I got my car started....
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,302
Likes: 2
From: Atlanta GA
I got my car started....
...but it runs like shiznit!!! I pulled the dist and adjusted a tooth in either direction, and it wouldn't even start in those. So it was correct to begin with. Anyway, I ended up having to put my old computer back in b/c the new one would not fire the injectors. I'll have to figure this one out later.
I pulled a code 33 and 42 - EST(?) unplugged (done on purpose) and MAF sensor. I hope my MAF isn't bad - my g/f had a fireball incident when she was spraying the starter fluid through the MAF. Hope it's not fried.
Anyway, tomorrow I'll check for vacuum leaks and play with the distributor some more. I'll also make sure my TPS is properly adjusted and check my fuel pressure and adjust it if needed.
It would not idle on it's own, and ran very rough - surging up and down with steady throttle. Of course, the cam doesn't help the smoothness much either :D .
Anybody else have any suggestions on what to look for? I hope my timing chain is not a tooth off. I checked it so many times while I had it on the stand that I don't think there is any way it could be off. But you never know. TIA!!! :cheers:
I pulled a code 33 and 42 - EST(?) unplugged (done on purpose) and MAF sensor. I hope my MAF isn't bad - my g/f had a fireball incident when she was spraying the starter fluid through the MAF. Hope it's not fried.
Anyway, tomorrow I'll check for vacuum leaks and play with the distributor some more. I'll also make sure my TPS is properly adjusted and check my fuel pressure and adjust it if needed.
It would not idle on it's own, and ran very rough - surging up and down with steady throttle. Of course, the cam doesn't help the smoothness much either :D .
Anybody else have any suggestions on what to look for? I hope my timing chain is not a tooth off. I checked it so many times while I had it on the stand that I don't think there is any way it could be off. But you never know. TIA!!! :cheers:
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,302
Likes: 2
From: Atlanta GA
Re: I got my car started.... (Light84vette)
Congragulations on the Engine :cool: What do you mean by pulling numbers or codes?
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 413
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles CA
Re: I got my car started.... (dtorc4)
restabbing the distributor to correct for "one tooth off" is a mechanics fairytale. either your timing is off or not, when you 'stab' it you're just setting the relationship between where you 'want' the rotor to be at TDC..
my $0.02.. if you want an article i wrote on how to correctly (and easily) install a V8 distributor so it is correctly at TDC you can view it here: http://www.gmperformance.org/modules...artid=8&page=1
If you're confused, email me and i'll help you out (i can even hack a distributor cap for you to see what i mean)
good luck,
Colin
my $0.02.. if you want an article i wrote on how to correctly (and easily) install a V8 distributor so it is correctly at TDC you can view it here: http://www.gmperformance.org/modules...artid=8&page=1
If you're confused, email me and i'll help you out (i can even hack a distributor cap for you to see what i mean)
good luck,
Colin
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 413
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles CA
Re: I got my car started.... (ColinOpseth)
another note..
it's highly doubtful that your engine would run with your timing chain one tooth off.. that would be equivalent to about 6 degrees of timing which would totally not allow your engine to run..
engines iwth a lot of miles on them that actually have the timing chain skip links (which kills the engine) gnerally only skip a tooth or two
it's highly doubtful that your engine would run with your timing chain one tooth off.. that would be equivalent to about 6 degrees of timing which would totally not allow your engine to run..
engines iwth a lot of miles on them that actually have the timing chain skip links (which kills the engine) gnerally only skip a tooth or two
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,302
Likes: 2
From: Atlanta GA
Re: I got my car started.... (ColinOpseth)
Colin,
Thanks for the link. I read it all the way through and it is very informative. And while, given, I am a newbie at engine modification, I must say, that if an L-98 owner is "one tooth off" on the distributor, it will run like poopie simply because there is not a whole lot of room to roate the distributor around in a Vette engine compartment. From what I've heard (not what I've experienced, but secondary sources), being a tooth off on the distributor is equal to 13.5*, and the vehicle will still run, although not in any usable way. So if a SBC will still run being a tooth off on the dist at 13.5*, then I don't see why it wouldn't run (although rather rough) being a tooth off on the timing chain, which you state is 6*.
