P0343
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,541
Likes: 2
From: Raleigh NC
P0343
I had my Maggie Z at VIR last week and was having a lot of fun. After second run I got a check engine light. From what I can find here it is because of loose cam bolts. Should I go ahead and tear into the front of the engine? I wish I had known of this problem when I was pinning the crank. Any SC install instructions should include installing a new timing chain with loctite on the bolts.
I'm so pissed that I didn't get to run the car. I only get to go to VIR once a year.
I'm so pissed that I didn't get to run the car. I only get to go to VIR once a year.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,715
Likes: 0
From: Tinker till it blows... then back it off a notch, maybe!!
St. Jude Donor '08
I had my Maggie Z at VIR last week and was having a lot of fun. After second run I got a check engine light. From what I can find here it is because of loose cam bolts. Should I go ahead and tear into the front of the engine? I wish I had known of this problem when I was pinning the crank. Any SC install instructions should include installing a new timing chain with loctite on the bolts.
I'm so pissed that I didn't get to run the car. I only get to go to VIR once a year.
I'm so pissed that I didn't get to run the car. I only get to go to VIR once a year.
On possibly a bright side, maybe it's time for a cam?
Or have you already done that?Let us know how you make out....
Disappointing, Yes, but there'll be other days..
Last edited by RJW; Jun 16, 2007 at 04:53 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,541
Likes: 2
From: Raleigh NC
Update
I got the timing cover off last night and cam bolts were loose. One was half a turn from making the cam gear flush with the cam. The other two bols were a good 1 1/2 turns loose.
Here is the kicker. There is no pin. Could the pin have whoppled out and is laying in the oil pan or did they not use them from the factory?(2003 Z06).
Thanks
Here is the kicker. There is no pin. Could the pin have whoppled out and is laying in the oil pan or did they not use them from the factory?(2003 Z06).
Thanks
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Jonesboro AR
Been there Done that. And you are right about instructions should recommend locktite or something. Its a pain to tear everthing back down just to tighten three little bolts. In my case it damaged the cam, lifters. It was a good excuse to install better cam.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,089
Likes: 82
From: Kauhava, Finland
This is how mine (2003 Z06) looked like when my bolts were loose. I don't think there's any pin missing in this picture (there are pin(s) in the camshaft itself, if I remember correctly):
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,541
Likes: 2
From: Raleigh NC
Ark,
How did you know you damaged the cam?
I am referring to the dowel that is normally on the camshaft. Mine is gone. Could the gear pull it out and is now laying in the oil pan? I guess I'll be fishing for it tonight.
How did you know you damaged the cam?
I am referring to the dowel that is normally on the camshaft. Mine is gone. Could the gear pull it out and is now laying in the oil pan? I guess I'll be fishing for it tonight.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,089
Likes: 82
From: Kauhava, Finland
It seems that I was wrong...deadly wrong... The picture below is from "www.ls1howto.com", and it shows that INDEED there should be a pin (compare it to my first picture in previous post):
And now I think I know why my hydraulic lifter broke soon afterwards! I guess pin got somewhere between camshaft and lifter...see this link about my failure:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1698024
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,541
Likes: 2
From: Raleigh NC
I don't see how it could have made it there. I hope to find mine in the oil pan tonight.
I can't believe that I paid $50K for a car that internal engine bolts loosen up after 20K miles.
I can't believe that I paid $50K for a car that internal engine bolts loosen up after 20K miles.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,089
Likes: 82
From: Kauhava, Finland
Well, I don't know either. But note that depending on which direction cam gear happened to move at the time when pin did exit the hole, it might have gone up as well. And as you can see from the pics, there's big hole towards lifter valley on top of cam gear.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,715
Likes: 0
From: Tinker till it blows... then back it off a notch, maybe!!
St. Jude Donor '08
Guys
WHile I am sorry to hear about the problems, I have 2 comments
1) WHen we add things lie sc's, etc. stuff like this can happen. I've never instaled a cam that didn't have either loctite or safety wire on the bolts.
2) I bought my Z w/2700 miles on it. it had heads, cam, duble roller timing chain and gears, exhaust and intake and was at around 424 rwhp.
The heads and cam were instaled by a VERY reputable Corvette installer.
fastforward to 18k....The crank damper bolt came loose, the damper walked off and I almost lost the engine.
As I was saying, mods require beefing up and maintenance and a in some cases a bit of luck.
I was pissed when this happened , cause I PAID for a car that was supposedly modified by a shop that was supposed to be one of the best.
Also, the car was suppoded to be tuned, but when I looked at the tune with hp tuners and compared to a OEM Z tne of the same year, it was IDENTICAL.
Back to the regularly scheduled programming
btw: I hope the loctited my cam bolts
WHile I am sorry to hear about the problems, I have 2 comments
1) WHen we add things lie sc's, etc. stuff like this can happen. I've never instaled a cam that didn't have either loctite or safety wire on the bolts.
