3.4L.... Today was supposed to be the day it got cranked and driven. But we can't get it to start up. It sputters at random and thats it.

-Everything is plugged in
-All vaccum hoses are in except for one small one
-All the sensors are new (or close to new) except for the oil pressure switch.
-New high volume oil pump. (read something in a search.. something about pressure and volume or something, but I dont remember which I have. Listed in the computer for the motor as a high volume oil pump so we got it)
-The distributor is pointing at cyl #1 when the timing set where it should be.
-New Accell 17lb injectors.
-New fuel pressure regulator

The car ran good the day before we took the motor out.

Now.. my fuel pump has never engaged with key in the 'on' position since I've had it. Ever. I'm pretty sure all third gens prime right? Every other car we have does, including the GTA.

So we looked around in the book and online... so the oil pressure switch keeps the pump running in case the fuel pump relay goes out while driving right? But does it have anything to do with cranking?

We took the plug out and there wasn't enough pressure to push my finger off, figured there would be more? Not sure what the cranking pressure should be, but we're trying to put a gauge on it to see what the pressure is exactly.

We tried to hotwire the oil pressure switch (wire in b/t the two holes in the plug), and it just sputters. Was thinking that maybe its a fuel problem, but there is fuel going through the metal tubes next to the a/c compresser (loosened and fuel came out).

Any ideas on what to do?

We called the parts store and one place said they could have a new oil pressure switch by tomorrow, but I would really like to get this thing on the road today and get the first 100 or so miles on it....


-Bud

 

1. are the plugs on in the right order?
2. is the distributor set correctly?
3. are you getting fuel pressure?
4. assuming the ignition is on correctly, are you getting spark?
5. is the base timing set correctly?
the list goes on... these are the critical basics.
Is the crank is right postition to the cam, not 180 out, that will play hell...

 

everything socialdeviant said, and try one more trick that I had to do, disconnect the wiring harness from the fuel pump relay & a/c relay. Hook up the fp harness to the a/c relay. see if it primes.

Do this before you touch the distributors position.

 

Most peple will tell you hi volum pumps are for suckers only. They can do more harm than good. If anything you want an adjustable one, many engines have been ruine from a hi vol oil pump.


Did you prime the pump well???

The old timers trick is to pack it full of vasoline. But at any sort it needs primed well.

It only takes 7psi to trip the oil pressure switch.

Matt

 

plugs are in the right order

plugs smell like fuel

it sputters.. so it has spark at times at least. Dad is at the store, so I cant check that right at this second

we put a drill motor on the end of a dummy distributor (gear ground off etc) and spun it a good while.

Im going to mess with it some more... try a few suggestions.


-Bud

 

Hope my post didn't sound too negtive. Just there are many products out there just for the eaily swayed. I hang out in a nice Buick board and many a 455 was ruined by using a hi vol pump. An adjustable is the only good option over oem which flow plenty of oil.

Matt

 

Interesting, in the Poncho world, you always go high volume for an upgrade, not high pressure.

Different motors, different secrets

 

negative? nah. t'was helpful

I left the house b/c my dad had to help a neighbor for awhile... and he spun the dummy distributor some more (like 15min I believe he said). He was talking about maybe the lifters not being pumped up and the valves not opening all the way or something... b/c it would fire/sputter and there was fuel there. But the oil pressure switch plug died (somehow it touched something grounded I guess?). So he didn't know why the fuel pump/relay werent engaging when he put the clip in the plug and went inside for the night.

oh... he said there was only 22psi or so when cranking it (he made some type of gauge deal, I wasnt home to see it). Hopefully the extra time of spinning the oil pump will have helped out.

I replaced the fuse next to the battery and the fuel pump/relay engage now.... tomorrow.. hopefully ... it will crank up

Thanks for the help so far


-Bud

 

How did you set the initial timing? Did you bring #1 (front passenger side) up to top dead center of the compression stroke, and then saw where the rotor was pointing, and then spun the dist so the rotor pointed at a cap terminal, then called that cap terminal "number 1", and ran your spark plug wires from that point?

If that's what you did, there's no advance in the timing. Try rotating the distributor a bit counter-clockwise. (If you bring #1 up to TDC of compression again, this would point the rotor between the #1 and #2 terminal, closer to the #1 terminal, but NOT exactly lined up with the #1 terminal.)

Try spinning the dist counter-clockwise, then try starting the motor. If no good, spin it a little more counter-clockwise, and try cranking it again. You might not want to turn it as someone cranks the motor- I got a hell of a shock doing that; it threw me backwards onto the concrete- I thought I was dead, and it wasn't even my car. That would've been a hell of a way to go out... geez.

 

Here, this'll explain what I was blabbering about!

 

Messed with the timing and the fuel pump relay plug.. the covering on the wires were down and the wires were crossing and stuff. Replaced that.

Car started and runs good.. but the lifters were very loud. After running it for a few minutes.. rpm ~2000 rpm... they are almost gone.

Is that normal?


-Bud