Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

to start out you will need to put the engine at tdc on the number one cylinder compression stroke and install your spark plug wires in the firing order. Once you get the engine to run shut it off and disconnect the est wire and set the timing to 6° BTDC I believe that is the spec do it while the engine is warm. Shut off the engine and reconnect the est wire the timing is controlled by the ecm and if you rechecked it it should be around tdc 0 with the est reconnected. hope thats all it is and you get this dialed in

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

well got the car to start today! still need to dial in the timing as it will die unless i give it gas but it's progress! need to put in 6* BTDC. no unusual noises, thankfully! car sounds real nice with the exhaust dumping out the headers.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

good progress, I would set the timing first. not sure if the throttle body is new or not but you might want to set the min idle speed and adjust the tps as well.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Brian, the throttle body is reused, but i put a new IAC in so i will probably need to adjust that. TPS i never touched so that should be good. Since it somewhat runs, I'll disconnect the EST and time it to where it won't stall out.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

To adjust the minimum air, you must first install a jumper on terminals "A" and "B" on the ALDL. Do this with the key on, engine off. Wait about 30 seconds or so. This will allow the IAC motor to fully extend and close off the air bypass. Without turning off the key, pull the connector off the IAC motor. Start the engine, and let it warm up fully before adjusting. Then it will be at the minimum speed set up. Set the appropriate idle speed typically around 450 rpm. HTH

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

tried to set the timing solo, but couldn't. i have help coming tomorrow to aid in the process (need someone to start the car and give gas until it idles and doesn't die, while fiddle around with the distributor). Still waiting on rear axle hard brake lines from ebmiller. it's been two weeks. He must be a busy guy. I'll try calling him again tomorrow.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Got the old girl to not stall. Started it with the est disconnected and, very quickly, ran around to the front to give it more gas. My first mistake was that the idle speed screw was not adjusted. I adjusted it once I got it running. I had to take it up to 12* btdc for it to not stall. It wasn't very happy at 6* even though that's what the emissions sticker on the hood says. Maybe because it was still cold. Gauge got a quarter of the way up. Could it be my 305 knock sensor module? There are two part numbers for the 2 engines.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

not sure why it is running like that I think the l98 vette timing is 6 dbtdc but with the o2 sensor being exposed to air with the headers open the engine will never go into closed loop and will run on the rich side when warm. The esc if it was detecting knock it would be pulling timing and be more retarded.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

yeah, it's odd. 1990 corvettes use 6* btdc as well. it starts normal with 12*, but anything less it will start then die immediately. with the EST disconnected, the timing is at 12* btdc. when the EST is hooked back up, it's waaay advanced. so advanced it's not even on the timing tab. with the EST hooked up it's supposed to be 0*, right? Then again i don't have a Y-pipe to hook up the rest of the exhaust, and it's not at normal operating temperature so i'll have to deal with these variables. I'll be ordering the Y-pipe tomorrow.

Here's a thought: could i have an aggressive cam in there?

as for the rear brake lines, tried calling ebmiller again but got the voicemail. left a message. no call back today. hopefully tomorrow. Guy must be crazy busy, but i ordered the parts on august 7th. oh well, we'll see tomorrow.

LilSki

iTrader: (1)

It will be way advanced with the computer enabled. It should read 6 deg with the wire unplugged (base time) and when you plug it in it it should be somewhere in the 25 degree range so it won't read on the timing tab unless you have a digital or dial back timing gun.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Thanks! now i have to figure out why it's not happy at 6* btdc. it'll only start and run at 12* btdc. Is this much advance bad for the motor?

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

sorry, I had posted a mistake on the timing in a earlier post. I wonder if your balancer is slipped. the ecm is in control of the timing over base. Base is just a reference so if you are at 12 dbtdc you are even more advanced than stock. You want too run the most timing you can without pinging. with a dial back timing light with the est plugged back in you would be around 28 degrees advanced.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Without going through the entire thread, what damper and front cover did you use? If the timing tab is 2 o'clock and the damper 12 o'clock, what appears to be 12 degrees advanced is about 20 degree retarded.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

It would slip already? it's a new balancer. maybe i should shoot some video so you guys can see what's going on.

