turnin20s

I got everything done and looked over the whole car at least 3 times to make sure everything was done, well except the exhaust hangers We bled out the air out of the cooling system and tried to start it, but I had the plug wires all messed up and only had 1 on right, #3 but we got that taken care of and it started and idled for about 15-20 seconds then it killed. I can start it but I have to push the gas pedal down and when it starts I have to hold the gas to keep it from killing. What would cause this? I'm thinking it has something to do with the TPS or something to do with the sensors on the TB. Can I adjust the set screw on the TB to keep the RPMs up or can't I do that? When I hold the RPMS at 800 or so the set screw for the throttle is off by about 1/8" I was going to just turn the screw out, but I though I'd make sure I could first.

Also when I idle the car down the service engine soon light comes on and when I rev it up past 1000 RPMs it will go off. I need to find a laptop so I can downlaod a scan tool and see whats going on, but I need to set the valves, but its hard when the car won't idle on its own.

I bought the TB used and it came with all of the sensors and I still have my old ones which I know are good and I'm going to try swapping them today but if you have anything else I should look at please let me know.

And if anyone can give me any tricks or tips to set my valves with the car running please let me know.

Thanks in advance



*EDIT*-I looked on shbox.com and he suggests that 1/4 turn to the Comp Rs is more than plenty, but is that with stock rocker studs? I have ARPs which have corse threads so should I back my preload off by 1/8 of a turn? My idle in the tuning is suppost to be at 900/875 neutral/gear and my cable for the laptop is ordered and should be here by the begining of next week so I can run a scan and see what that comes up with.

turnin20s

Let me know if you need anymore info and I'll do my best to answer the questions.

My biggest problem is getting the car to idle, it idled on first startup for about 20 seconds, and now it won't idle on its own.

seawolf06

Check the plugs to see if you fouled them trying to start it. That's what happened to me the first time I did a cam swap, too much gas while not starting.

You can adjust the screw on the TB to open the blades up, but it may just be a bad IAC. Need to get a scanner on it to see what everything is doing.

Didn't you set the valves before you started the motor? If not, that's a likely reason it's not running. You're either not getting compression or something.

turnin20s

Ok I'll check the plugs, I'm changing out the TPS and IAC tonight to see if that works. I'm working on getting a laptop and I'm ordering a cable tonight for the laptop. And I set my valves close with the motor out of the car, but they aren't perfect.

Any other ideas would be appreciated

turnin20s

Ok I pulled out one of my plugs and its dark, but its still firing but I'm going to grab a new set today. I looked on my stock TB and the screw for the throttle return stop is turned out about 1/8" more than my BBK. Only problem that I have is trying to get a long torx bit to turn it out. I talked to a buddy of mine and he is going to let me use his laptop and I'm going to download a scan tool to help me figure everything out.

If the IAC is bad what will the car do? Basically what its doing now? I have to hold the gas pedal at almost WOT for it to start like a carbed car thats flooded. I'm going to swap the IAC today and change the plugs and turn out the set screw and see if any of that helps and then hopefully I can get some miles on the car

1racerdude

Reset the valves and get it to idle wherever the screw is.

turnin20s

Where the screw is on the BBK or my old TB? Do you think its the valves? I have to reset them tonight but it runs right now, but I think they may be too tight and thats whats causing it not to start or idle

I'll keep this updated with any progress

1racerdude

Yes it doesn't matter where the screw is as long as it idles.

seawolf06

Since you're running the Comp R's, you shouldn't run very much preload if any. The ARP threads aren't "coarser", but the 3/8" and 7/16" have different thread counts.

turnin20s

Ok a little update I adjusted the valves this morning and she idles on her own now.

I set my preload at 1/4 turn to start out with and it was too tight, I backed the nuts off 1/8 of a turn and retightened the lock and put everything back together and it will fire up and idle on its own at about 1050 RPMs but Ion said that the stock tach can be off as much as 300 RPMs so its pretty close. I put a screw driver on the valve covers to listen for rocker noise and I still don't hear anything so they may still be a little tight.

But as of right now with 1/8 of a turn past zero lash sounds pretty good. The roads are wet and it was raining so I'm going to wait for them to dry out before I take the car out to get some more miles on it.

Just so you know I set zero lash like this -- as soon as the locknut set down on the rocker then 1/8 turn for preload and I still have no clicking noise so they still may be a little tight, but the car will idle on its own right now so I can set them with it running if I have to.

Thanks to anyone who helped, I'll have a clip of it idleing in a day or so but my neighbors like it I think at least 3 cars almost hit the curb when they drove by when it was sitting in the driveway idleing, it sounds just bada$$

seawolf06

Shouldn't have any loud clicking noises. Sounds like you did them right. The poly locks make it really easy. I'd leave them at 1/8 turn. Glad you got it working.

turnin20s

I backed them off 2 more times yesturday, the 1/8 turn then another 1/16 and they are still a little too tight. My car keeps running better and better, but its still not perfect.

The only thing that I can figure out is that I really messed them up and put them too tight when the motor was on the engine stand. But its really not that hard to pull the valve covers and make adjustments.

On another hand, do you think it would be easier to set them with the car running? Just back them off until they make noise then just barely tighten them to make the noise stop?

But I won't have anytime this afternoon to work on the car and I'm starting a new job in about 2 hours, but mabye tonight I'll mess with it a little more.

Thanks again for the help guys

seawolf06

The motor running method is the only way I like to do it. Loosen it up until it starts clacking, then tighten it slowly until the clacking stops. That's zero preload. Zero preload should yield the most power, but OEM style lifters need at least some, so I did 1/16-1/8 of a turn preload. That's how I thought you were doing it.

turnin20s

No I'm doing it with the car off right now. I think the only way I'm going to get it right is to set them running. I loosened them again and now the car is running like crap again, so I had them really close with 1/16-1/8 preload. If it will stop raining I would set them again with the car running, but I just don't want oil everywhere. Is there any way to keep the oil from going all over?

Thanks seawolf, I appreciate the help

seawolf06

Oil doesn't go everywhere at all. You might get a little on the headers and your tools, but that's it. when you loosen the rocker is starts pouring out of the pushrod, but it doesn't squirt anywhere with any pressure. It just drains back into the head.