Your block can't drop the sleeve into the pan, there is a ridge that prevents that. It can slip up/down, making the dreaded tick when it strikes the fire ring of the head gasket. But it does that when warmed up, not cold start.

Some Sea Foam treatment will make exhaust smoke and may show an exhuast leak you can't see on the bottom of a flange, etc. My IR thermomenter showed 450F when pointed at the exhaust leak spot on a cold start (exhaust gas heats everything up, so you have to measure quickly). Most exhaust leaks look like a black smudge if they have been there a while. You could unplug plug wires one at a time to isolate which cylinder is involved.

 

Thiking aloud. Can't be a plugged catalyst because the engine light would be illuminated (assuming the bulb works).

Can't be plug ignition related or you would have a fault (check engine light)

It's gotta be vacuum. But why all the sudden? Can you post a video of it?

 

Same questions are getting me. The engine light works fine plus the ultra gauge is plugged in. If it happened while driving something would have made more sense. I will grab a video of it later on.

 

The SAI system?

 

Good call Buzz. I accidentally sawzalled through my Sai driver's pipe. Don't ask. It sounded like a diesel with the exhaust dumping out of the split made by the sawzall blade. Check your Sai pipes for leaks. Running the engine like this wouldn't throw a code.

 

When I have been looking for vacuum leaks, I take a can of break clean and start the engine (if you can) can spray it around vac lines, if a leak is present the engine rpm's will shoot up slightly.

 

Ok. Just sucked 1/2 can of seafoam in. Was smoking from the flange/joint where the header meets the down pipe to cat on pass side heavy, and a little on drivers side. Last time I did that I noticed a little from drivers side. Is it possible the pass side just blew out all of a sudden? Reduced power or back pressure causing loss of vac? I was able to throw some codes with the seafoam: 1300, 0308, 0303, 0305
Clear light and codes and ran for 5 mins and none came back. Temps are good.

 

Also, 2000, no SAI, right?

 

Dropped liner is clank clank.
Like a valve tap at idle.
But a LOT louder.

You should take a video. Put the video on yourtube.
Then link the youtube video URL in the next post.

You can borrow a cell phone that takes videos.

 

Here is the video... pre seafoam and tightening of the exhaust.
IMG_0579_zpseaa6d374.mp4 Video by twovettes | Photobucket