clarkaim

Ok, I bought this 69 GTO judge clone, bad ass liberty blue perfect in every aspct except that it's an ac car needing a comprossor and maybe some slight clean up.. as I'm driving it home, about 20 miles, I notice a pronounced pinging when goosing the throttle. I take it by my mecnahnic, he thinks maybe the timing has too much advance, also it struggles to turn over when starting hot. Could be that I had to put 91 octane in it, as that's all available. Also the gen lite comes on, tho he tests it w/ a meter and it reads ok on the battery and the alternator, maybe the regulator? or maybe old stators? anyway the battery is charging so no problem. Well, I go to buy some 104 to boost the octane ( no Klotz made anymore? been awhile since I ve had one of these) I put it in and meet this gear head who calls his buddy ( an ase mechanic by the way) says he'll check the timing and set it for me for free. They invite me to join their cruisin club by th way. Then he covers the carb w/ his hands and the car runs normal, he determines a vacuum leak.. then he sprays around w/ carb cleaner and when he hits the intake manifold near the heads, changes in rpm/running/idle. Says I have a vacuum leak at the manifold. I call the guy I bought from, he agrees to pay for it if its reasonable, get an estimate, etc. Gearhead guy says he'll fix it and make it purr like a kitten for just cost of parts, but don't drive it, your'e running too lean and you'll burn a cylinder. Now I'm pissed, even though the guy I bought it from has so far agreed to pay for it. I take it home, at least wash it up, but I can't enjoy it until it's repaired. maybe a week or two? So someone has got to die at this point. t least it's gonna be repaired at no cost to me. Well, she sits for a couple hours, my buddy shows up, we take it for a little cruise thru the neighborhood. NO PInging. Has the octane boost in it now, by the way. We take it onto the local interstate, rack it up to a very fast speed very quickly, NO PINGING..

MY question, is it a manifold gasket leak? Is it timing? Could the leak not be there until the motor gets hot? If so, wouldn't just tightening down the nuts fix it? It's a rebuilt XF code 455 HO w/ 64 heads on her. Factory manifold w/ and Edlebrock 4 barrel. Not cammed out, very streetable. What do you guys think, try tightening things up tomorrow? It's a rebuild w/ maybe 1000 miles on it, I'm thinking some loose nuts causing things to show up when hot? Or maybe it just needs better octane gas?

No pinging tonight on teh run. Also if it's that loose an sitrep, i.e. not so bad that teh pinging can stop w/ octane boost and it being cool (it started up quicker cool by the way)

Is it ok to drive around? Oh I did a great burnout at my buddies tonight he took a pic of.. He's sending my way via email, so I can post. very cool, even tho am a 44 year old guy that doesn't drive like that normally nor intend to.