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Hi gang! I recently purchased an 86 convertible, with bad head gaskets. The car actually ran really good, and other than not being able to hold water, you wouldn't know she was hurt.
Now I have done about 100 head gasket jobs, (mostly on newer cars) and very seldom do I have difficulties. But I must be missing something.
The car wants to start, but just wont. Here's what I did.
Pulled the heads, had them pressure tested, and resurfaced. Valves looked good, so I did a light polish, then new 110# springs, and seals. Then back together with 1.6 RR. I did leave off some of the smog crap on the front of the motor, but from what I'm reading most do. I have 40lbs fuel pressure, and spark. The car really wants to run, and I can keep it going for about 20seconds, by pedaling it, but noses over, and will die if you give it too much gas. I plugged, or rerouted all the vacuum lines. I am currently trying to restab the distributor, and check wires. I have also read about ground wires on the back of the heads, I don't have any, and don't remember taking any off. Did I space them somehow?
you didn't have any ground wires on the back of the driver side head? on my 85 there is a bunch.
sounds like you are on the right track with re-stabbing the dizzy as a first thing to try that might have got screwed up on the re-assembly. a tooth off maybe?
Ok just came in, and restabbed distributor tried both a tooth forward, and one back. Still coughing, and sputtering. Sounds like about 4 cylinders trying. I suppose now I will do a compression test. Where do the ground wires come from? I even crawled under the car, and didn't see them. h
give me an hour and ill take a pic for you. these are 85 heads though not 86.
Originally Posted by hemivett
Ok just came in, and restabbed distributor tried both a tooth forward, and one back. Still coughing, and sputtering. Sounds like about 4 cylinders trying. I suppose now I will do a compression test. Where do the ground wires come from? I even crawled under the car, and didn't see them. h
How do the injector connectors look? Are they all pulsing?
I just did intake gaskets on a 87 and it ran great before just had a leak, after disconnecting them I noticed a little corrosion. It was just enough corrosion a few wouldn't get a good connection when I put it back together. Luckily I could feel the ones not pulsing.
yes a finger on the injectors you should feel ticking. Or use a stethoscope.
There are two eyelets that terminate/ground on to the firewall side of the passenger head on my 1985. Pictures below, there are three wires but only two eyelets. I cannot see where they come from. there is also a bracket that holds something to do with the distributor but as for grounds there are these three wires with two eyelets. If anybody reads this and knows what those are grounding I would love to know as a sidenote.
Originally Posted by Andy05C6
How do the injector connectors look? Are they all pulsing?
I just did intake gaskets on a 87 and it ran great before just had a leak, after disconnecting them I noticed a little corrosion. It was just enough corrosion a few wouldn't get a good connection when I put it back together. Luckily I could feel the ones not pulsing.
How do the injector connectors look? Are they all pulsing?
I just did intake gaskets on a 87 and it ran great before just had a leak, after disconnecting them I noticed a little corrosion. It was just enough corrosion a few wouldn't get a good connection when I put it back together. Luckily I could feel the ones not pulsing.
Had to clean them and it would stay running.
All the wiring looks really nice, no corrosion whatsoever. This car was obviously this guys baby. I don't think it has ever been touched. Looks like it did new, and the only real wear is the drivers seat.
Originally Posted by VikingTrad3r
give me an hour and ill take a pic for you. these are 85 heads though not 86.
I did find a cluster of grounds on the drivers side, just above the oil filter on the block. makes me wonder if they did some things different on the convertible?
just saw your pics, I think they are the same wires. I will try and get a pic. h
I did find a cluster of grounds on the drivers side, just above the oil filter on the block. makes me wonder if they did some things different on the convertible?
GM moved the grounds around on various years. I know my buddy's '89 had that wad of wires attached to a bell housing bolt. Mine go to the bolt on the side of the block that the negative battery cable attaches to:
GM moved the grounds around on various years. I know my buddy's '89 had that wad of wires attached to a bell housing bolt. Mine go to the bolt on the side of the block that the negative battery cable attaches to:
Yeah that looks like mine. (YOURS is much prettier) Ok, so I'm not loosing it! My daughters friends do call me old. Lol. h
So, an update cause, I hate when these threads end, and there is no answer. I ended up moving the distributor timing way back, and got it to run long enough, to realize I had a huge vacuum leak. Where pcv pipe goes into the lower intake. (Hose had several cracks) Then, since I had tried several times to back the distributor up a tooth, unsuccessfully, I moved the wires back one, which put the distributor in a much better position, and she fired right up. still not perfect but close. Thanks for all your replies. h
Understand that she is running but to answer the question on the ground wires, they should be above your Oil Filter area and the heads should be aluminum (all convertibles came with them) as this is the later engine block with a single main seal.
No start situation
