Hope someone can help me out here. I went for a spirited drive today; the car running very well for quite a while until the last time I decided to "punch it". Even at that, I didn't notice an issue until I let out of it... a ticking/fluttering noise coming from the right rear of the car. Under acceleration, there's the ticking/tapping which speeds up with rpm. Let out of the gas and it's silent until either back on the gas, or at idle. Any deceleration in rpm and it's quiet until idle. When I got home, I looked and looked and listened. It didn't really sound like a tap (hoping that it's not something internal to the engine), but more like a "tick" if that makes sense. I've heard sounds like this when there's been an issue with spark, so I started pulling plug wires from the coil on the passenger side. Pulling the #4 plug makes the tick go away. Replacing that plug wire and removing others; the tick persists. Could this be a bad plug? If something had gone wrong internally, such as a rod bearing, ring, etc., wouldn't I still hear that despite pulling plug wires? The sound is only removed when I remove plug wire #4. Any advice/feedback here would be GREATLY appreciated, as I have a buyer for this car and my silly self thought I'd take it out to "stretch its legs a bit" before taking the potential buyer on a test drive. Thanks!
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!! You hit it on the head, though I wish you hadn't and it had been a bad plug or wire Dangit!! Oh well... seriously.... thanks!! Beats a bad internal any day! The gasket around flange #4 is blown out on the top-side of the flange which made it difficult for me to find when initially checking for exhaust leaks. This is my first time having a leak at the header/head like this, which is why the "ticking" characteristic threw me off. Now I know that an exhaust leak this close to the head has a ticking sound. Man! And these Fabspeed headers and new gaskets just went on in August, but clearly some of the gasket material has blown out (using a mirror to see) and has left a gap between the flange and the head. Labor, labor ahead lol! Thanks again!!
I've heard that dreaded noise way too many times on previous muscle cars that I have owned. Glad I was right and that it isn't that big of a deal. Fix it and drive it like you stole it!
Why did the gasket blow out, Did you figure it out yet? Warped flange or installation error etc.I know they are a good product.
The closer I look, the more the flange seems to be a bit warped; can't tell yet. I'd venture to say this wasn't an installation error, as Karl with European Road and Racing installed everything for me; and he's pretty good. I'm going to pull it tomorrow; putting in place the OEM style gaskets rather than the ones sent with the Fabspeed. Only a piece of the gasket blew out... a portion of that sandwiched, foil-like material that wraps the inner metal portion. It looks as though that dempled material simply separated from the rest of the gasket and blew out a piece on the upper side of the mating surfaces. The OEM is just metal with a crushable, raised ring. Hopefully this performs better.
Run a machinists strait edge to double check the flange, if something is bent/warped now is the time to correct or it will most likely happen again. Gaskets are not made to correct warpage. Good luck
I assume this is on a 355, however, if you experienced this on a 348, I'd suggest a different cause. We have a Stooge "How To" post in the tech section for replacement of the air injector flange that seems to affect either cylinder 4 or 8 for some reason. We guessed because of vibration. You 355 guys have your air injection plumbed directly into the headers, while on the 348 it's to the heads.
I had the same thing happen when I put on my fab speeds. On mine I had some hardware come loose after driving it some. I was lucky enough to catch mine before it blew out the gasket, as I was checking them one night after a drive. I think the gaskets they send take a round of tightening after a few heat cycles to get them where they need to be.
