irocinswfla

I have an L-98 350 which I recently had rebuilt using + 5 cc flat top pistons,
Lt-4 hot cam, L98 heads mildly ported, milled, and using Z-28 valve springs
good for a .500" lift. I used the stamped 1.5 rockers to only get .492" lift
out of the cam. I know that it needs a custom tune, but I have other
problems plaguing me.
1.None of my guages work.
2.None of the lights when you place the ign sw in the start pos come on.
3.Engine wont idle right but is worse when starting
4.Have to press harder on brakes to stop.
5.No check engine light either.
6.Found a light colored wire near computer which is detached and I can't tell where it was attached.
Is there anyone that lives near sw. Florida that can help me ?

TraviZ

iTrader: (2)

Let me see if I can help.
1. I believe all your accessory power in the console/gauge area comes from a wire that is bolted to your starter, Did you get that hooked back up as well when you Installed the engine?
2. same as above /\
3. wont idle right? is it missing? what is worse when its starting? Do you have the tool to check base timing?
4.Could most likely be a vacuum issue, Cam related? doubt it. Probably something to do with why it won't idle right..
5. I assume you ran for codes and only got the code 12?
6. light colored? What color? you mean by the ecm passenger side?

KrisW

iTrader: (5)

I bet a lot of your ground wires are not hooked back up...

Time to go through under the hood and check everything again. Everything worked before the engine was pulled, right?

A wild cam that the computer doesn't like doesn't have anything to do with most of the problems you describe. Every problem you have is wiring related, except the won't idle right and hard braking; those are problems with low vacuum.

To sum it up, you have a huge vaccuum leak (maybe more than one) and some serious wiring problems. This is pretty common during an engine swap, especially if you removed all of your emissions stuff at the same time...

irocinswfla

I didn't install the engine. It was a performance shop near my house.
The light for the check engine doesn't flash when I try to get codes.
I haven't gone through all of the wiring just yet. The wire is on the ecm side and it is in a harness by itself and it looks cream or off white.
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Everything worked before they pulled engine. I pulled it due to a spun rod bearing. The engine before spinning bearing did have the classic idle surge associated with egr and had an egr code but it was replaced with new engine

irocinswfla

Traviz, it's not missing, it seems to be timing and vacuum related. I think the computer is in limp home mode. When I start it it wont idle at all without keeping my foot on the pedal. As soon as it warms up it will stay idling.
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Kris, do you think it might be a problem with the computer ? It's not the original, previous owner replaced it with a remanufactured ecm

TraviZ

iTrader: (2)

The check engine light should at least flash a 12 with the engine off (no distributor signal) If you get nothing, that is a bad sign and could point to your idle issues.. an offwhite color wire COULD be for the timing advance, without that you are running at only base timing..

irocinswfla

TraviZ, I'm definitly in trouble. These guys butchered my car. I went through
it today and found all kinds of problems. The torx bolts from runner to plenum were loose on one side (half way off! ) and there are a bunch of wires not hooked up. One is in the harness with the o2 wire which I think is for the knock sensor. I havn't checked fusible links at starter yet, but it seems these guys just wanted to get car out of their shop. I am by no means a mechanic and I need someone that is an expert on these cars that lives near me in cape coral Fla. I'll travel just about anywhere in Florida. BTW, even after I did what I could with engine, it still runs awful.

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

Dude don't touch your car!!! Take pictures of all of this and videos of you trying to start it then call them and say if they don't get this car ixed right you're going to sue them. If you paid to have a job done then get it done or get your cash back. I know in Indiana it cost 85 dollars to file a claim against someone for up to 3000 and with your car coming back like this you definetly have a case. Hopefully they just had the shop lackey working on it and he half assed it, they should make it right if you tell them about it asap.

irocinswfla

I did call them and they said bring it back. The problem is that if they couldn't get it right the first time, I don't believe they will get it no matter how many times I bring it to them. These guys definitly dont understand computer controlled cars! This is what I get for going cheap on motor installation.

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

Wow man that really sucks, I hope you can get this straightened out.

irocinswfla

Yep, life comes at you fast. guess I have alot of reading and learning to do.

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

On the back of your passenger side cylinder head are several wires that have to be grounded, I ended up grounding them to my back intake bolt, these may be undone on your car. the wire under your dash being undone is probably power to the ECM, there's a fuse in front of your battery thats kind of hidden that goes to the ECM as well. Make sure all the wires are hooked up to your starter and none are hanging loose, hook the O2 sensor wire back up. If you want you can take pics of any of the wires you find disconnected or loose and post them here I wired my car myself from a TBI harness so we should be able to sort it out for you. The first step is to get power back to the ECM.

irocinswfla

Thanks alot 91cam, I'll work on it tomorrow. BTW, the wire I was refering to is in the same harness as the 02 sensor. I looked at wiring schematic and it looks as though it might go to knock sensor. Ran out of light outside so will have to wait till light.
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BTW, I also found some wires behind the drivers side head which weren't
tight.

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

That's probably them, hopefully the issue is just these tards forgot to tighten stuff. Did they build your engine?

irocinswfla

No they didn't. Thank god! I had a local rebuilder do short block for me for $650 and then bought a set of L98 heads rebuilt for $300 and put everything together myself (cam, etc.)
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I did tighten those wires and the plenum bolts but still have Cluster problems. I will be looking into wires and fusible links by the starter.

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

Don't forget that fuse in front of the battery, if you're standing in front of the car it's in foward of the battery; it's easiest to get to it if you take the battery out.

irocinswfla

You bet. Thanks for your help.