My 87 L-98 has been experiencing a strange noise followed a noticable power loss. When the engine is around 160 deg. and lower, or after it has just been cranked after cooling off it is fine. The problem starts when the engine gets up to opperating tempature. On acceleration you can hear a noise that sounds almost like tearing paper caused by unwanted onrushing air. It causes some smoke to come out of the exhaust which I think is unburnt fuel. I also think that it is causing it to burn a little oil also but that's questionable. One theory that I have been told is that the aluminum intake becomes warped when it gets hot and it causes a gap to appear in between the manifold and the cylinder head and the tearing sound is air being sucked through the gap messing up the air fuel mixture. I don't know if this is true but it sounds logical. I plan to add a 160 degree thermostat in place of the stock piece to try to keep the engine temps down, but I'm still going to have the same problem whenever I get into downtown traffic. Do any of you Tuned Port experts out there have any thoughts on my situation, and do you know how extensive the repairs might be? Also, off the topic, do any of you Corvette owning dad's have a daughter that's going to UNC Chapel-Hill next year? I need to find a wife!


[Modified by tarheelracer, 3:58 AM 4/15/2002]