I have an 89 formula 350 that I just spent $4000 to get it into low 13s or high 12s but I had a problem. First off I purchased AFR 190 heads with 2.02 1.6 valves and 68 cc combustion chambers. zz9 hyd roller cam (tpis) crane oem lifters, crane roller rocker arms, 58 mm tb, 24lb svo injectors, slp runners siamesed 1.5 in in with ported upper and lower intake also siamesed across, edlebrock tes headers 1 5/8, 2.5 off headers to 3in flowmaster ypipe to flowmaster 80 series. and i had the guy who did all the work and got it to run but the lifters werent passing oil so I bought some auto zone and took it to some other guy to put the lifters and quick fixed it, and now the guy working on it can't get it so start unless he revs it but without throttle it dies. What do you guys think it could be?? The only thing diff is the lifters and the only think he took off was the intake and rocker arms. He says it is the rocker arms need to be adjusted, but I got him the paper from crane cams for the gold extruded aluminum 1.6 and that is the same instructions that the first guy used. So what else could it be??

 

Is timing ok? Also the rockers could be on too tight, perhaps the dirctions weren't followed correctly.

 

no the instructions on everything are correct the only thing I was thing was that the distributor was in wrong. The rocker arms have been adjusted oem with 3/4 and 1 lash, and by the crane cams instructions so I am not sure what else it could be?

 

Only go to zero lash and then half turn. Anymore will start to choke your motor.

 

Well we did that but even at zero lash it will not stay on. I forgot to mention that when I went over there the first time he was trying to crank it there was no spark to the distributor and I checked it and the pulse wire for the coil that goes to the distributor was connected to the mat sensor on my upper plenum and the mat sensor wire was connected to the distributor. And if I am not mistaken isnt that a 5 volt reference?? Well I didn't think it hurt anything but when we hooked up a scan tool to it last night, it would read and give no error codes just 12 (normal) and then right in the middle of everything the scanner acted like it wasn't even connected to the aldl. I think it might have zapped the computer What do you think??

 

It's possible that you could have fried something.

The zero lash then half turn method I was refereing to is when the car is running at idle. Make sure no rockers are tapping, then loosen one at a time till it starts to tap. Tighten just until the rocker stops tapping, then tighten 1/2 turn. Do all rockers like this, one side of the motor at a time. It doesnt matter which order you do this as long as you perform the same thing on each rocker.

But, the car has to be running well enough to idle on it's own at a stable rpm.

You need to settle the electical problem first.

 

hey adrain,
Do you think the sensor is messed up now since it was hooked up wrong? Hope you get your car running before i come down. I'll be there Dec 24 or 25. We'll have of fun like the old days wodie!

 

check for any vacuum leaks because you said the guy took the top end apart. That could cause it not to start.

 

Yeah I thought about vaccum leaks but cant find anything. It is really frustrating. I think it is the computer that got fried.

 

Well I installed a new stock computer with oem chip and I noticed that it is responding to throttle but it still won't stay on by herself I think maybe I need to adjust the rocker arms again but I need to know if there is a special way to adjust them cuz we have done it every way in the book. Does anyone have CRANE CAMS GOLD EXTRUDED ALUMINUM 1.6 ROLLER ROCKERS?? If so can you tell me how you adjusted them??

 

We unplugged the mass air flow sensor today and it idled(crappy but it idled)