2) I bought my Z w/2700 miles on it. it had heads, cam, duble roller timing chain and gears, exhaust and intake and was at around 424 rwhp.
The heads and cam were instaled by a VERY reputable Corvette installer.
fastforward to 18k....The crank damper bolt came loose, the damper walked off and I almost lost the engine.
As I was saying, mods require beefing up and maintenance and a in some cases a bit of luck.
I was pissed when this happened , cause I PAID for a car that was supposedly modified by a shop that was supposed to be one of the best.
Also, the car was suppoded to be tuned, but when I looked at the tune with hp tuners and compared to a OEM Z tne of the same year, it was IDENTICAL.
Back to the regularly scheduled programming
btw: I hope the loctited my cam bolts
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 933
Likes: 0
From: Inland Empire CA
I think it's one of those hit and miss things. My cam bolts were perfectly tight when I did my cam right now at 44k miles. I put in ARP bolts (since they're so cheap) with a little bit of locktite... I didn't go crazy on it, I know a little goes a long way. Sorry to hear about your misfortune though 
If I ever buy another a Corvette I'm going to make sure it's STOCK down to the paper air filter if possible (an exhaust or intake will be okay)... because I've found that people, and even reputable speed don't do things up the my standards. Like I paid good money for a LPE car, but it hardly represented their name very well. Too many surprises.
You know the old saying... if you wanna do something right...
If I ever buy another a Corvette I'm going to make sure it's STOCK down to the paper air filter if possible (an exhaust or intake will be okay)... because I've found that people, and even reputable speed don't do things up the my standards. Like I paid good money for a LPE car, but it hardly represented their name very well. Too many surprises.
You know the old saying... if you wanna do something right...
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,541
Likes: 2
From: Raleigh NC
I know you have to pay to play but I haven't put many miles on the car since sc install. Plus in my traffic, I can't get on it too often. If you do some research the cam bolts are backing off on completely stock cars. This would have happened sooner or later on my car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 933
Likes: 0
From: Inland Empire CA
Yeah, I know - even on bone stock cars it happens. I'm just saying overall it would be better to find a stock car and mod it right. Not that getting a stock car guarantees anything (esp. cam bolts)... just I think chances better than a heavily modified car. I feel for you brother, I'd be like Scarface on steroids if that happened to me... or worse.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Jonesboro AR
When I pull the cam it was scored / spalled, so were some of the lifters.
So I upgraded everything except heads. It sucks that you have to remove the heads just to change the lifters but I'm glad I did, stock lifters would have trashed the new cam.
So I upgraded everything except heads. It sucks that you have to remove the heads just to change the lifters but I'm glad I did, stock lifters would have trashed the new cam.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,541
Likes: 2
From: Raleigh NC
I guess in all this I had a little good luck. My pin came out with the oil. I was surprised to hear the clunk when I pulled the plug.
Time to order some new bolts, timing chain and most likley an ECS pulley.
Does anybody have any larger maggie pulleys. I am currently running a 3.4 and don't want any more boost when I track the car again. 7-8 was more than enough. That means I need a 3.5 or even a 3.6.
RJW, got any extras laying around?
Time to order some new bolts, timing chain and most likley an ECS pulley.
Does anybody have any larger maggie pulleys. I am currently running a 3.4 and don't want any more boost when I track the car again. 7-8 was more than enough. That means I need a 3.5 or even a 3.6.
RJW, got any extras laying around?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,715
Likes: 0
From: Tinker till it blows... then back it off a notch, maybe!!
St. Jude Donor '08
I guess in all this I had a little good luck. My pin came out with the oil. I was surprised to hear the clunk when I pulled the plug.
Time to order some new bolts, timing chain and most likley an ECS pulley.
Does anybody have any larger maggie pulleys. I am currently running a 3.4 and don't want any more boost when I track the car again. 7-8 was more than enough. That means I need a 3.5 or even a 3.6.
RJW, got any extras laying around?
Time to order some new bolts, timing chain and most likley an ECS pulley.
Does anybody have any larger maggie pulleys. I am currently running a 3.4 and don't want any more boost when I track the car again. 7-8 was more than enough. That means I need a 3.5 or even a 3.6.
RJW, got any extras laying around?
OOPS, I think you're in trouble..do the math (rough and based on OD of dampers, not pitch dia)
OEM OD = 7.3125
ECS OD = 8.125 ( mine is)
your current setup is roughly 7.3125/3.4 = 2.15 ratio
with 8.125 damper... 8.125/2.15 = 3.77"...So you need a dirty BIG sc pulley if you want to retain same boost...
I relocated my on top of the alternator maggie idler and it REALLY helped. Belt wrap on alternator is back to OEM and NO more smoke from belt at alternator. I have a post here about it, it's really easy to do (1 bushing or a handfull of washers)
Last edited by RJW; Jun 19, 2007 at 08:54 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,715
Likes: 0
From: Tinker till it blows... then back it off a notch, maybe!!
St. Jude Donor '08
Let s know that you have it back together and running
