BitchinCamaro

I just finished my head swap and now the car won't start. It turns over, revs to about 1500 rpm then just dies. The only code I am getting it 12. It is an '89 350 tpi. I went through and checked the wires, connections, and all the dumb crap everything seems to be in order. Plz help, I need to be able to get to class in the morning. (plus the car has been out of commision for almost a week and I really miss her.)

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-='89 Iroc-Z - 350 TPI =-

JunkHead84

how long has it been since you changed your fuel filter, you might want to look into that, that happened to me not to long ago and when i changed it it ran fine. also what heads did you switch to? they might not be right for your engine.

ViciousZ

iTrader: (1)

Check the usual stuff, spark, fuel. Don't do like I did on my cam install a few years ago (when I was young and stupid, hehe) and plug the MAT into the ignition module, and vice versa. How did you adjust your rockers? Are you sure you don't have a valve or two hanging open? Did you hook up all your ground cables? Fuel lines backward somehow? There's tons of possibilities. Check spark and fuel so we can start to narrow it down.

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91 Z28
Come see The Vicious...

BitchinCamaro

My fuel filter is only a month or so old, and I can hear the fuel pump priming. I marked all the wires as I unplugged them and I am pretty sure they are right.
What I am thinking is the ditributor is off. B4 I pulled it I marked it by rotating it until it pointed at #1, marked the rotor and dis. Now if I turn the engine over so the timing mark is at 0, and put the distibutor in with it pointing at #1, everything should be fine, right? Thanks for the help guys.

ViciousZ

iTrader: (1)

Ah-HA!!! I think you've figured out your problem. When you turned the engine over without the distributor in, you don't turn the oil pump. This rotates the position of your #1 on the cap. The marks you made on the dist and rotor are pretty much useless. Start from scratch, realign the oil pump, #1 cylinder plug, and retime it.
ps, I know this because I made the same mistake.

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91 Z28
Come see The Vicious...

BitchinCamaro

Ok... I pointed the distributor at #1, and turned the engine untill it dropped in. Now the car cranks, but just sputters and won't turn over. Could I be 180* off, how should I go about lining all that up again?

Edit: updated results

[This message has been edited by BitchinCamaro (edited November 28, 2001).]

ViciousZ

iTrader: (1)

Take off a valve cover and see if your rockers on #1 are in the open position. If they are then you're at #6 TDC. To get the timing right you want to point the rotor just a little bit after (clockwise direction) from the post on the dist where you have your #1 wire. This should set the timing close enough to start the car. Unless you're at #6 in which case do this on the #6 post.

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91 Z28
Come see The Vicious...

RB83L69

If it starts, revs up, then dies, then your distributor isn't causing a no-start condition. In fact, you don't have a "no-start" condition at all, what you have is a "start but no-run".

Check your oil pressure sending unit wiring; not the one that works the gauge, but rather the one that works the fuel pump. It sounds like your fuel pump is getting its 2-second "priming" shot of juice when the key is first turned on, and its juice during "start", both of which come from the fuel pump relay; but when the key is in "run", it must get its power through the OPSU (i.e. if no oil ressure, then no fuel pump); so if that wire is not connected, then guess what... your car will do exactly what you say it's doing.

"The simplest explanation that fits all the facts is usually the right one"
— Occam, ancient Greek philosopher, talking (I think) about a carb or some such from the Stone Age

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

BitchinCamaro

Well, I didn't touch the OPSU, at least I don't think I did... where is the fuel pump oil sensor, what is the sensor right over the oil filter? I also show good pressure for the few seconds the car runs. While trying to fix it I got the timing all messed up, and need to start from scratch like ViciousZ says. I hope that fixes it, but I'll check out the OPSU too.

RB83L69

That might be the sending unit in question... there's one behind the distributor, and one above the oil filter, one does the one function and one does the other, they can vary from car to car as to which is which. Check them both carefully.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports