ETI4K

I'm with CO. In the first vid, you can clear hear the rattle that I think you are describing. I can't imagine a scenario where that'd be detonation, especially at low rpm and no load. Since it's periodic, I'd suspect something running near engine rpm, but either faster or slower, so you're hearing a harmonic which syncs and "unsyncs" with engine rpm sounds (water pump, fan, alt). All of that said, the sound is peculiar in that it is particularly metallic, and is not suggestive of those components as they don't seem to have the "brass" to make those sounds. What a lot of help, right? Look beyond the motor!

I'm root'n for you. I bet it'll be perfect. What are the odds there'll be rust behind it? 😳

May I recommend the Crystal 2.0 hood from Optrel. In a really good light, the lens is so transparent I sometimes forget I've already flipped it down. The problem is, I've also fallen for it the other way 'round. I thought it was down, and it wasn't. Damn it! When you're using MIG to weld these bodies, you have to pulse-fire it. Without auto-darkening, you'll go crazy, so the squeeze eyes shut trick lets you get the job done, at a cost. Which I submit is much, much higher than the hood cost. My wonderful wife took pity on me and gave me the hood for Christmas last year. Along those lines, I used to know a painter who would smoke and shoot at the same time. Can't wear a mask if you're smoking, right? What could go wrong? He has to "retire" in his forties. Never saw him again. I'm pretty sure he was impervious to the chemistry of the paint we were using. 🙄

site: Way back sometime maybe 25 years before the last millennium ended, I was riding my Suzuki Water Buffalo and a friend was riding his RD350. We decided to switch rides. We immediately jump on the two lane road and right away he whips around the car holding us up. I follow in quick pursuit. Sort of. I whip out into the lane of oncoming traffic and hit the throttle hard. Nothing.... As I look down the road, I see many large cars heading my way and closing FAST. So I kick it down one and twist that throttle for all it's worth. Nothing...The cars, it seems, are getting really close. So I kick it down again and open it up and holy crap, that f'ing lit up like it had a rocket booster up its arse. I just hung on and we shot past everything around us, and in the nick of time. I'd forgotten my buddy had race prepped his engine. Apparently it was his plan that it not turn on until it was at five grand. I guess there was no reason to share that with me. 😆 Ahh, the good ole days. Once again, sorry to temporarily hijack this thread. I couldn't resist after seeing the RD.

... and beyond

I have used the following method with extremely reliable results. Spray WD-40. Heat to about 120F (mildly hot to the touch). Allow to cool. Repeat as needed. On some VERY stuck parts, it's taken 8-10 tries, but it's always worked.....so far🤞 Another technique is to clamp the needle as @grannyknot suggested. Set up a "permanent" torque on the piston and LEAVE IT ALONE overnight, or longer. Juice it once in a while with WD. Many times I return to the shop next day and find no torque on the part and the two pieces are loose of each other. Good luck.

Glad you have a solution. Just curious, what software was used?

Can you post the drawing? Maybe one of us can help.

I think the reason there's so much controversy about the particulars of oil (and SO many things) is because there's no obvious and clear BEST product for everyone's situation. If you used the forums' "best" and "worst" oil, I'd doubt you'd see any significant difference unless you were running that motor for 100,000 miles per year. At that point, you likely have to measure differences in wear with equipment better than .0005 indication. A friend gets so wrapped around the axles about this sort of controversy that becomes paralyzed and cannot take a decision. For the record, I pulled my 73 L24 at about 130K miles in mid 80s for a refurb. There were no real problems, just looking for optimum performance. Original honing scratches were still present, seals were still in decent shape (most were hard but still keeping oil on the correct side - for the most part. This was all based on technology that is now 40 years old. Maybe it's a bit like the guy who bought a new H&K and ran 15,000 rounds through it before he cleaned it. It continued to operate properly and well. Lubricant technology development in the intervening years has become quite sophisticated and yielded amazing improvements in friction and wear reduction. I'd probably bet that the lowest cost crap oil you can find at AutoZone would far surpass the performance of the best oils of the day 40 years ago, which suggests that decent oil today should keep them running well past our life exoectancy, but that's just me, and I've had a cocktail!

In the past, I've used silicone-based caulk. I would smoodge it up into the underside of the moulding so when I pressed the moulding onto door edge, the caulk would seal the scratched paint. It worked well while I had the cars, though I was always skeptical as to its long-term efficacy. Alternatively, you could use an adhesive only to hold the moulding in place. That also has its drawbacks - as do all "solutions ".

You can use nylon, rubber, fiber flat washers on the studs, available in different thicknesses from McMaster.

Another thing to consider, and I write this without do any research, is perhaps the cleaning effect is nonlinear. If your internals are heavily laden, perhaps several cleanings would show promise. If you controlled the feed rate of any cleaning chemical to very slow so the chambers never get slugged with liquid, you wouldn't have to worry about oil dilution, or bending a rod, etc. An interesting experiment would be to start with clean oil in the pan, do a cleaning run and then compare before and after. If the solvent/effluent don't obviously affect the oil, you might be able to do several cleanings. FWIW, I have a BG fuel system service tool (#9210) (and OTC adapters) that easily controls solvent flow, and allows you apply air pressure behind the solvent for forced feeding (of injectors) or anything else. Could be a lot of hooey, but you never know. You anywhere near VA ?

Never underestimate the greatest thing since sliced bread - the placebo effect. All that smoke MUST be beneficial. It works for me. ?

During vapor blasting, does the glass surface become damaged eventually as in dry blasting (the glass gets sandblasted unless you use a plastic film which is sacrificial)?

Since the fuel rail has to be rigidly mounted anyway, wouldn't it captivate the injectors so they wouldn't need clamping at the manifold ports?

It's great isn't it? We use jack stands because our jacks can't be trusted. Now, with what do we back up our jack stands? Use two sets under each LCA, or maybe three will do it.

That is a terrible tragedy, especially since he was home. Though it may seem trite, I sincerely offer my gratitude for your service, as well as your friend's. Supporting our troops means more to me than placing a sticker on my bumper.

Git 'er done! Sorry, couldn't resist the urge. ?

That's a lot of very good information, and of course, it changes the search path. You wrote the problems lives in 500-2000rpm range. Perhaps the AFM windings are damaged in that range since that may well be where the wiper has spent most of its time. If there is any way you could plumb in a fuel pressure gauge to read dynamic fuel pressure it would be very helpful. That might help separate fuel system from ignition system diagnosis. As for ignition, connect a timing light to any plug wire, put the light in the cabin, and go for a drive. If it acts up, turn on the light and point it at anything. If the light flashes without interruption, it would suggest the problem is not ignition. It's a bit of Dr. Frankenstein's monster I know, but perhaps worth the effort. I've solved more than a few problems this way.

If you don't mind measuring, what is the length of those studs, and the protrusion from the head?

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Very kind of you. Thanks. Any closer to a solution?

I agree. The concept of "infant mortality" in new parts is a hard one to accept. Perhaps confirming all the variables we've read about, rather than trusting them as new, or not likely, or even impossible might be prudent. But, it sure sounds like a failing solid state device to me. ?

Sounds reminiscent of 70's vintage control module failures. All is well, and then it isn't. Let it cool and all is well again. If you found no problem with timing, vac, etc., it might suggest erratic spark behavior brought on by the ECM acting old. You'd have to connect a timing light to it and keep the gun in the cockpit. When it starts acting up, check the spark.

Trans fluid and antifreeze. A stick through the radiator would do it.