Dallas Buick Back from the dead - but something's not right - need help please

[V8_bait]

Short version -

87 Buick Turbo T - stored for 3 years. (Please don't flame me for this - as many of you know, life gets in the way of things sometimes, i.e. laid off from work, new baby, etc.)
Stored with fuel stabilizer in tank.
Flushed gas tank - new gas/filter
Changed oil/filter
New battery
Installed fresh tranny (Killer Street set-up & 9/11 converter from Bruce)
Cranked over car w/o ignition to pressurize oil before starting it.
Oil press gauge reads fine / fuel pressure gauge reads fine.
Fired up and idled no problem.
Test drive - not good.

Details -

I babied it on the road test, first time out with new trans. I went very easy on it, barely giving it 1/2 throttle, this is where it gets ugly. Loud rattle/knocking and Scanmaster showing 19.9 degrees! I can't seem to pinpoint the source of the noise, I have serious doubts that it's the tranny, but that's the only new piece on the car. I installed it with 14 quarts of Type F (shallow pan). The car goes through the gears just fine, very pleased with the build quality of the transmission. The car drives fine until it's put under any sort of load.

I really don't know anyone else around here (Dallas, TX) that has a GN/T-Type that I could call on for a second opinion. If anyone can spare some expertise, please do. This car has an incredible amount of sentimental value and my situation in life is just now allowing me to get it back on the road.

The car has always ran like a top - here are the mods.

TA-49
42.5 lb/hr green tops
RJC Power Plate
Adjustable fuel pressure regulator
Ported throttle body
And all the usual cheapo mods
Ran best of 12.86 before the stock tranny gave up the ghost.

As always - thanks in advance for any suggestions or help!

 

[Turbo Brian]

Are the torque converter bolts tight?

 

[Hacksaw]

If you have noise all the time, it may be the lifters. Hydraulic lifters can have trouble after storage. Also, did you remove the starter to replace the trans? It, or the heatshield, may be loose.

 

[The Darkside]

Post this question/problem in the Texas section on this board ...There's alot of Turbo Buick guys in the Dallas area that are part of the "Lone Star Performance Buick Club" (LSPBC) that may be able to help you...


The Darkside

 

[V8_bait]

Thanks for the tips. The converter bolts are tight - with loctite. The noise is only when accelerating at a decent rate. I didn't remove the starter, only the inpection plate.

Still not sure what it is. I'll post this in the TX section.

Thanks-

 

[V8_bait]

Well it was the gas.....

BIG false alarm, I know. I wasn't thinking when I put the gas in the car after draining the tank and grabbed the wrong gas container, I accidentially put 87 octane in it. Coupled with the fact that there was probably some stale gas still in the bottom of the tank made for a pretty weak mix of fuel.

I've never run anything but 93 octane or 110 octane race gas so I've never experienced knock to that degree.

I drained the tank, put 5 gals of 105 octane in, lengthened the wastegate rod one turn and 90% of the knock went bye-bye. I can still hear a slight knock only when I go WOT and the scanmaster will still show 19.9 degrees

So I still have a few bugs to work out. I'll probably need to send off the injectors to be cleaned.

Thanks again to everyone who replied with suggestions.