Help!!! 383 Installed but wont fire
03-03-2003, 10:40 PM
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Tampa, FL USA
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Help!!! 383 Installed but wont fire
Okay , heres the skinny. A newly built forged 383 is sitting between my fenderwells. Lots of attention was put into assembling everything correctly. When i try to start it I let the fuel pump prime first, then turn the key to start. The motor turns quickly and oil pressure climbs to 50psi or so. but it does not start. I have heard exactly one cylinder fire once. I checked spark, and it looks good. I pushed in the shrader valve on the fuel rail and got spray mostly air but some fuel too. The car sat for 10 months without the motor in it. Could the fuel in the tank be bad?? I can hear the pump run when the key is turned to on. and the pump was fine when the car was parked. Also I think that there may be a compression issue. Meaning that I am not 100% sure the rockers are adjusted properly. They are the Crane Gold 1.6 roller rockers.
When I adjusted the valves during engine assembly, I would rotate the cranks and watch the valves and wait for the intake valve to close. then rotate the crank another 45 degrees or so then set the lash for that cylinder. What i had a hard time with was the fact that the lifter would collapse almost immediately when i was turning the adjuster nut by hand. I did soak the lifters in oil over night, and all the lifters did the same thing. So my adjustment consisted of turning the adjustment nut until I "felt" that their was no play in the pushrod. then turning another 1/2 turn, then locking the set screw.
When i rotated the engine by hand with the plugs in I could feel some compression but once the oil pressure built up could the lifters have pumped up and kept the valves from closing all the way???Tomorrow i will check to see if the injectors are getting pulses with an idiot light. and run a compession test on a couple of cylinders. Anything I might be missing???
When I adjusted the valves during engine assembly, I would rotate the cranks and watch the valves and wait for the intake valve to close. then rotate the crank another 45 degrees or so then set the lash for that cylinder. What i had a hard time with was the fact that the lifter would collapse almost immediately when i was turning the adjuster nut by hand. I did soak the lifters in oil over night, and all the lifters did the same thing. So my adjustment consisted of turning the adjustment nut until I "felt" that their was no play in the pushrod. then turning another 1/2 turn, then locking the set screw.
When i rotated the engine by hand with the plugs in I could feel some compression but once the oil pressure built up could the lifters have pumped up and kept the valves from closing all the way???Tomorrow i will check to see if the injectors are getting pulses with an idiot light. and run a compession test on a couple of cylinders. Anything I might be missing???
03-04-2003, 04:11 AM
#2
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Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: from the land of Justin Wilson and Huey Long!
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You must bleed the fuel lines so that you get solid liquid, no air. You really need to drain and at least refill the tank with some fresh fuel, maybe add some Chemtool B-12 to the fuel with a few ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil. The fuel loses it's detonation resistance characteristics over time (octane rating goes down).
The Opti-equipted engines don't allow for manual oil pump priming. You have to remove and ground the coil wire and spin your engine over for several seconds to get the pump primed.
About your valve lash. You should bump the starter or used a socket on the harmonic balancer to turn over the engine. Watch for the exhaust rocker to just open, then STOP. Loosen the polylock on the adjoining intake rocker and while spinning the pushrod with your thumb and index finger, tighten-down the allen-headed set-screw with an allen wrench until the resistance can be felt on the pushrod. Continue for about 1/4 to 1/2 turn more. Turn the engine over...keeping an eye on the rocker set that you adjusted...watch the intake rocker of the same set...when it opens, keep going until it is almost closed and STOP. Adjust the exhaust rocker, tighten the polylock and go to the next set of rockers and repeat. Should be fairly noise-free when fired-up. Don't forget to reconnect the coil wire after the rockers are adjusted...
The Opti-equipted engines don't allow for manual oil pump priming. You have to remove and ground the coil wire and spin your engine over for several seconds to get the pump primed.
About your valve lash. You should bump the starter or used a socket on the harmonic balancer to turn over the engine. Watch for the exhaust rocker to just open, then STOP. Loosen the polylock on the adjoining intake rocker and while spinning the pushrod with your thumb and index finger, tighten-down the allen-headed set-screw with an allen wrench until the resistance can be felt on the pushrod. Continue for about 1/4 to 1/2 turn more. Turn the engine over...keeping an eye on the rocker set that you adjusted...watch the intake rocker of the same set...when it opens, keep going until it is almost closed and STOP. Adjust the exhaust rocker, tighten the polylock and go to the next set of rockers and repeat. Should be fairly noise-free when fired-up. Don't forget to reconnect the coil wire after the rockers are adjusted...
03-04-2003, 07:15 AM
#3
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Location: Tampa, FL USA
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Thanks I know the oil pressure is fine. Now how does one go about bleeding the fuel system as it seems I have a lot of air trapped in the lines from them being disconnected. I will try to drain the tank today and put in some fresh 93. anyone ever drain the tank with a hose and a hand pump?
03-04-2003, 08:03 AM
#4
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Location: oxford,mi.,u.s.a.
