Lost my manual so forgive my naive terminology. If I remember correctly, my baffles in the thermal reactor were burned up. I replaced them with a used part from the junkyard. After putting things back together. I fired it up and heard an "exhaust leak" and felt the heat from the manifold. I looked over and saw the new gasket sitting on my bench. Was going to re-do the next weekend but drove it to work that week. After maybe 300 miles of driving without the gasket, the knock started...only at higher rpm's though...I quit driving it since then (1994) Been in my garage sitting ever since. Want to get it going. Am I in big trouble or what?

 

I can see big backfires and flames, but I can't see exactly how a big knock would develop from the thermal reactor getting fresh air and combusting the fuel-rich exhaust in there. Any SA guru's want to chime in? I left the thermal reactor scene a looong time ago.

 

Never had a problem with that. Just the knocking @ 2500rpm's and above. The knocking stops when steady rpm's...only when climbing above 2500. It may not be related to the missing gasket? Previous tech support indicates possible spun bearing or bad apex seal. Maybe even a simple fix. No loss of power but remember it was scary driving with it sounding like a thrown rod. Anybody else had a recent similar problem?

 

replace the gasket then see if it continues. My turbo manifold is leaking on my 1985 200sx turbo and it sounds like a bad lifter