[c6ae]

24° total advance is not generally considered enough timing for an FE.
36 to 38° total is more common, with even more than that if using a vacuum advance unit.
An old school technique for locating an engine noise (in particular an exhaust leak) is to use a short length of heater hose as a stethoscope and while listening at one end of the hose move it around the engine compartment until you locate the source of the noise.