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If you're engine is spinning fast like you say, it sounds like you have no compression. If you want you can try to back off on all your rocker arm nuts 1/2 a turn at a time until you can start the engine or redo the lash adjustment using the procedure below. I use this procedure constantly and it is quick and accurate. If you are going to relash the valves, make sure you give the lifters several minutes to pump themselves back up after you loosen the rocker nuts or you may get a false reading when attempting to relash....
Valve Lash Adjustment
.
Crank the engine until the mark on the crankshaft balancer lines up with the timing mark on the front cover and the engine is in the number one firing position. This may be determined by placing fingers on the number one valve as the mark on the balancer comes near the timing mark on the front cover. If the valve rocker arms are not moving, the engine is in the number one firing position. If the valve rocker arms move as the mark comes up to the timing mark, the engine is in the number six firing position. Rotate the crankshaft 360° or one complete revolution in order to reach the number one position.
With the engine in the number one firing position as determined above, adjust the following valves (Even numbered cylinders are in the right bank. Odd numbered cylinders are in the left bank):
Exhaust:1, 3, 4, 8
Intake:1, 2, 5, 7
Back out the adjusting nut until lash is felt at the pushrod then turn in the adjusting nut until all lash is removed. This can be determined by rotating the pushrod while turning the adjusting nut. When the play has been removed, turn the adjusting nut 360° or one full additional turn in order to center the valve lifter plunger.
Crank the engine one revolution until the timing mark on the front cover and the crankshaft balancer mark are again in alignment. This is the number six firing position. The following valves may be adjusted:
Exhaust: 2, 5, 6, 7
Intake: 3, 4, 6, 8
Install the valve rocker arm cover. Refer to Valve Rocker Arm Cover Replacement .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Valve Lash Adjustment
.
Crank the engine until the mark on the crankshaft balancer lines up with the timing mark on the front cover and the engine is in the number one firing position. This may be determined by placing fingers on the number one valve as the mark on the balancer comes near the timing mark on the front cover. If the valve rocker arms are not moving, the engine is in the number one firing position. If the valve rocker arms move as the mark comes up to the timing mark, the engine is in the number six firing position. Rotate the crankshaft 360° or one complete revolution in order to reach the number one position.
With the engine in the number one firing position as determined above, adjust the following valves (Even numbered cylinders are in the right bank. Odd numbered cylinders are in the left bank):
Exhaust:1, 3, 4, 8
Intake:1, 2, 5, 7
Back out the adjusting nut until lash is felt at the pushrod then turn in the adjusting nut until all lash is removed. This can be determined by rotating the pushrod while turning the adjusting nut. When the play has been removed, turn the adjusting nut 360° or one full additional turn in order to center the valve lifter plunger.
Crank the engine one revolution until the timing mark on the front cover and the crankshaft balancer mark are again in alignment. This is the number six firing position. The following valves may be adjusted:
Exhaust: 2, 5, 6, 7
Intake: 3, 4, 6, 8
Install the valve rocker arm cover. Refer to Valve Rocker Arm Cover Replacement .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
03-04-2003, 02:34 PM
#5
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Tampa, FL USA
Posts: 284
Its Alive!!!!!!!!!!
Holy freakin bizalls!!! it runs and runs good, it sounds like a demon straight from hell with those open hooker headers. 
well with the exception of no idle it seems like it is set too low. or maybe the tps or idle stop screw. this TB came off of a blower car. Off to investigate thanks for all the help and suggestions
well with the exception of no idle it seems like it is set too low. or maybe the tps or idle stop screw. this TB came off of a blower car. Off to investigate thanks for all the help and suggestions
03-04-2003, 02:39 PM
#6
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Location: Tampa, FL USA
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Well to sum things up i guess all the gas in the tank had evaporated, It has been 10 months since she ran, and since the fuel gauge was pegged to the max i could not tell now much gas was in it. put in 5 gals of premium and she fired right up. Fuel gauge is now working again. Anyway seems to be running pretty decent for a mail tune from Ion, good work man. Kudos to all the board members who helped me along the way. Oh yeah the idle problem was the vac line to the brake booster, I forgot to hook that back up, hence the no idle. she idles like a champ now.
03-07-2003, 09:57 AM
#7
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Newark, DE
Posts: 511
Glad you got here running! It's the little things that sometimes get ya. If that was me, I would have gotten slapped in the back of the head by my fellow gearheads...LOL 
homer simpson slow voice...... "Opeeeennnn Headeeeerrrrssss"
LOL
Enjoy the new stroker bro!
homer simpson slow voice...... "Opeeeennnn Headeeeerrrrssss"
LOL
Enjoy the new stroker bro!
03-08-2003, 06:54 AM
#9
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Tampa, FL USA
Posts: 284
Originally posted by HeavyChevySS
Glad you got here running! It's the little things that sometimes get ya. If that was me, I would have gotten slapped in the back of the head by my fellow gearheads...LOL
homer simpson slow voice...... "Opeeeennnn Headeeeerrrrssss"
LOL
Enjoy the new stroker bro!
Glad you got here running! It's the little things that sometimes get ya. If that was me, I would have gotten slapped in the back of the head by my fellow gearheads...LOL
homer simpson slow voice...... "Opeeeennnn Headeeeerrrrssss"
LOL
Enjoy the new stroker bro!
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