so i had a thought about that odd "knocking" noise that has been in the car from the first time i drove it...and the day i got hit of course...
I am thinking it might be one of my exhaust valves shimmed too tightly, seeing as how it does not do it cold and gets louder after a pull or even moderate acceleration and return to idle, though it did not do this during the first couple of heat cycles in the driveway, mainly due i think to the fact that the engine runs very cool and until you get it out and drive under load it doesnt really get hot, so...since the stethescope places it over the passenger valve cover area i can remove that valve cover and check the clearances again...the drivers side requires removal of whole engine...
i think the "knocking" sound may actually be compression+combustion being blown into the exhaust pipe which is right on the frame rail making it very noticeable inside the car. but constant torture of the engine has failed to make it better or worse so its obviously not a critical issue, but if the valve is hanging open a bit i might have already burnt it a little...
hopefully not, it will most certainly be robbing me of some power on that hole.
so while i have it in the air doing other things i will try to solve that mystery once and for all.
now as it has been a bit of a smoker since day 1 i think it is the result of the extra piston .002 we gave the stock HE pistons possibly coupled with the extra ring gap added for FI. i can deal with it, its just mildly embarrassing pulling away from a stoplight and fogging the car behind me for a moment.
i might have to replace plugs more often...but after 8 years of rotaries that is nothing new, and they are only $1.50 each
