

Hz is just frequency, cycles per second, see here:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hertz So 28 cycles per second

Resonance is just vibrations in effect.

Everything sounds at different frequncy's sounding different.

Cheers

Dave

Pat Russell · Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 131

poodge · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 687

I seem to remember my brother using a bit of broomstick held against the block to detect dodgy main bearings.Mind you,that WAS 40 odd years ago,so maybe the memory's a bit cloudy Mr. Green

buzzy bee · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 3382 Location: South Cheshire

Any solid object would do!

Sound travels better through solid objects, then liquids then gases if I remember rightly. Please someone correct me????

Cheers

Dave

Rusty · Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:18 pm Post subject:

I have and ocasionaly use a "mechanics" stethoscope, and it differs from a normal medical stethoscope in having a probe about 8 inches long on the pickup. I don't use it very offten but sometimes when something is particularly hard to isolate it comes in handy. It's much more usual for me to use the largest crewdriver I can find up againt the ear.

Pat Russell · Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 131

[quote="Rusty"]I have and ocasionaly use a "mechanics" stethoscope, and it differs from a normal medical stethoscope in having a probe about 8 inches long on the pickup. I don't use it very offten but sometimes when something is particularly hard to isolate it comes in handy. It's much more usual for me to use the largest crewdriver I can find up againt the ear

What a response I have had from home and abroad!Thanks to everyone for all the interest shown.

Pat