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Howdy, I've got a situation where there's a tapping sound that seems to be coming thru the steering column and causing a vibration in the gear shift lever. Its not severe and doesn't seem to affect the operation of the car. Ive put my ear to the clutch pedal and it seems to magnify the noise. I was wondering if there might be something loose in the flywheel or shifter linkage. The noise seems to lessen on acceleration. The car runs smoothly and and goes thru the gears fine but the gear shift lever still has a vibration. Has anyone had a similar experience?

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In looking stuff up on the pictured car, that appears to be an Eight (282). It's not a Custom Eight (356)

You are absolutely right its a 288.

Is it a definite tapping or tick tick tick sound or is it more like a buzzing noise. Does the shift lever vibrate or is the noise present when the car is sitting and idling? If so, have you looked at the engine to see if you can see any perceptible movement such as it twisting or rocking a tiny bit? The way the linkage is configured any rocking motion in the engine is transmitted to the lever as an up and down movement.

I haven't had a chance to do a further analysis since moving it to another garage. Hope to play with it today. I guess you could call it a tick or clicking noise and it does occur while the car is at idle. It does seem to coming from under the car somewhere around the lower part of the firewall or trans tunnel. Goes away on excelleration. Car shifts smoothly pulls strong but at idle there did seem to be some vibration of the motor. Motor or trans mounts maybe? Like said though I put me ear to the clutch pedal while at idle and it really magnified the sound..I know that's not conventional mechanics diagnostics but sure was noisy.

If the engine is moving or shaking perhaps there is some metal to metal contact and the touching or shifting between them is transmitted as a ticking sound.

On the clutch linkage, there are a couple of springs that could contribute to a tick noise if missing. A long spring should be present between the end of the clutch fork and a bracket near the steering box. It provides tension to retract the throwout bearing and also keep the fork tight against the remaining linkage. If that is missing, there could be some shifting allowing the bearing to get close to pressure plate and possibly make some noise. The spring is visible from the outside so relatively easy to check.

There is a small spring inside the flywheel housing between the side of the throwout bearing sleeve and a pin inserted into the rear of bellhousing. Its purpose is to help pull the throwout bearing away from the pressure plate when the clutch is released and to keep the bearing sleeve and clutch fork in close contact with each other to prevent any lost motion or rattling. That spring is not visible from the outside and would require the lower flywheel housing to be removed to check. Probably best left until everything else is eliminated.

If the noise is more of a buzzing sound there are some rubber bushings on the shift rod inside the shift tube which are supposed to keep the shift rod from vibrating. Those bushings can get hard or deteriorate and fall apart. There is a wire like spring under the steering wheel which goes between the end of the shift tube and the column. Its purpose is to put tension against the shift tube to prevent side to side motion at the upper support and eliminate vibration or buzzing.

Thank you very much for giving me some clues on where to start looking. Ive got a frend here who has a lift. Maybe I can get it up in the air this week for a good look. My old bones are gettin harder and harder to crawl under on cold concrete. I will though if I have to. Im 73 but age has not dampened my love old cars.

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G'day allanpintenn,

to PackardInfo, and I invite you to include your '49 Eight Sedan in the Packard Owner's Registry.