Believe me, I'm not trying to argue. I'm just going off other peoples' prior experiences. If there is other information to support your (or deny their) statements, please direct me to it so I can research this topic further.
Thanks for the info. :cheers:
Thanks for the link. I read it all the way through and it is very informative. And while, given, I am a newbie at engine modification, I must say, that if an L-98 owner is "one tooth off" on the distributor, it will run like poopie simply because there is not a whole lot of room to roate the distributor around in a Vette engine compartment. From what I've heard (not what I've experienced, but secondary sources), being a tooth off on the distributor is equal to 13.5*, and the vehicle will still run, although not in any usable way. So if a SBC will still run being a tooth off on the dist at 13.5*, then I don't see why it wouldn't run (although rather rough) being a tooth off on the timing chain, which you state is 6*.
Believe me, I'm not trying to argue. I'm just going off other peoples' prior experiences. If there is other information to support your (or deny their) statements, please direct me to it so I can research this topic further.
Thanks for the info. :cheers:
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 413
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles CA
Re: I got my car started.... (dtorc4)
i understand..
the thing that most people don't understand (and don't even know) is that the oil pump runs off the bottom part of the distributor gear. this prevents the distributor from seating correctly. Many people will take this as being "one tooth off".
It doesn't really matter where your rotor points "as long as" at Top Dead Center #1 spark plug wire is directly over the rotor. You can set that easily using my mod with the distributor cap, or you can do it visually by setting a reference place on your engine (ie. like how most people point the rotor at #1 cylinder at TDC).
More likely what happened with you is that you stabbed the distributor in and rotated it closer to where it should have been. Technically speaking, if you had just pulled out the distributor and then reinserted it "one tooth retarded or advanced" you really couldn't do it at all because of the aforementioned problem with the distributor gear.
Make sure your TPI is set to 6 BTDC and then check your TPS voltage. If you aren't sure how to check that, I will write a technical article for you. Just email me if you want me to do that.
good luck :)
colin
the thing that most people don't understand (and don't even know) is that the oil pump runs off the bottom part of the distributor gear. this prevents the distributor from seating correctly. Many people will take this as being "one tooth off".
It doesn't really matter where your rotor points "as long as" at Top Dead Center #1 spark plug wire is directly over the rotor. You can set that easily using my mod with the distributor cap, or you can do it visually by setting a reference place on your engine (ie. like how most people point the rotor at #1 cylinder at TDC).
More likely what happened with you is that you stabbed the distributor in and rotated it closer to where it should have been. Technically speaking, if you had just pulled out the distributor and then reinserted it "one tooth retarded or advanced" you really couldn't do it at all because of the aforementioned problem with the distributor gear.
Make sure your TPI is set to 6 BTDC and then check your TPS voltage. If you aren't sure how to check that, I will write a technical article for you. Just email me if you want me to do that.
good luck :)
colin
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Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 413
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles CA
Re: I got my car started.... (dtorc4)
Colin,
Believe me, I'm not trying to argue. I'm just going off other peoples' prior experiences. If there is other information to support your (or deny their) statements, please direct me to it so I can research this topic further.
Thanks for the info. :cheers:
Believe me, I'm not trying to argue. I'm just going off other peoples' prior experiences. If there is other information to support your (or deny their) statements, please direct me to it so I can research this topic further.
Thanks for the info. :cheers:
I'll prove it again. Drill the holes in an old distributor cap like I explain in my article. Baseline your distributor location (ie. move the cap until you have it right over the rotor) and then check your timing. Bam, 0 BTDC. :jester
I have too much time if i think about this kinda stuff..