I just finished putting my new engine back into my camaro and I'm trying to get it running


Just a few quick details.
aluminum heads, 383, superram intake.

this has been a two year project, but today was finally the day I was ready to try and start it. The motor was first cranking real slow due to bad ground to the motor from the battery. replaced that ended up grounding from the battery to the frame. I now have a weak spark or no spark situation I'm getting fuel and have fuel pressure.

The grounding strap from the back of the heads to the firewall gets hot enought to smoke. So I'm concerned I'm not getting enough ground, could this cause the weak spark?

 

The ground strap getting hot means that it is carrying excess current, and is now a resistor. That can affect all the electrical systems, including the distributor and ignition control. I'd suspect the ground connection between the battery and body is not reliable, as well as possibly the ground from the engine to the battery.

 

What gauge is the ground strap? Personally I like to use more than one and at least 2 gauge

 

I'm negative about the positive, but I'm not so positive about the negative ! ! !

sounds to me like you have a short to ground.


What I like to do is attach the battery - cable to the motor mount. this makes the ground to the frame and the engine.

also make sure the battery + cable to the starter is not touching anything (headers, block, oil pan etc.)

I would not attach a ground strap to the cylinder heads for obvious reasons (spark plugs)

try using the intake manifold or the bell housing

better still remove the ground strap from the head and see if the problem goes away..