C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Not getting air?

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Old Sep 29, 2021 | 10:21 AM
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Default Not getting air?

1994 corvette won’t start. It has spark and fuel, but I can only get it to run if I pull the fuel rails off and let the injectors spray in. It clearly needs the air so something is choking it out. Any ideas, I tried the tps and it’s fine. I took the iac out and it will barely even run without it so it’s like it still needs more air. The car has a 306 comp cams roller but it ran on the stock tune regardless.
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Old Sep 29, 2021 | 04:35 PM
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What happens when you open the throttle?
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Old Sep 29, 2021 | 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Tom400CFI
What happens when you open the throttle?
It just backfires through the intake
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Old Sep 29, 2021 | 07:29 PM
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Could be low fuel pressure. How old is your fuel pump?
Just a guess.
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Old Sep 29, 2021 | 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted by glenx122
Could be low fuel pressure. How old is your fuel pump?
Just a guess.
not sure on the pump but at prime it shoots to 41psi and sits at 36 and will drop to 34 slowly. However when cranking the pressure stays at 42psi
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Old Sep 29, 2021 | 08:02 PM
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Pressure is good.


Have you confirmed your ignition timing? Have you confirmed that the harmonic damper hasn't slipped, thus, f'ing up your efforts to correctly set the timing?



.

Last edited by Tom400CFI; Sep 29, 2021 at 08:02 PM.
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Old Sep 29, 2021 | 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Tom400CFI
Pressure is good.


Have you confirmed your ignition timing? Have you confirmed that the harmonic damper hasn't slipped, thus, f'ing up your efforts to correctly set the timing?



.
you can’t check the timing on an lt1 the harmonic balancer isn’t keyed or have any timing marks. I don’t see anyway that could affect the engine
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Old Sep 29, 2021 | 09:13 PM
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Originally Posted by ihatebarkingdogs
Exhaust system open? If air can't get out, it can't get in.


Many, many moons ago I was reinstalling the head on a 6 cyl diesel engine in a 50' sailboat. My "helper" made a new exhaust flange gasket and installed it. This gasket is about 3" square, a 3/8" bolt hole in each corner, and a 2" hole in the middle. I did everything else including the cam (overhead) and injection pump timing. It would start, but not stay running. I rechecked the timing a half dozen times. About 4 hours later I still hadn't figured it out, and I know this particular engine type very well. We went to dinner, and when I got back I sat there and made it "do it" over and over. When "what it was" finally came to me, I was pretty pissed at myself for taking so long to figure out the cause.

My "helper" hadn't put the middle 2" hole in the gasket. That was 1990. I haven't allowed anyone to "help" me since.
the exhaust is open and it has stainless steel headers
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Old Sep 29, 2021 | 11:58 PM
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Oops, you're right. Some how I missed the '94. My bad.

I assume that you checked the intake ducting?
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Old Sep 30, 2021 | 12:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Tom400CFI
Oops, you're right. Some how I missed the '94. My bad.

I assume that you checked the intake ducting?
Everything is decently clean, and there’s no issues with the intake.
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Old Sep 30, 2021 | 01:04 AM
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What happened before hand to cause this problem? Any work take place or just didnt start one day?
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Old Sep 30, 2021 | 09:02 AM
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Originally Posted by 78blueta
What happened before hand to cause this problem? Any work take place or just didnt start one day?
rebuilt the engine, it ran for a few days but now it won’t
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Old Sep 30, 2021 | 10:10 AM
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Just to be clear, your unbolting the fuel rail, lifting up the rail/injector assy, yet "aiming" it so the injectors are (mostly?) firing into the injector holes in the runners....and in that condition, it starts and runs?

If all that is true, can you introduce a vacuum leak (pull the boost line off?) and will it run that way?

Backfiring through the intake is a sign of a too-lean a/f ratio or improper timing. So it's hard to comprehend that if opening the throttle causes backfiring through the intake, introducing a vacuum leak works better. (?)
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Old Sep 30, 2021 | 03:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Tom400CFI
Just to be clear, your unbolting the fuel rail, lifting up the rail/injector assy, yet "aiming" it so the injectors are (mostly?) firing into the injector holes in the runners....and in that condition, it starts and runs?

If all that is true, can you introduce a vacuum leak (pull the boost line off?) and will it run that way?

Backfiring through the intake is a sign of a too-lean a/f ratio or improper timing. So it's hard to comprehend that if opening the throttle causes backfiring through the intake, introducing a vacuum leak works better. (?)
yes, I tried taking the brake booster off and it didn’t start but popped off a few times. When the vacuum leak gets big enough it runs
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Old Sep 30, 2021 | 03:49 PM
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So I'm not buying that the engine isn't getting enough air. If the intake tract is not blocked, and the throttle body is not all effed up, and the air filter / MAF / other intake elements are good, then how can the engine be starving for air that lifting the injectors out of the bore helps bring enough air in?

I am wondering if it's really something more like A/ the PCM is controlling a very rich mixture which won't run without additional intake air, and B/ when you provide that additional air through the open injector ports it brings the mixture closer to right?

If that's the case, that PCM/ECM should be throwing some codes....
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Old Sep 30, 2021 | 04:29 PM
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Yeah...this story doesn't make a lot of sense. I think we're missing something from the details. 8 injector holes would make for a tremendous vacuum leak. Thing should be revving about 4 or 5 grand.

Is it totally flooded? Thus "requiring" a massive vacuum leak? Have you tried starting it at WOT?
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Old Sep 30, 2021 | 05:05 PM
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Valves adjusted properly, that will cause a backfire too.
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Old Sep 30, 2021 | 09:48 PM
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Originally Posted by 78blueta
Valves adjusted properly, that will cause a backfire too.
The car won’t start at WOT but I’ve attached a video. In the video the injectors are sitting just up from the seats. The car starts and sucks the injectors back in and the engine and kills the engine. It won’t start no matter what with the injectors in unless you create a massive vacuum leak like removing the iac valve. And yes I’ve replaced the iac valve.
Attached Files
File Type: mov
IMG_1174.MOV (1.69 MB, 26 views)
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Old Sep 30, 2021 | 11:51 PM
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Where is the MAF?

If you hold the injectors UP....does it stay running?
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Old Oct 1, 2021 | 12:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Tom400CFI
Where is the MAF?

If you hold the injectors UP....does it stay running?
yeah if you hold up the injectors it keeps running. The MAF isn’t on, I keep putting it on and taking off to test stuff. The results are same regardless if it’s on or not.
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