I bought this spectre chrome cover from advance auto a while ago. when putting the engine together i noticed it didn't have a timing tab, so i bought one from summit. it's a bolt-on tab that is positioned in the exact same place as the tab on my old timing cover. all measurements on tab are the same as well. The damper i bought from rock auto. it's an ATP part #102075. it's 6.75" diameter. I'll try and get video today. i probably described something wrong and it's causing confusion.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

If your old timing cover is the 2 o'clock type (more like 1:30), and the picture of the damper on rockauto.com is accurate, then it should be a match.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Yeah like i said, the tab sits exactly where the stock one does, and I did check the diameter of the old damper with the new one and they are the same size and dimensions.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Also, I guess I should get the y-pipe and cat on before I do the timing?

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

The reason I brought it up is "stock" was 12 o'clock on many 3rd gens.

Timing isn't affected by the exhaust system. About the only thing the exhaust system could affect is a speed density system.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Well that's good to know. I'm trying to warm up the car now to check timing the proper way. Dang header wrap smokes like crazy and it stings my eyes.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Thats prolly the paint burning off under the wrap.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Header wrap? Why are you using that stuff?

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

yeah, that too. nasty stuff.

gotta keep under-hood temps down. especially since the brake lines are right up against the d/s header. not to mention the clutch master to slave cylinder line. it does a heck of a job! I know everyone has their opinion about wrap, but since this is a budget build and i couldn't afford fancy high-tech coated headers i had to go this route. I plan on getting those fancy header later on.

Back to the subject, I think i finally nailed down the timing. I got it warmed up all the way, turned it off, unplugged EST, restarted engine, set to 6* btdc, stopped engine, tightened dizzy, plugged in EST, ran great. hopefully it'll still be like that tomorrow.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

man

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

thanks everyone! You know, now that i finalized the engine, i went to check on other bits of the car. Specifically the power door locks, windows and mirrors. mirrors worked great, door locks were a bit sticky, but the windows were the worst. when i first put in the battery and tried them out they didn't want to move at all. needless to say i lubricated them all today, but it's really true that cars don't fare well when stationary. garage or not.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Then wrap the hydraulic lines. A roll of heat tape is $17 at Advance Auto. Header wrap is very hard on the headers themselves.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

i know. like i said, it's a budget build and i don't plan on having these headers forever. i just need it to work right now.

in other news, i'll be ordering my Y-pipe on monday, and i received news that my axle brake lines have shipped so i may actually get to drive the car in the near future! very excited.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

hey guys, question:

i'm about to order my hedman Y-pipe (#17478), and it says the y-pipe's outlet diameter is 2.5 inches. that's well and good, but i looked up the dimensions of the catalytic convertor and the cat's inlet pipe is 3 inches. so there's going to be a half inch gap between the two. Is there a special band clamp i can get or is there a different cat i can use?

LilSki

iTrader: (1)

My hedman Y-pipe came with a 2.5" to 3" adapter. It doesn't list it but if you look at the picture on the link below you can see it between the elbow and the 3 bolt flange on the bottom.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HED-17478/?rtype=10

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Oh man that's awesome! thanks for pointing that out!

In other news, the motor's not starting right. i reconnected the battery, let the fuel pump prime (goes up to 40 with key on, engine off), turn key, cranks, starts, dies immediately. in order for it to stay on i have to give just a little gas, like just barely move it. once it gets somewhat warmed up it'll idle better and stay running. Fuel pressure while running is 38. seems kinda low to me. Thoughts?

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

what is the feedback voltage on the tps blue wire ?

