Ok, I'll start off by saying I'm not the biggest gear head so my engine knowledge is limited...
In my car I have a Carb 302 with the following:
650 holly Double pumper carb
351 alluminum heads
alluminum headers
GM distributor
Dual hi-flow cat exaust with drops before the rear axel
Last night after work i was driving my T-bird, and i stopped for a couple min... When i Started the car again I started getting this very loud clicking noise as the engine ran aswell as when i'd hit the accellerator. (Kinda like someone tapping sheet metal with a hammer real fast.) So I check my oil and I did infact need some. So after I put my oil in its still making that loud noise... I tightend my rocker covers on the one side because I saw some small flames escaping at the back. Still with the noise... Driving the car home; whenever I'd downshift out of gear not only would it click but I'd also get this kinda backfire sound aswell...
My cat's have been acting up a bit for the last week or so and I think it might just be them but i'm not sure at all... Please note this engine is brand new and due for its first oil change at the end of the week... Anyone have any ideas?
Flames as in oil dripping on the headers, or flames shooting out like combustion gasses leaking up through really bad valve guides?
Flames like, cumbustion gases shooting out around the gasket on the rocker cover. It wasnt huge flames or anything, just little spirts from around the gasket.
I don't think that flames out of the valve cover is good. Something is wrong very wrong.
Sounds like a rocker/spring/valve has done something naughty..... You might pull the offending v/c off and have a looksee...
My buddy who did the entire conversion said the same thing and is going to have a look at it tomorrow... let us pray....:bowdown:
Well, it turns out that I am very lucky indeed... it was the last header bolt on the driver side... and with the distance I drove it after all of that happened I'm even luckier I didnt burn out the gasket (thank god for the 200$ set)... so let that be a lesson to everyone else with alluminum headers... TIGHTEN YOUR BOLTS OR ATLEAST CHECK THEM REGULARILY!