Quote:
Originally Posted by TRADERMIKE 2012
I learned about the Side-kick from forums, just like the Pontiac mod to the water pump and now the drill and plug trick. How much more can I do but try and experiment as others have done before me? This is a learning process and it has been 2 steps forward and 3 steps back. I just rebuilt a TH 400 Trans, successfully I might add, I was told by a Transmission specialist that auto mechanics bring their trans. in to me. Give me some positive credit for a Novis I am, let me grow in knowledge.
I am running at 190 degrees without the AC on. When I turn on the AC on the highway it is 200 degrees. Around town in traffic with the AC running, I am at 210-220 degrees. I don't vapor lock on rec-89-90 anymore. Is that a safe temp? I use the extra fans only with the AC. The reason I am looking into the Pontiac cooling mod. is that it is the best mod. according to people who have actually done it. I could stay away from this mod. but I am always looking for improvement. Since I have the heads off it is the perfect opportunity to try something new. What if it lowers the engine temp. ,like they say. It seems to make sense over all the jury rigging I have been doing over the past 10 years, I am only sorry I did not learn about it 10 years ago, so I could have done it first, savvy.
You said: Also, just a question to others regarding the swapping of pistons for the other bank thing... won't that cause a problem with rings sealing if they are in different positions? Or do the rings stay in the same cylinders but get swapped on the pistons?
Mikes reply: Good question, I second that?
I have been rationalizing over this noise and that is the best I can come up with because I noticed the difference right away. Then I Test and tune and find the exhaust crossover has holes in them, that is not helping. I think the fact that I have no cross after the collectors has everything to do with this vibration or reverb? Why do people put the crossover "X" after the collectors anyway, if it were not necessary? I only experienced this weird noise twice, once with the exhaust extension and now testing and tuning with crossover holes.
I wish I could prove it. I can live with the pistons being backwards, since the racers did it for a reason. My only choice is to either take my chance that I diagnosed the noise already and put the motor back together with the rebuilt Heads. Secondary, keep taking it apart. I have not found anything to warrant more disassembly other than the Pistons installed with the notch toward the rear and to find out that it was done on purpose, tells me I am on the right track.
My deduction is reverb, pulses bouncing under the Intake Manifold then to the defuser and back, with no cross "X" to equalize the echoing nor any mufflers in-between to do their job. I am not an expert on Exhaust systems, but I trust my own intuition, it has gotten me this far.
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Thats awesome you rebuilt the trans, was just mentioning all the mods on the car to get it to run without overheating, some seemed rather involved but if thats what is needed thats your call. Those are safe temps, 220 is approaching overheating but some idiot light cars didnt come on until hotter than that.
An X or H crossover pipe is to help scavenging of exhaust gasses, it doesnt really reduce flow restriction. Also, as exhaust gases cool they dont need as much space, at the rear of the car going to more than double the size with the dryer duct, you did not harm anything related to the exhaust. The holes in the heads exhaust crossover block off could have and probably were there before you think.
I have no suggestion on the noise you heard, could be many things, almost impossible to diagnose things like that over the internet, a video when running would be the only real way to make a long distance guess. When the exhaust crossover is open as designed with full reverb potential, it doesnt cause any noises in the engine or exhaust Im aware of, I have had many pontiac cars with that open. Just a suggestion the noise may be unrelated to your deduction.