Ticking/Tapping sound passenger side intake manifold 59 Coupe 390 (video)

[indetrucks]

Thank you for all the hep guys, been very informative and helped me locate the noise

Question, is the hot choke tube a 2-piece design?  For example, press out the old cracked tube that is in the intake then press in a new one and then re-use my existing copper piece that exits the manifold/connects to the carb?

Or is that hot choke tube supposed to be one piece? Example, press out the old one and then press in the new one making sure it's long enough to come out of the manifold and connect to the carb?

[Roger Zimmermann]

The tube in the intake manifold is one piece and the tube outside is another one because it's not the same depending if the carb is a Carter or a Rochester. Usually, the outside tube is steel too and insulated. With a "naked" copper tube, the aspirated hot air will cool down, allowing the choke to stay a longer time closed.

[indetrucks]

The tube in the intake manifold is one piece and the tube outside is another one because it's not the same depending if the carb is a Carter or a Rochester. Usually, the outside tube is steel too and insulated. With a "naked" copper tube, the aspirated hot air will cool down, allowing the choke to stay a longer time closed.

Thanks Roger,
So how would one go about finding these tubes?  I found copper tubing online but it's in huge rolls at around $50 per roll.  I know auto stores have misc vacuum tubing but do they also have steel or copper tubing?

[Roger Zimmermann]

Have a look here: https://www.inlinetube.com/ unfortunately, they don't say if it's for a Rochester or Carter carb. You may ask yourself.

[1959Fleetwood]

I replaced many choke heat tubes for my customers cars over the years because the steel tube inside the manifold will rot thru because of the sour exhaust gasses. The tube is pressed in on the underside of the manifold crossover and sort of a wedged/flared end on the upper side of the manifold. There's also a spiral inside the tube to make the entering air from the lower end swirl to heat up the air more quickly. When the engine is running the cold air will be sucked up, heated, and then the piston inside the choke housing will give a calibrated hole free to enter the air into the carburetor.
The "used" hot air will mix with the intake air. When the tube is broken the engine will suck up exhaust gasses thru the carburetor causing the engine to heat up unwanted. When youre driving in cool conditions you will not notice this but when you drive on a hot day in congested traffic it will cause stalling of your engine. Trying to restart you're engine will not work because the engine is momentarely seized from heating up. This happend to me and other customers. Also with a broken choke tube it is very difficult to adjust your carburetor due to the reason above, exhaust gas and fresh mixture will lean your mixture on a constant basis, a leaner mixture will heat up your engine.

Now, when i renew the choke tube i make it from a piece of 3/8" stainless tube with a small adapter bushing to accomodate the outer choke tube to your choke housing. the spiral is also made of stainless. BTW. i always drill out the old choke tube, the loose piece that's inside the manifold can be picked out with a nose pliers after bending it a little.
I braze the new tube on the upper end of the manifold and leave the lower end unwelded so it can stretch and crimp as the manifold get heated up or cools down to prevent breaking the new tube.
This system of choke heating is used  on Cadillac's from 1959 thru 1966.
Hope this info helps.

Matern Harmsel CLC 15331

[indetrucks]

I replaced many choke heat tubes for my customers cars over the years because the steel tube inside the manifold will rot thru because of the sour exhaust gasses. The tube is pressed in on the underside of the manifold crossover and sort of a wedged/flared end on the upper side of the manifold. There's also a spiral inside the tube to make the entering air from the lower end swirl to heat up the air more quickly. When the engine is running the cold air will be sucked up, heated, and then the piston inside the choke housing will give a calibrated hole free to enter the air into the carburetor.
The "used" hot air will mix with the intake air. When the tube is broken the engine will suck up exhaust gasses thru the carburetor causing the engine to heat up unwanted. When youre driving in cool conditions you will not notice this but when you drive on a hot day in congested traffic it will cause stalling of your engine. Trying to restart you're engine will not work because the engine is momentarely seized from heating up. This happend to me and other customers. Also with a broken choke tube it is very difficult to adjust your carburetor due to the reason above, exhaust gas and fresh mixture will lean your mixture on a constant basis, a leaner mixture will heat up your engine.

Now, when i renew the choke tube i make it from a piece of 3/8" stainless tube with a small adapter bushing to accomodate the outer choke tube to your choke housing. the spiral is also made of stainless. BTW. i always drill out the old choke tube, the loose piece that's inside the manifold can be picked out with a nose pliers after bending it a little.
I braze the new tube on the upper end of the manifold and leave the lower end unwelded so it can stretch and crimp as the manifold get heated up or cools down to prevent breaking the new tube.
This system of choke heating is used  on Cadillac's from 1959 thru 1966.
Hope this info helps.

Matern Harmsel CLC 15331

Matern,
Thanks you for the explanation. This helps tons!
So it looks like I need to source some tubing, remove the intake and take a stab at it.

If worst case happens and I cannot perform the tubing removal/install, is there anyone out there who does this sort of repair as a service?

I would be more than happy to send my manifold to someone who would do a repair such as this.

I dont have any experience with brazing etc, so I'm a bit hesitant.

[indetrucks]

Wanted to give an update on the noise.

I ended up removing the intake manifold and drilling out the old corroded exhaust choke tube.  I ordered both a new tube and the bent exterior tube that connects to the carbs choke housing.

I drilled out the intake manifold to specs, tapped in the new tube with a hammer and reinstalled the intake manifold.
Wouldn't ya know it, no more ticking under acceleration and the car cold starts like a champ again.

Thank you all for the assistance!  It's so nice to drive a car that runs well with no odd noises.

[INTMD8]

Glad you got it straightened out