Ken's Engine Project... Part III - 2003

[Ken]

Thanks Craig, that's what I'm gonna do. Can't have this thing driving me to drink now can we? :L

Today though, I swear I was ready to rid myself of it. I'm beginning to think it's an albatross or something, or maybe the monster I have created has turned on me. :eyerole

"I am tired, I am weary,
I could sleep for a thousand years.
A thousand dreams that would awake me,
Different colors made of tears.

[size=-5](Velvet Underground)[/size]

 

[69MyWay]

Ken,

I wonder if you have a bad ground connection to the main harness....and or...did you remember to hook up the ground strap from the right frame rail to the engine block?

DON'T........attempt to cure the problem by injesting liquid persuasion...IT WON'T WORK!

Now....that monster beast engine of your might like a sip.....Only if it is 140 proof!

 

[bossvette]

Ken
get a buddy and your manual and look at the simple things first
be sure you have ample voltage, most computer controlled cars need closer to 13V and will not run at 12!!!!!
my 96 chev truck had 12.3 volts and would not turn over I repalced it with a Hot battery and it started right up the old battery saw service in an older car for a couple of years after.
KISS
Craig

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

Ken,

I do not know if this applies to your ECM or not. On the racecars a no spark condition always turns out to be a bad ground as 69MyWay mentioned. The new Tech´s always start swapping out boxes while the guys that been working on the cars for a few years start shaking wires.

When we had a no start for the second race this year it turned out that the harness had been pinched so hard that some of the wires had separated inside the harness however there was no visual damage on the outside. I hope that this in NOT your problem. Even the factory people went crazy chasing this one.

Good luck,

 

[Ken]

Craig, you may be on to something there, or not...

I got it started today. I put a charger on the battery for a couple of hours while I ran some errands this morning, and when I came back, it showed a charge of about 13-14 volts, so I decided to try it for the hell of it and it started up. It still took longer than it should have, but at least it ran again. I have a feeling though that there is still a loose connection in the crank sensor harness. We'll track it down yet!

Another problem I had Friday was that I heard a nasty racket from the front of the engine when I had it running last Friday afternoon. At first I thought it was coming from the crank sensor hitting the crank trigger wheel. Today when it fired I heard the same racket and finally pinpointed the alternator fan as being the culprit - the fins were rubbing the housing.

Turns out the pulley from my stock alternator doesn't fit properly on the shaft and is spaced from the fin plate's base by almost 1/4-inch. The pulley was forcing (bending) the fins down around the shaft and causing it to hit the housing. Now the question is where can I find a replacement fin plate? I only have two fins left where once there were eleven. :L

I'll try Powermaster, the people who make it.

But all that is secondary to the fact that I still have an oil leak. I'm pouring oil on my headers.

And the beat goes on...

 

[bossvette]

Ken
most likely valve covers, do yourself a favor and get the high zoot cork use permatex on the cover mating surface and mount the gaskets to the cover and let set till it hardens, then install.
Small block Chevys are notorious for leaking from the valve covers, which is why GM raised the rails and went to a centerbolt. Took em a while to do it though :eyerole

Craig
ps on that 96 the first battery I bought only had 12.5 volts and did the same thing so I returned it it was a cold rainy Feburary day to boot I was at the parking lot at work changing batteries twice

 

[Ken]

Ken
most likely valve covers...

Yeah, it might be that. Chris said he had a problem with the Miniram contacting his valve covers too. I'll double check those areas tomorrow. Thanks.

_ken

 

[bossvette]

Ken
just looked at a picture of your engine (I knew it was there somewhere)what you may need to find is a set of thick cork reinforced gaskets they are more money but worth it. and you may even have to clear the valvecovers in the area of the injectors as a worst case scenerio. use the method I discribed above to install the gaskets to the cover first and you should have it.
Good Luck

 

[Ken]

The good: I had it out and about yesterday.

The bad: It's back up on jackstands. :eyerole

The ugly: The oil leaks seemed worse.

But... I did check the valve cover area and they weren't leaking. I am not losing hydraulic fluid from my clutch reservoir nor from the power steering reservoir. However, today in talking with Rick Clewett, the TEC3 man, we seemed to have had a communication breakdown at some point.

