Project 3.4 Camaro

Going to post some vids on youtube in a minute, but heres the lowdown:
1985 2.8(FI) I had to tear down and rebuild because of bad HGs, I replaced the following in the process: camshaft+lifters, timing chain+gears, ignition coil, spark plugs, spark plug wires, cap+rotor, headers, most vacuum lines(I still haven't hooked up the emissions ones), PCV valve, breather valve on other VC, new heater hoses, radiator hoses, PS pump hoses, Heads were torn down, cleaned, ported, and new valve stem seals installed, cleaned piston tops and cylinders out as well as lifter valley, new air filters, oil change+filter, fuel filter.

Now for the story, got it together, but with many things not hooked up, namely vacuum lines, PS pump, nothing important really. And we test fired the engine open throttle body and open headers, and it ran fine, albeit with a little smoke(to be expected under the circumstances).

But then I had to tear it down to the heads to tighten down a loose rocker, put it back together, added all the stuff it was missing, all thats left is emissions vac lines and alternator, but it wouldn't run, it kept stalling unless I gave it gas, and even if I did that a few times it would still cut off if I stopped. I also found out the block has a crack along a coolant passage, I have sealed it with JB weld as a temporary measure, the engine has run with it, and Idk how well the JB weld will hold, but I really only need the thing to run for an hour so I can drive it to my mom's house where I have room for a proper block swap project.
Now for more recently, I was talking to a guy I work with who's pretty well versed in cars, he suggested it wasn't getting fuel and I mentioned my fuel filter, which I had spliced in with hose line(had to cut the line, old one was rusted fast) cept I had used a pretty small one, and he said that it was probably too small, but I've had other people tell me fuel filter size doesn't matter...Idk which is right, but I got to thinking about it, and either way I think he was at least half right, in that being such a small filter, all the crap in that gas tank from sitting around a while might have clogged up such a small filter faster than an average one.
Anyway, being a cheap part, I went and swapped it out, for a bigger one, now the car starts, but I have to give it a little gas, then it idles on it's own.
Here's some things I notice that are bothering me while observing it idle:
1: It seems to be backfiring(but I think my timing is just off a little)
2: Someone please tell me WTH that wierd electric whine is, I think it's the IAC motor...only thing I can think of, but not sure if thats it
3: It seems to be changing idle speeds
4: The thing shakes, namely at lower speeds..and I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of scared to go near it....I suspect and hope this is just due to the larger than stock cam
5: I believe I need more tension on my PS pump belt, easy fix...
6: The fact that I have to blip the throttle a bit to get it to idle
7: I think it's idling too slow, or at least initially, which I believe is the cause of the above issue

Project 3.4 Camaro

Here's the links, in hindsight I think I can actually rule out all but two problems, the electric whine noise(i suspect my IAC) and idle speed fluctuation. But any opinions and suggestions will be appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD5FT0Cji2I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foSfSGCaBXA

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

What's the condition of the MAF, fuse, and relay? Are all of your open vac ports (no lines attached) plugged?

You do realize some fuel filters are one-way only things? The "FLOW" arrow points towards the engine side of the fuel system.

Project 3.4 Camaro

Not sure on condition of MAF, all my fuses are fine, not sure which relay you are referring to, and I'm aware that fuel filters are that way, and actually I think all fuel filters are, though I may be wrong, but trust me it's facing the right direction.
As for vac ports, only ones not hooked up are for my EVAP canister, and EGR valve and solenoid, I don't have them plugged though I wouldn't think it would matter.

cj92firebird

Did you adjust your valves, or just tighten them down? If you just tightened them down then it could be your valves are out of adjustment..

Here is a thread on how to adjust the valves, https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/v6/5...alve-lash.html. The very last post explains it the best, although he says to go 1 1/2 turns, I wouldn't go that far. I went 3/4 of a turn on mine, 1 and a half just seems to tight IMO.

Project 3.4 Camaro

They were installed with the correct lash/preload, although one was a little loose, but I adjusted it to where it should be.

cj92firebird

Did you try an IAC valve? If you TB is like mine (92 3.1) then an IAC valve out of a Monte Carlo, Lumina, Grand Prix, and the like will work. Trip to the JY sounds like it is in order. Just a suggestion brother, trying help you out.

Project 3.4 Camaro

Ever since I was having issues I've suspected it might be the IAC, trouble is I'm tight on cash...and someone stole half my GD tools...

Gumby

goto autozone or others and you can find the big can type fuel filter like stock on the shelf rack that has nippled hose ends, instead of threaded, what I used also when mine was like that.

Worked like a charm.

Project 3.4 Camaro

Pretty much what I did..cept it had barbs for quick connect things, I had to grind them down a bit to get the hose onto it, but eventually I got it, as for the size of it, its pretty much the same size as stock, I compared it to one to be sure it was big enough.

Project 3.4 Camaro

Update, was going to break in the cam today, idle seems to have stabilizied, the electric whine is gone, but I still have to throttle it for a little bit before it idles on it's own, and I had it idling for about 5m then it shut off, but maybe just because I don't have the timing dialed in yet...going to see if my buddy will come over with his timing light.

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

1. MAF relay. And the 20A fuse with the red and black wires on the frame rail (not the one with the orange wire that's for the fuel pump and the ECM constant power source).
2. Plug those vac hoses and the engine might want to run a little longer. Especially if the large hose that goes to the canister is open (constant vac source).

Check to make sure you don't have a MAF error...