Fellas:
Planning on taking the brick for a long drive (Seattle to San Diego). This is what I've done so far:
Replaced timing belt + tensioner, water pump, spark plugs + wires, distributor cap + rotor, radiator (the nipples on the old plastic one crumbled into pieces while trying to replace hoses)+ hoses + coolant + thermostat, accessory poly bushings (now the PS belt's finally quiet). I've also rebuild the OD, finally! It has been out of order since I got the car in 2001. Oh, replaced engine and tranny mounts. Now, my exhaust is making all kinds of ruckus. I hear this noise when I start the car,sometime on acceleration, but most prominent when I go on reverse (good thing I don't drive to work on reverse). I checked the underside of the car and the only thing I can think of something hitting something is the piping hitting the tranny crossmember (pax side of the arch , off centered) and the center bearing crossmember. The clearance between the pipe and those two spots is at most 1/8 of an inch. What can I do to fix this. I've tried loosening all the mounting brackets and joints and re-tightening them. That didn't work. Should I just use a sledge hammer and put like a 1/4 dent on the pipe to get more clearance. BTW, the exhaust system if fairly new. Starlas, which I installed about a couple of years ago. Sorry for the long post. As usual, all your ideas are welcome and encouraged. Thanks in advance. I forgot to mention that I also replaced the center bearing and mount. Wow! What a difference an overdrive and new center bearing make. Now, I can actually hear my radio while cruising at at mind boggling 65 mph.
Denny