So i just had my 383 stroker installed with TPI in a 1989 firebird about 3 months ago...all the sudden the things starts running like its on it's last leg. I notice oil pooling up on the intake base which was odd, so i smudged a bit of permatex around the base to see if i could spot the leak. no go, and everytime id go to start the thing up it stalls on cold starts. well i just moved to austin so i just got time to take it to the shop that originally did the work. about a week ago, on the way back to houston i notice nice white smoke drifting out of the cowled hood, so i stopped for valve cover gaskets on a whim...then as i popped the hood oil was splattered all over the passenger side head and dipstick and smoke was spewing out of the dipstick and the oil cap! My question is what could cause these symptoms? my previous 350 lasted longer with a blown headgasket than this rebuild, and my first formula 350 is still running even after 4 months of having the EST wire disconnected!

 

I'd take it back to whoever built it and have them give you a new motor. That doesn't sound good at all.

Will

 

Not much to go on really. Could be a simple as a non-functioning PVC(I doubt it) or as bad as a hole in one of the pistons.
I would need a lot more info, before I started blaming the engine builder.

 

PCV system is fine, one of the first things i checked including EGR valve and solenoid, injectors ohm fine, etc, seemed like it had a vacuum leak before i took it in, unfortunetly it was a long haul to take it in, but it idled rough, at about 1200-1500rpms and stalled when making a quick stop at a light.

 

Mechanic saying its a burnt piston or broken rings, by the look of the oil on the intake and boiled coolant on the intake im sure it started leaking and running lean, he also says the timing is way off at 36* so the dist. is also wiggling around under the hood. Shoulda just bought GM.

 

Who built the shortblock, the same shop? If so, get your car and have it towed or drive it somewhere else.

If the distributer is moving, then someone didn't set the timing correctly and didn't tighten the hold down bolt.

I am assuming the chip was never tweaked because of the hard starting when cold?

Any mods?

 

Yes the same shop built my shortblock and cleaned the heads/intake up and did a valve job as well.

Mods are:
Eagle 383 crank
Eagle pistons
Stock rods magnafluxed and ARP bolts installed
Lunati voodo cam installed - 270/278 Adv duration, .515/.530 lift 112 LSA at 6* advance.
Open element intake
Heddman Headers
True dual sidepipes
3 angle valvejob
No smog
No cats
stock heads/intake (too keep from flowing more CFM than current injectors can handle)

It was a disgusting torque monster, problem was at first i thought it was slower than my original 350 until i realized my tires were spinning on every takeoff even whilst driving like a grandma!

Gotta call today and look into this, but it seems that the intake was botched, started leaking oil and coolant...i assume that lead to a lean condition as evident from the AFR gauge readings...unfortunetly it was a 160 mile trip back to the shop before i realized it was getting worse.

 

I always coat both sides of the intake gaskets with rtv when I install my intakes, the whole gasket, not just the water ports.

I hope they warranty their work!

 

I dunno how this one is going to pan out, theyve had it for two weeks now - just gave them a call...and they still havent looked at it!

 

3 pistons holding 170psi and 1 holding only 90psi....so obviously something is very wrong with it, i have no experience but if all others are good and one is shot shortly after rebuild wouldnt it most likely turn out to be a broken ring or some such? he told me it may have needed more fuel pressure or bigger injectors....funny they tell me it MAY after the engine blows...

 

Long story short, a new shop is putting in a LQ9 block with LS2 heads LS6 intake and a 224/230 cam backed by a stage 2 4L60E. Should be a fun car.

 

What happened to the 383 with tpi?

 

selling it and the transmission, intake, whole assembly and swapping up to a new LS2 style combo.

 

Needs a re-ring and probably a new piston.