When he installed the crank sensor bracket I was not at the shop, and he just installed it finger-tight, with no thread sealant or anything. If he told me that, I must have forgotten. :duh

Chris, remember how I was spewing oil at Gainesville last year? That's the hole! I will seal the threads tomorrow and make sure everything is tight. Man, I hope that's all it is.

What a mess my garage floor is - oil dry all over the place! :L

_ken

 

[69MyWay]

Ken, that hole is a common problem for mechanics now a days. The reason is, that the newer blocks were sealed there, and it has been nearly 20 years since anybody had to worry about it! Plus, the older engines alwasy had something bolted in there.

I learned this the hardway on my 85 Vette back when I first put the 383 in. It is a very old four bolt 350 block with the same hole for the fuel pump rod.

Make sure you get the right pitch/diameter thread. Spray some brake cleaner in the hole, then thread it in with some sealant.

That should do it!

Is your oil pan and timing cover stock?

The only reason I ask, is my HUGE mystery oil leak on Killer last year turned out to be a poor fit between the aftermarket timing cover and oil pan. It would sling oil all over when I was out running with higher RPM. I thought I would go insane trying to figure it out.


Good luck!

 

[Ken]

Is your oil pan and timing cover stock?

My, how soon we forget.

No Chris, it's a Canton pan and Comp Cams timing cover. I'll check it out.

Also, pay attention; I said "When he installed the crank sensor bracket, I was not at the shop, and he installed it finger-tight, with no thread sealant or anything."

_ken

 

[bossvette]

that may be the source of my mystery oil leak I have a moroso pan and edelbrock timing cover and have a oil leak I cannot find when I put it on the lift, I consider it like an old Harley "marking its spot":crazy my wife yells at me whenever I park in her garage:nono

 

[Ken]

I thought I would go insane trying to figure it out.

The crank sensor bracket isn't the culprit; it was tight.

I think it is both of the oil pan ends, but still not really sure. I had it in the air and crawled all around wiping everything off, then I fired it up and crawled back underneath to look for the source. It's really hard to see anyhting in there as you all are well aware, but I think I could detect the drip starting at the pan. Nowhere else was it showing oil leaks.

I think the back end of the pan is leaking too, but I couldn't see that. There is oil leaking a little back there too. :eyerole

I'M GOING TO RUBY's TONIGHT COME HELL OR HIGH WATER!!!

 

[bossvette]

Drive that bad boy

 

[Ken]

Oh did I ever! I finally got it there - Hooray!!! :J

So I lost a half-quart of oil going there and back, big deal. I've got a big pan. :L

It got me there fine, but when I shut it down I noticed that I wasn't aligned perfectly in the parking slot so I tried to restart it and move it, but guess what? It wouldn't start!

When it did come time to leave, BonnieGaye Bacon was my savior; she told the car to start and it did. Thank you BonnieGaye!

The oil leak was sorta funny though; all I could think of was how it reminded me of Hansel and Gretel and the breadcrumb trail - you could see just where I'd been. :L

Otherwise, a good time was had by all. Now to fix the leak and dial it in... Soon, baby soon. :cool

_ken

 

[BigRed]

ya know if Ive never seen your setup before Id say Ignition Module but now I am LOST!!

Keep on tinkerin you'll get it.

 

[Ken]

Nah Red, I'm pretty sure it's a voltage issue. The injectors may not be getting enough juice to cycle them. :eyerole

Which reminds me, a guy told me about a thing called "Accuvolt", which will regulate the power source, and also store a lot of power for "peak power needs". The battery voltage can drop to as low as 9.5 volts and still put out a full 14 volts, something I think I need.

I'm not sure if it is the Jacobs Electronics unit to which he refered, but that unit sounds like the one to get, eh?

Still workin' on it...

 

[Ken]

Gee, my car is now selling product!

Check this out: http://www.clewett.com/, look under "Photo Gallery" then "Chevy".

_ken

 

[69MyWay]

Cool! I think they listed it as a 86 though.....

I like the drag wheels!

Hey....are you still using that crazy spark plug tool I made for you?

Just curious....

 

[Ken]

...are you still using that crazy spark plug tool I made for you?

Yep, just used it the other day as a matter of fact, on #1 plug. For some reason that I cannot fathom right now, the normal plug socket wouldn't go on and I didn't want to break the porcelain again.

By the way, I mentioned to Rick the fact that it is an '87 that I have. He (or his webmaster) will fix it.