Yeah - at this point, I think I have 2 separate problems. 1) Fuel pump shouldn’t be impacted and car shouldn’t die on an incline. 2) Something is thudding inside the engine when it shouldn’t be.
I actually ran the car to operating temperature yesterday. The audible click-click went away at temperature, but you can definitely still feel the thud-thud that’s the same cadence as the audible clicks. I put my hand on the A-bank intake manifold and could definitely feel the thud-thud. No thud-thud on the B-bank intake manifold. Also, no discernible performance loss - still can do a nice burn-out and power throughout acceleration. Also, no smoke or such signs coming out of exhaust.
Another question - I did replace the 2 banjo bolts that were leaking oil. I also replaced the oil pressure sender as it was leaking. Oil pressure reads fine when driving, but would a miss-installed or other wise messed up banjo bolt on the A-bank cause a lack of lubrication issue?
Have you removed your air pump rail and plugged up the intake manifold holes that go to exhaust?
I did, and plugged all the holes. I didn’t do a very good job, because a year later I was getting a few tick tick ticks, turned out a few of my plugs had dislodged slightly and exhaust was leaking there causing the sound. I’ve since sealed them up.
Accessory drives can do weird things. Suggest you listen closely to the alternator, the air pump, the ac compressor and the fan clutch/bearing. Based on the description, it seems unlikely that it’s one of those, but it would be good to rule them out for sure.
And we have a winner!!! @gregma Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!! Ok, really, everyone on this thread, gets a dinner and drinks on me next time your cruising through Austin!
I was have a beer, staring at the A2 injector, thinking about anything that I might have missed, preparing myself for the winter project of tearing apart the A-bank to figure out what might be wrong. Then I started thinking… what if I had forgotten to put the ball bearing in the hole after removing the air pump rail? what if it wasn’t sealed well? what if… screw it, 5 minutes later I had the hole exposed on the A2 air pump rail, car running, and my thumb covering the hole - NO CLICKS!!!
HOT F’IN DAMN!!! Switched out the ball bearing, just in case, reapplied the black Permatex, really gooping it around to create a good seal. Either the air pump rail hole is slightly misformed, bad ball bearing (probably not, from McMaster-Carr and super high grade, but maybe), or my Permatex gasket seal was bad (most likely case), but in any case this issue is fixed!
24 hours later(last night) I was having one of the funnest drives ever with my buddy that has a cool old red Lotus convertible, just pounding the pavement through the Austin country side!!!
My Jag brain is so happy right now, it’s not quite sure what to do…
Thank you, everyone, for all the help covering all the bases figuring this out!
So glad you found it, and so glad i threw that suggestion out there. I almost didn’t, because i thought it far fetched.
Funny how exhaust leaks can sound like that. I am taking off intake manifolds next month to do cam covers. I need to inspect all of my air plugs. I think I’ll also seal from bottom, just to be sure. Some of my original RTV seals up top didn’t hold, and i had to touch up with jb weld, so i may use that from the bottom.
Usually a problem is simple. Too easy to assume the worst with these engines and their bad rep.
I think I was working through a variety pack from the Deschutes brewery outta Bend, Oregon. Usually I stick with something local. There’s a ton of great beers outta the central Texas area now. Seeing as I was having very little luck with the local brews helping to solve the click-click-click issues, I was looking for any inspiration I hadn’t tried before to figure the dang thing out
