Installed a Turbo action 10" converter, using a B&M neutral balance flex plate and ARP 12pt 7/16 converter bolts.

Can't tell what it is,thought maybe the bolts were hitting the edge of the pan but can't find any witness marks.

Here's a video if it helps, this is the second time I've installed the engine and trans in the last month...at my wits end with this,hoping someone here had the same issue and found the problem.

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v124/hotstik440/Mobile%20Uploads/th_20150226_172712_zps7bnejaii.mp4[/IMG]

I'm familiar with that sound. What you're hearing is the torque converter bolts hitting the webbing on the engine block. If you check your torque converter bolts, you'll probably find out that they are loose. I've done a lot of research online over the years trying to figure out why some people have this problem and others don't. You should try using Loctite and re-installing the bolts. If that doesn't work, you might have to have the bolts drilled and install lock wires to keep the bolts from backing out. That's what I did and it was the best thing I could of done to fix the problem.

Thanks, but I just reinstalled the bolts with the engine and transmission out of the car.I tightened them as much as possible until it spun the engine and used Permatex thread sealer gel. Couldn't get a torque wrench on them.Today is the first startup since.
I can't see any marks on the bolts, maybe I'll try painting the heads to see what's up.

Is there anything else it could be?

I ran a stock converter with 5/16 bolts and never had a problem.I haven't measured them both yet,but they look about the same.Tired and cold and done for the day, will check it out tomorrow.

Is there a set of bolts with a thinner head than the ARP's?

Are you using the right bolts? The head of the correct bolts is thinner than normal bolts.

My guess.
Tight enough to turn over the engine isn't tight enough.
Lock the flexplate with a vice grip or a screw driver to hold the converter in place.

Also, make sure the bolts aren't bottoming out against the converter. It's possible the bolts are too long and the head of the bolt might not be tight against the flexplate.

Thanks,will do, just waiting on it to warm up and get a day off.

Bought a white paint pen to paint the bolt heads and see exactly where they making contact.I figure ARP bolts are harder than the block so it wont make any marks on the bolt faces.

The only two bolt sets Summit sells in 7/16 are ARP and TCI,which are both 1/2" long under the head but they give no specs for head thickness.

Ok, I painted and numbered all four converter bolts and ran the engine for at least 10 minutes...not one scratch on any of them!

I put my ear up against the oil pan and it sounds like something is knocking on the pan.
I did weld in sheet metal baffles, but after the fist time I had this issue I cut out the front section in line with the windage tray because I thought the crank was rubbing the baffles.


I did not hear this before I did the baffles and converter,nothing else has changed.

Could it be rod knock? Failed bearing? I inspected the oil very closely and not a speck of metal in it,clean as it was out of the bottle.
The windage tray had at least a 1/2" cleareance to the crank and rods. Whatever it is doesn't seem to change the way the engine runs but the noise is driving me crazy... what am I missing here ???

Run it again. Put your fingers on the side of the pan and see if you can feel the same pattern as the sound.

The other option would be to use a piece of tubing as a stethescope and listen for the noise in the pan.

Rod knock is more of a thunk, thunk, thunk and not a ting.

When you installed the converter to the flexplate how much pull-up was there? IOW, with the converter pushed as far as it would go into the trans, how much air gap (pull-up) was there between the drive lugs and the flexplate?

If little/none the converter bowl could be rubbing the pump casting.

The only baffles left are a small dam at the rear of the sump,covered by the windage tray. They are welded in and don't move.

As the man said: "When hearing hoof beats think horses not zebras"

Do you have the stone shield installed? I had one that was cracked and would fall back intermittently into the convertor area. Made strange sound no fewer than 10 pro and advanced shade tree mechanics declared was everything from a dying engine to fried trans. You had the trans pulled so maybe it was damaged.

^^^^^^
This.

The small shield on the 383 would rub the converter bolts. Had to flatten a rib on it to stop the noise. I know you painted the bolt heads but maybe the shield is hitting the flex plate or converter?