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

I'll check it first thing tomorrow and report back.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

sorry for getting back so late. With the key on, engine off, red probe back-probing the blue wire and black probe to ground I measured 0.39.

after measuring this i figured i would measure the calibration voltage of the TPS. with one probe on A and one probe on B i measured 0.36. I readjusted it to 0.55.

also turned the idle screw a bit more. seemed to help upon restart. The first time i started this new engine the screw was totally backed off and wasn't touching the throttle bracket. Will check again tomorrow when fully cold.

in other news, i ordered my Y-pipe through JEGS yesterday. amazingly, it will be here tomorrow. Hopefully it will not be rusty like when i bought my headers from summit. price difference was $1 so i went with JEGS since i like them better.

still patiently awaiting brake lines for rear axle. Can't wait to get rid of those moraine calipers and have rear brake that actually work!

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

hope thats all it needed to fix the cold start issue.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Will check again either later tonight or tomorrow when it's nice and cold.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Got my y-pipe and axle brake lines in today. Put the y today. Will do brakes tomorrow.

Started the car today and it still has trouble starting cold. I have to advance it to 12* to get it to idle normal. Ripping what little hair I have out of my head right now.

J227

I have a 350 zz4 and it came with the l98 heads. they are D-port. will them headers work? I am having a hell of a time figuring out the correct headers to use? they say 1 3/4 primary pipes. I just dont know if the hooker oval port would work?

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

My L98 doesn't have D-port heads. Mine were circular. i'm using hedman 68740 and the tubes are perfectly round. maybe five7kid can chime in because he's more knowledgeable about that than me.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Hey guys! i took some video of the car today. please watch it and maybe you can see something i did wrong! Here's the link to the video on youtube:

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

not sure why you are needing it so advanced for cold startup. SInce the timing tab and balancer were double checked against the old one.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

the connections at the dizzy for the ignition module are good. they only go on one way. let me ask you this: would using a 350 knock sensor with a 305 ESC module do this? also, the wire for the knock sensor is white, right? just making sure i haven't gotten the wires for the knock and the fan switch mixed up because they have the same connector.

LilSki

iTrader: (1)

Knock wire is blue on my harness.

Sensor should be the only difference between 305 and 350

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

the ESC module is different between the two engines. two different part numbers.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

would bad gasoline do something like this? reason i ask is, i tried to siphon what i could out and only got 5 gallons. i put 5 fresh gallons in. so there's 10 gallons of old gas in there. i added some fuel injection cleaner in there as well.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

just checked my FSM, my fan wire is black, so the knock is white. so that means they are connected properly.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

If it was a issue with the knock sensor /esc or pickup coil wires reversed polarity it would be retarding the timing.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Times like this I wish OBD1 had live data capabilities. Do aftermarket cams or rockers/springs need timing adjustments? Place I got the motor from told me the car had work done to it with a lot of external performance parts. Wondering he did anything inside.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

You can build a cable for cheap and use winaldl but it require you to leave in a 10k resister and knock retard is disabled ;(. I believe tuner does not just to initiate the data flow on your ecm. I could have a mild cam in it you might need to check the manifold vacuum at 6 and at 12 with the est plugged back in. You also might just need to wait too test drive it and leave it at 12 and listed for knock. can your timing light do timing feedback at 3500 rpm to see what the ecm advance will be.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

hmm ok, i'll check out the manifold vac tomorrow. i can't take another round of running the car in the garage. even with a fan on those fumes are deadly! since i have most of my rear brake parts i'm planning on pushing the car outside to do the conversion.

lol i had a feeling something was going to trip me up with this project.

GTAman

iTrader: (2)

Hey guys, just got some free time to take another video and take vac measurements. At 6*, it goes between 15 and 16 in hg. Mostly at 15. At 12*, it's between 16 and 17 in hg. Mostly 16. During both measurements the needle was twitching and not smooth at all. Not sure if this is normal or not.

Brian, I'm not sure if my timing gun can do that. I'm using an actron cp7529.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

Mark, If some one put a different camshaft in the engine witch it sounds like they did the manifold vacuum may fluxuate a little. I would shoot for the highest vacuum so maybe 10-12 advanced. The timing light you have has a dial back to read advance page 12.

http://www.actron.com/publish/2007/0...lish_16315.pdf