00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

Always hard to tell with a video and I'm in a loud shop so I could easily be wrong.

Tang2

The mechanics stethoscope was genius! I took the end of and probed around the header and found the leak at the air injection blocking plate. Really cool way to use that thing!

Now a new noise has started. Once the car gets hot there is a noticable hum towards the back of the intake manifold. Has anyone heard that? I'm wondering if there is a leak there somewhere...

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

It's been an awesome tool for me and I randomly came up with it one day. BTW, I also use it for vacuum leaks and it works great. Try that around the intake, a hum is usually a leak.

I figured it was an exhaust leak because the sound had an off beat rhythm, exhaust leaks do that, lifters usually have a very consistent rhythm and pulleys too. Glad you found it. Now check all injector o rings and the intake flange with the stethoscope. Beats spraying your new setup with brake cleaner.

Unfortunately you can't really get to the intake gaskets but you can maybe pick something up running it along the intake to head.

Tang2

Thanks for the tip, I'll try that tonight when I get home. There were a couple of intake bolts that I couldn't get my torque wrench on in the back, so I cautiously hand tightened them with a 1/4" socket wrench. It's possible I didn't torque those enough.

Tang2

I thought I'd check the torque on the intake manifold bolts since it's been through a few heat cycles since I installed it. There were 3-4 that we're very loose, so I'm hoping that was the cause of the potential leak. It had to have been small because there was no weird map pressures or need for crazy VE figures. I'll update the thread with my results after the next start-up.

Tang2

Well, the saga continues. I tightened the manifold back up and the sound may have improved, but it's still there. Unfortunately I found another potentially more pressing issue. I polished up the headers a bit while they were out of the car, and I noticed that the driver side has already gone back to looking like it did before. The passenger side, however, is still shiny. I decided to grab my IR gun and measure the temperature of each header tube. The driver side tubes were all in the low-to-mid 400 degree range at idle, cylinder number two on the passenger side front was only 215 degrees, and the other tubes on that side were all roughly 50 degrees less than the driver side. I'm guessing the main temperature difference is due to the fact that the left side may be leaner than the right and is burning hotter, but something is definitely not right with number 2. Now I have to find out why it's not firing as it should. Yippee!

Tang2

Your method worked again. Unfortunately I'm not sure what I have to do to fix it yet. I ran the tube across the seam between the manifold and the heads and every time I got to the recessed area for the bolt holes, on both sides, I heard the moan/hum loud and clear. I'm guessing it also has something to do with my random exhaust temp readings as well. The plugs we're a little white indicating a lean condition, but they fire and the injectors seem to be firing as well. I'll have to pull the manifold back off and see what I can do. I used the button head bolts for the valley, but I wonder if the milled heads gave up too much clearance. I bought new seals for the intake to head ports, but they were a generic brand on Amazon, so maybe I should try the FAST ones to see if they're thicker.

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

Sweet glad it's helping.

I would just pull the manifold off and inspect everything. I know it's a pain but it's worth a look.

When you put the manifold back on (this is what I do anyway) start in the middle and tighten the middle bolts first then work outward just like the head gaskets. Snug the middle ones tight with a 1/4" ratchet, so that you're applying roughly 15-20 ft lbs then the two bolts on each side of the middle and work outward. Hope that helps and hope you find it.

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

Try swapping coils around and see if it makes a difference on header temp. Might have a bad coil.

Tang2

I couldn't find anything obvious after removing the manifold. The fact that the sound only starts after it gets hot makes me feel like it's very minor. I left the metal locators in because I didn't think it was causing an issue, but I'll remove them to be safe. I also decided that I didn't like the off brand seals that I put in, so I'm going to order the ones from FAST. I'll follow back up after everything is reinstalled.

Mike Morris

iTrader: (55)

Does car have any codes? Make sure you torque down those bolts and in order on the intake. I know its a pita under the coil. Even just getting to the fuel rail back bolts is a PITA with a FAST 102

Tang2

I'll check for codes the next time I fire it up. There was no engine light, but I don't know which misfire codes may have been turned off. Yeah, there's not much room under that cowl at all. None of my three torque wrenches fit there, so I used a 1/4" drive and got it as close as I could.

bbond105

I had to loosen the k member bolts about a 1/2" to get my torque wrench in there.

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

To test for spark grab a test light and hook the clip to the battery ground, with the engine running pull a plug wire off the coil or plug while holding the end of the test light real close to whatever you pulled the wire off of, the spark will jump to the end of the test light tip instead of your finger, and you should be able to pull the test light back about an inch before the spark stops jumping.

It should be a loud pop and bright blue. If it's yellow and only shoots off the coil about 1/4" you need a new coil.

I loosen all the wires and have them barely sitting on the coil when I do this makes it easy to run through and check all 8 real quick

Tang2

I will start the car again tomorrow to check on my multiple leak repairs. I resealed the air injection opening on the headers. Really wish they were off road headers. I also found that the intake was leaking at the head surface and in between the upper and lower shells in the passenger back corner. I took it apart and found that I'd forgotten to add the rtv in that area.

I was pretty shocked at how much oil was already in the intake. It hadn't been driven much, and very light throttle at that, yet there was a good coating all over the inside. I hadn't installed the catch can yet, but did that today after reassembling everything.

I'm going to give the rtv a day to cure and will attempt to start it up to check my work tomorrow. Wish me luck!

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

This helps a ton when trying to get around that huge *** 102

Tang2

Good news! Both leaks are fixed and it also remedied the cold header primaries. She is officially ready to tune. Base tune is doing okay, but I'm going to use a local tuner to dial it in and handle the WOT stuff on a loaded Mustang dunno. I'm hoping he'll get me in within a week or two. I'll definitely post the results when I have them.

Jtm2085

iTrader: (1)

Glad you got it figured out. Waiting on a tune sucks lol

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

Who's doing your tuning?

Tang2

I'm going to let Jesse do his thing on it this time 😀