my '87 has non-self aligning rockers and my '89 has self-aligning.. the heads appear to be the same, what was the reason for changing?

i'm trying to figure out if my pushrods were the problem or not.. I just finished hogging out the pushrod slots a bit more, they're HUGE now, no chance it's them... i haven't started the engine but i have the valve covers off so if i was to change the rockers, now is the time..

SO. what should i use? i'm using ar oller '89 block with non-self aligning rocker'd '86 heads...

i am using the shorter pushrods because of the roller car, right now i'm using the self-aligning rocker arms from the '89 block.. should i change them to the older style (non-SA)?

thanks
Colin

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Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org

 

Something has to keep the valvetrain parts in alignment... and therein lies the answer to your question.

 

madmax

you could see where the pushrods were gouged from binding in the heads.

gouged, man..

i KNEW i shoulda just used the whole '89 engine complete but noooo my Dad said to use the '89 engine with the '86 heads...

that is why i went with the self-aligning rocker arms, i asked on here which i should use..

after i opened up the pushrod holes the car runs a LOT better, but i don't know which rockers to use.. the '89 style or the '86 style..

my '87 uses the '86 style (non-self aligning) but the heads are the same in the '87 as in the '89... i measured the pushrod holes, same size.. so i'm assuming my problem was valvetrain geometry-related because of the pushrod angles being more severe with the roller cam?

i don't know, this car runs absolutely horrible, i can't wait to sell this thing so i can start working on my big block, this is retarded

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Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org

[This message has been edited by ColinOpseth (edited June 13, 2001).]

 

Use the 89 self aligners now since the guideholes are now rendered useless...

 

k cool, that' swhat i'm doing..

i'm thinking that i should have opened up these holes in the first place, there has to be a reason why the roller heads have bigger pushrod holes, anyone know?

thanks for the replies, i think i actually might have the car finished tonight

 

Not all of them do, has nothing to do with it at all.

 

alright, well there HAS to be a reason why the computer says it's running lean but there is so much fuel mixture in the plenum area that it is coming out the throttle body..

it's running so rich that when i hit the gas the revs DROP. it runs so rich that if i shut it off even for a second it's flooded so bad i have to leave it for like 2 hours to clear up...

I'm so confused, the only thing I can think of is that the timing chain is off one tooth, but it CAN'T be, because I lined up the dots with a straightedge when i changed the chain and gear. the crank timing gear was a stock replacement so there was only the stock keyway.

I can't think of ANY reason whatsoever why it would be acting like this... I'm positive the distributor isn't stabbed out 180 because it will run so-so 'if' you can get it running...

please guys, i need ideas, i'm fresh out of them

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Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org

 

Check your plugs and plug wires. Look for burned or shorted wires, check the plug tips to see if any aren't firing.

If one cylinder fails to fire due to bad electricals, the oxygen in that cylinder is shoved right out the exhaust without getting burned. That plug of oxygen hits the O2 sensor like a ton of bricks and the sensor says "Holy ****! This car is really running lean! Look at all that Oxygen! I'll add a ton of fuel to compensate!"

Result: running super rich.

 

Actually wouldn't a missing cylinder tell the computer 'boy this thing is runnin rich' so it would lean out all the other cylinders, causing a very lean condition? Of course the missing cylinder would have to be on the drivers side bank.

 

Have you pulled any error codes? How about running some kind of scanning device. Go to a local shop and give the guy a $20 to use it for a while. It sounds like you know what you're doing (kind of) so I don't see why they would have a problem helping you out.

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, Jon (350 TBI!)
91 Red My website

 

thanks for the replies

Well, this is the really weird thing.

I am getting a couple of codes, EGR (32) and Lean Exhaust (44)

that's the really weird thing..

i'm down to these options:
<ul>[*]I installed the timing gear incorrectly, which 'could' be possible but doubtful because I checked it with a straight-edge[*]For some God awful reason the valves are still hanging open, which i doubt now because trust me, those pushrod holes are NOT holding the valves back![*]the computer is just going nuts on the mixture, which can't happen because it flashes a Code 12 and was fine in the past before all of this[*]for some reason my valves aren't opening enough, which they are because i checked when i had the valvecovers off[*]this problem is NOT intermittent, it's constant from as soon as you hit the gas so it HAS to be mechanical, and as a result it's throwing codes[*]if the distributor was out 180 wouldn't the car not run at all? it will smooth out a bit IF i can get it running[/list]
How would the car run with the cam gear, say, retarded one tooth. That would explain why the intake gases are coming out the plenum because the intake valve is closing late on the compression stroke, right?

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Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org

[This message has been edited by ColinOpseth (edited June 14, 2001).]

 

this is why i'm positive that the TPI is not the culprit here..

i'm 100% positive, in fact... i was sure that the pushrods were hanging up, it made sense but now i'm not so sure

any ideas? I'm leaning towards the cam gear, but I'd like other ideas to think on, too

Thanks for your help guys, I owe ya one
Colin

 

check your coolant temp sensor for the ECM. If it has failed, it will not set a code, and the engine will always think it is -32*. Ya wanna talk about dumping fuel........

 

now that i think about it, the computer 'did' throw a CTS code..

why would it make it run so bad, though... I thought it's signal wasn't used to control fuel mixture by the ECM until closed loop?

the car runs horrible right from start to when i shut it off... it takes a TON of active pedal pumping to even get it to run, and if i shut it off for even 2-5 seconds it's already flooded to bad it will barely even fire, just sputter and diesel as it shuts off..

it 'could' be, though, because i've gotten that error code once sincei 've fired it for the first time..