My car ran just fine. I'm am in the middle of installing Edelbrock T.E.S. Right now, I have the stock y-pipe removed, and have the drivers side header installed. I wanted to start the car up and move it, yet it wont run. It kick over for about 1 second then dies. If I press on the pedal, its even worse. Could something have happened, or could it be there's not enough backpressure. I've looked over everything, and its all hooked up. I've tried about 50 times to start it, and it seems the more I try, the closer it sounds like it will run.
Any ides?

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Rob
'86 TA 305 TPI
Gutted MAF
Ported Plenum
TB Bypass

 

Hmmm is the O2 sensor hooked up? That plus a complete lack of back pressure could keep it from starting.

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86 Trans Am 355 TPI Rebuilt 700R4 with Corvette servo, modified valve body, and a B&M Torque Converter (2000 rpm stall w/ lock up), 87 350 block bored .30 with new crank. Reworked 305 heads with 3-angle valve job. Added in the rebuild was an SLP TPI cam, BBK 58mm Throttle Body,MSD 6A, Hypertech Power Coil, 1.5 Crane roller tipped rocker arms, SLP Intake Runners and Port matching in upper intake including fully ported plenum, TPIS adjustable fuel pressure regulator @ 46psi, Hooker shorty style headers w/ Thermotech heat wrapping, Custom 3” exhaust with Flowmaster muffler and chrome quad tips, Hypertech Thermomaster Computer chip, K&N open element cone filter on modified MAF per TPIS specs, MSD Wires, removal of A/C hardware and added a 1LE firewall cover installed. Also there has been a PST front suspension kit with Hotchkis strut tower brace added. Soon to have Intrax lowering springs.
http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Garage/9548/kyle.html

Kills:
95 Talon TSI, 96 Probe GT, 91 T/A L98, 89 RS, 86 Mustang GT, 88 Mustang LX 5.0, 92 Thunderbird V8. couple or ricers that I think were Civics or Preludes not sure what year, 95 Celica GT-S, 94 Chevy 1/4 ton 350, one of those NASCAR F150's

The Third Gen Will Never be Forgotten

 

The O2 is hooked up. You may be correct, yet does the computer even use this at initial start up? Wouldn't it be in open loop?

 

Just Push it!!....the car that is...not the gas! You will foul the plugs if you run them with very little compression!
Only fire it up with the exhaust components installed good and tight. The plugs will 'burn' to a certain amount of back pressure.

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89 GTA G92
305 TPI WC 5spd w/3.45
Accel Cap & 8mm Taylor's
Custom 4" Cold Air Induction
Jet Airfoil
K&N Airfilter
160 deg stat/fan switch TB Bypass - Steel Rad
Cat back 3" Exhaust w/Terminator Muff.
HiGh FlOw Dynomax Cat
Spohn LCA's - KYB GR-2's
Autometer Vac+Oil Temp

[This message has been edited by Steve89GTA (edited February 27, 2001).]

 

I've tried so many times now, it might be worth changing those plugs. If the plugs do foul out, will they recover, or are they forever messed up?

 

I was told that if you start a car up w/o headers or manifold it will burn up the valves, could this be why it won't start

 

Mark, not true. It could burn the valves if the engine ran for a long time, being up to operating temp, and then you shut it off. The idea is the cold air could hit the valves and cause them to warp. With the exhaust in place, the exhaust holds enough heat the by the time cold air gets near the valve, its now hot air. For me, I'm just trying to kick it over. Or at least I was, I just pushed the car to where I needed it, and now I'll finish up the job.

 

I have a feeling you might of switched a few of the spark plug wires around when you installed the header.

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1982 Camaro Z28

should be running 11's this spring...we'll see
Check the website for progress http://members.fbody.com/Pro82Z/

 

Anythings possible, I'll double check that tonight.

 

you aren't running open heads? you have a header on one side and a manifold on the other right?
If everything is hooked up, it should start. I started mine up with open headers (87 tpi 350) and it was fine..

 

Super, you are correct, no y-pipe, header on the drivers side, stock manifold still on the passenger side.

 

FWIW, When I did my header install I dropped the starter for installation ease. Buttoned the entire thing back up and click...click, the starter took a poop on me. I guess it was that fragile that just taking it off and putting it back on made it go bad. (Had it tested when I replaced it). This dosn't apply to your problem since you have only worked on the drivers side so far.

Are your plug wires on in the correct order? I'm stumped.

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89 Formula 305 TBI
160* stat, 200* fan switch, K&N, Headers, 3in Flowmaster (hollow cat) back, pullies, 1.6 full roller rockers, B&M trans cooler, home-made ram-air
3.73 Richmond gears and SLP Zexel Torsen Posi (waiting for install)

 

I thought about on my way home from work. The headers and O2 sensor not being on wont affect anything at intial start up. Yea I would check the wires and make surre everything is hooked up to the PROPER thing. Hey we all make mistakes.

 

I put the passenger side on yesterday. When pulling the plugs, #6 and #8 looked like the electrode was black, and all 4 smelled like raw fuel. I did double check the wires, all in the proper order. I guess I'll just have to replace the plugs, and wait untill everything is installed before trying to start it up again. This could be a sign of some other problem though.