Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines Grinding sound?

I just installed a clifford intake, holley 390 carb, and a set of headers which feed out a flowmaster set up. Tunning it has been a pain and i still haven't gotten it quite right (hopefully finishing the install by running the coolant line underneath will help fix the rest of my problems. Any advice for tunning would be great. I have gotten it to a point where it idles good and drives pretty well BUT when i punch it, it hesitates pretty bad? like i said hopefully the coolant line will help by heating up the intake.

Anyways onto the real problem. I can't seem to pinpoint where the sound is coming from, and it doesn't happen all the time but comes and goes. But there is a decently bad grinding sound that i don't think is coming from my exhaust but could be? I didn't install the exhaust so i would just have to take it in and have them fix it. It could be coming from the engine it is just a grinding sound that happens most of the time when the car is running but normally takes a few minutes to happen and mostly just makes the sound when the car is in drive. Hopefully you pros can help me pinpoint my problem. Thanks in advance!

A grinding noise from the engine? Like the front of the engine? Alternator or power steering pump maybe?

Do you have some hose to use as a stethescope?

Could it be out of your powerglide?

If it's the exhaust I wouldn't expect it to be a grinding sound so much as a rattle, but weirder things have happened.

What engine?
What transmission?
What vehicle?

Starter bendix bouncing off the flywheel??
Throwout bearing??
Damper or pulleys rubbing?

He's got a thread elsewhere (drivetrain I think) about needing a TV cable for his powerglide as after installing a Clifford intake (IIRC) the one he has is too short. I think in that thread he said it was a 250.

Yep, Drivetrain, 250, 'Glide, Holley and Clifford.

https://www.inliners.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=47570#Post47570

sorry i slept in, yes it's a 250, glide tranny, holley 390, clifford intake, with headers. The grinding sound is loud enough for my to hear from the inside of my car. I am thinking somewhere from the tranny area or MAYBE back of the engine. It is hard to tell since my car is pretty load now. So if you have any ideas on what would be causing this please be specific. I learn as i go and don't have a big automotive backround or knowledge base. (but it is growing everyday thanks to people like you)

Thank you guys alot for your time a knowledge!

What is the car?
An understanding of the situation leading up to this happening would probably help...

At what point did it start to make this noise?
Was it after you did a bunch of stuff to it, or just out of the blue?
Does it increase with rpm?
Was the trans working ok before, or is the first time out with it?

Do you have the flywheel cover installed?
Are you running a flex fan?
Fluid level in trans ok?


Hooking up the kickdown cable may help with some of the WOT issues. There is also another thread about using the 390 Holley that you may want to look into...

Check starter pinion/flex plate clearance; don't ask me how I know to look for this.

ok i just got home from work, little bit of a long day but i am feeling enegetic so i will be glad to go check for any of those things that may be bringing me problems.

I just recently installed the new intake and carb and i hadn't been driving the car much since but it didn't start with the noise till almost a week after the swap.

The car is a 71 nova, it is the origional power glide (from my knowledge it is atleast) and nothing has been done to the trany or engine lately other than the intake exhaust area.

dave how do i do about checking the starter pinion/flex plate clearance? Thanks guys