Hey guy's, I just finished a major upgrade to my engine and at first I couldn't even get the car to turn over! At first I thought it was my battery, so I checked the voltage. The battery read 12.13 volts. Plenty to start a car. I put it on the charger anyways and tried the next day. The car turned over, but VERY slowly.

The heads have the same size chambers as the old L98's, 64cc's. So the compression should be the same, and the heads haven't been milled.

Well, since it was still slow i started to back off on the valve lash a bit, at first 1/8th turn, and then 1/4 turn. Some of the valves got soo lose the push rods jiggled so I know its not that. I tighted the valves back up a bit so they weren't bouncing around. I still remember how many turns i put on each valve. I'll redo the valve lash when I get time on thursday morning.

This is what went on the car.
L98 heads, ported, with a LT4 valve train setup, and 1.5 rockers.
LPE 74211 cam, 211/219 duration @ .050", and .500"/.525" lift with the 1.5 rockers.

I also went to an AS&M TPI setup with a ported base and siamesed plenum, and I now have Hooker 2055' headers. But I don't think these would affect the starting of the car!

Does anyone have any idea's why the starter is having trouble cranking over? I've never had slow starter issues with the car before, and the battery is only a year old.

 

Yeah your timing is way off...
While you are cranking on your ignition have some one turn your distributor untill iy begins to spin faster.. make sure you set your timing with the ecm wire disconected.. the black and brown single wire near the fire wall

rob

 

small video of it cranking over now. It cranks easily, and starts consistantly, it just takes a bit. Also seems to take longer to start than before, but that could be related to the timing not being exactly on the mark.

I've got the timing as close as i could bye eye when I was setting it in. But my timing light is busted, so I have to borrow one before really setting it accurately. It also has a new balancer on it, so I don't have to worry about making new marks.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/wjrneo2/dcp_0472.mov - 1MB

 

*Note to self* Do not have bass on high when watching FruityOne's movies.

Yea, I'd say set the timing via light then see if it starts slowly.

Nice sounding car, BTW.

 

Its not really as loud as it sounds......well OKAY. Its loud as hell. But thats because its straight headers right now, no muffler or even y-pipe at this point. I still have to get those up there.

But the camera that took the movie is just still picture camera with "video" features built in. All sound is taken through a condensor mic and it sucks.

 

Did you install the cam your self ??? I am hoping that you did line the cam and crank marks together when you did this install..
You can purchase a cheap timing light at auot parts or sears for really cheap . I bought one at sears one time for around 20 bucks.
If you are still using the factory ecm and chip make sure you place the timing at 6 degrees with the ecm timing wire disconnected..

 

your headers are cooking your starter bill :-) the older it is the worse off it gets till it wont start when its hot. Why do u think I upgraded to my hitachi style starter. Sounds bad when cranking and sure spins the motor

Gets worse hotter the car gets.

Also, since the new cam and exhaust, intake yadda yadda, the tune is off and all kinds of other fun stuff :-)

later
Jeremy

 

Tune is off
Timing is off
Loose ground

 

Umm....jeremy. It can't be because of heat. The car as NOT been running long enough to even begin to heat soak and fry.

Timing I agree with you there Twilight. Its the original timing as i don't have a working light to use.

Tune....uh..yeah
. Hehe, hasn't even started long enough to get data logs and begin guessing what needs to be changed in the chip.

 

I find it really hard tob elieve but i think im the only from our board with a timing lite .

later
Jeremy

 

I have a T-Lite, FruityOne can borrow it if he's anywhere near zip 77033.

I'm at 10:1cr, didn't even both put the GM starter back in I went a mini-starter, even with the SLP 1-3/4 headers", it easy to install & remove, it's wrapped with a Thermo-Tec Aluminized Starter Heat Shield.

 

Rgarcia ,fruity Lives in Illinois.




Fruity did you install the cam in your self?
how did you install the cam and crank marks on your timing chain gears?

 

Dot to Dot on the cam sprocket, and crank gear so I could be as close to 0* without a degree wheel. I didn't try to advance or retard the timing as the cam already as 3* advance built into it from my understanding. 112*LSA, and a CL of 109*. I just went for 0*

Obviously the dizzy is in correctly because the motor idles. if I was 180* out then it wouldn't.

Valve lash as been set following Vaders instructions to Zero Lash, and I will do the final adjustment when I have the full exhaust up on the car. As it is I can't even HEAR the rockers clicking because the exhaust is so loud.

 

Finger in one ear, heater hose in the other, my friend

 

Hope he doesn't take it literally, about the hose "in" the other ear.

 

He's from Illinois, he'll be ok.

 

I've got a timing light.

I put in a Summit full size hi torque starter, no worries now.