Having some SERIOUS issues after intake swap...HELP!!

[1995GTStang]

After installing a GT 40 intake and hooking up all the vacuum lines. I fired up the car and there is a very loud knocking sound coming from the top end. It sounds like lifter or pushrod to lifter sound. What is causing this?? I have played around with the timing a little bit to see if I could quiet it down but nothing seems to work. It is very possible there is an aftermarket camshaft installed.

Is there something I did not do right?? I pulled the distributor out when I did the intake swap. I have done quite a few intake swaps in my life but never on a EFI ford before.

Any advice???

 

[urban96]

did you change oil after you swapped the intake? you may have a bunch of coolant in the oil

 

[MotiV8ed_95GT]

Sounds obvious but did you drop anything down into the lifter valley or into the heads? An intake swap should really not cause anything to knock. I guess it is possible that your lifters pumped down but that would give you more of a clack than a knock. See if you can take a video and post it.

Ross

 

[1995GTStang]

I was pretty careful not getting any debris in the valley. I usually lay a towel out in the valley and wad up some paper towels that shove into the intake ports to keep anything from falling into the heads. I used a shop vacuum afterwards to clean up anything that might have been left behind.

This project took me about 3 days to complete. I only worked on the car for a couple of hours a day. It may be possible the lifters bleed out but I let the car run for about 5 mins to see if it quiet down and nothing happened.

It is odd for sure. I will get that vid on here asap

Thanks

 

[ProKiller]

did you check your timing and make sure you have all the plug wires going into the right place? checked all your vac lines?

 

[1995GTStang]

The idle seems to be good and does act like it has a vacuum leak. I am posting a link here to a video of the noise the engine is making.

100_1977-1.flv video by Camarofanatic75 - Photobucket

Any ideas?

 

[1987Rock]

I've never heard anything like that.... it sounds similar to rocker noise, but MUCH worse. I don't know what to tell ya

 

[1995GTStang]

well I tore off the intake this morning to see if I could see where something might be rubbing and I see nothing that has come loose or anything to explain that noise. These are E7 slightly ported heads with the crane 1.7 rockers. Everything appears to be buttoned up and tight.

I guess I will just pull the heads and clean things up a bit. Who knows maybe after putting it all back together it will be where it is supposed to.

The baffle on the passenger side valve cover shows that it might have rubbed the rocker arm in the past. Could that make that much noise??

Also, just for a piece of mind....I am using an intake off a 99 Explorer and the bolts that came with. Could some of those bolts be too long??

Any suggestions on what to try next??

 

[tjh566]

I might know what that is, did you use the explorer lower intake or a cobra/gt40 lower intake?

I had a similar experience when I did the explorer intake swap I used a ported cobra lower intake and it had a small exhaust port int he middle of the lower intake that comes up and it need to be blocked off as the explorer intake does not cover that small circle hole and it sounds like hell, mine sounded more like a tractor tho when i started it up.

 

[1995GTStang]

both the lower and upper intake are from a 99 Explorer. I will go check to see if there is a hole there

 

[1995GTStang]

no there is no hole between the runners on the bottom of the intake....however I can see where it would be from the gasket I am using.

I was kinda hoping that would be the fix lol

 

[MotiV8ed_95GT]

Maybe try a thicker valve cover gasket? If there is any chance the rockers are hitting the valve cover it would help for sure. Is there anything loose inside the distributor? Oil pump drive fall out? I assume you have oil pressure...

Still thinking for ya! Did not get a chance to mess with mine today, too much rain.

Ross

 

[NotQuik]

IMO it sounds like something fell down in one of the cylinders, I had it happen to me once and that sounds familiar...I hope that's not the case for you but good luck

 

[1995GTStang]

well I guess I should pull the heads off to be on the safe side

 

[ProKiller]

maybe pull the spark plugs and use a scope before you going tearing the heads off.

 

[rio95]

My car has sounded like that before after a HG swap but went away after about 5 min. I guess the lifters just needed to get pumped. It sounded almost identical.

If you didn't take the valve convers off I don't see what the intake could have done to cause that noise. Make sure the rockers are not hitting at all. Maybe you ccould use another gasket to space them up a bit for more clearance to see if thats the problem. I don't know if pulling the heads is going to do you any good.

 

[1995GTStang]

My guess is your right....the lifters probably bleed all the way down.

But, I just bought the car, and I do not mind tearing off everything down to the block and replacing gaskets.....Also, it will be a piece of mind to check and make sure there is nothing in the combustion chamber, rather than finding out the hard way with the engine reassembled.

Thanks for all the advice, its nice to know that I count on you guys to help solve my interesting issues.

 

[95Vert383AOD]

Mine sounded like that when my rocker loosened and the push rod was bouncing around

 

[thethirdeye88]

mine sounded like that but not as bad before my engine blew due to catastrophic oil pressure loss at the top of third gear...

 

[1995GTStang]

Well I took a trip away for a few days and left the lifters to soak in some new oil.

I know that soaking them is kind of a myth, but what the hell. Anyone else have any ideas to try before I assemble this back together??