After a much needed break from the world of LT1, I'm going to try and give this another shot. Christ I got 3 FORDS running in the time it's taking me to almost get ONE Chebby running.

I've been going on a lot of TDY's lately and been on leave a bit, so my time's been pretty tied up; plus I had to get my '79 Bronco running, but that's a whole nother thread.

Anyways, where we left off my car was running great, then started not running worth a crap. I had original O2's in. I replaced the plugs, ran good for a couple miles, then ran like crap again. Replaced the O2's, but I think the plugs were already beyond fouled, plus it needed a valve adjustment.

Tried dicking with the valves but just couldn't get them. Pulled a plug, looked like crap, so it's been sitting pretty much ever since.

Fast forward to today. Pulled all the plugs out, they look like KA-KA. These are gapped at .050". At the advice of Bret, 1racerdude, and pretty much everyone else on here, I have a new set of plugs, gapped down to .035". Going to put those in tonight, loosen all the valves (Since I have NO idea where they're adjusted at now), crank it over a few times to pump up the lifters, try to fire it up, and do another lifter adjustment. Hopefully my brand new O2's aren't also fouled (like my plugs were) And I PRAY that my Comp R lifters are fine.

Here's what I found today. What's the ashy crap on that plug, and why?

 

Howdy,
Just wanted to wish you luck on debugging your combo.
It can get frustrating at times. Ask me how I know.
But when she finally starts hitting hard on all 8 to the rev limiter and you're still smiling long after you let off, that's what hotrodding is all about.

Dean

 

That's carbon, from detonation and/or running rich. If the plugs don't fix this then I would start to question the opti and have a dyno tune. My 388 that has 1,500 mi on it runs like shlt too but I know if I got a tune it would run just about perfect. Had only MAF problems out of mine and hard starting.

 

Ya running any additive in your fuel?
That looks strange as if something has splattered on them.
It don't look like detonation as that will show up on the porcelains and as rich as ya are don't think it is being rattled. Next set of plugs go to .035.

Can ya turn your FP down?

 

You also should run 93 if possible.

 

- Check on the '93, that's what I put in there.
- Check on the .035...read a few of your thread man, gave it a shot.
- Negative on any additive.
- I can't turn my FP down...I'd have to get that through the tune right? I have a tune via Ion (MadZ28)...I've been meaning to get a scanning program and a cable so I can read what's going on in there. I do have an OBD-I conversion.

I know what you mean about frustrating...it was running great for a little while, then it started running like ***.

Here's a couple sound clips from when I first took it out, when Bret was down here.

Right Click - Save As
http://paradox.shacknet.nu/dave88lx/...rd/driveby.wav

http://paradox.shacknet.nu/dave88lx/...d/takeoff1.wav

I don't really have any video yet, as those were taken at night, I just pulled the audio track off them.


Now for the good news: Plugs in, fired it up, and it actually idles.

I didn't run it for long, just about 30 seconds, now I need to re-adjust the lifters back to something normal. I'm not backfiring out the intake either. Before, with the old plugs and the valves as they are, it wouldn't even start, so this is a huge step in the right direction.

 

Good deal.
Them O2's working correctly?

The tune should take care of the richness.

 

Personally, I'd pull the valve covers and have a look-see down to the lifters and make sure a couple of the Comp R's didn't cough up a retainer on ya. Sounds like you're heading in the right direction though!

 

Got the valve covers on, I can't get this thing running for ****. I'm at the point where I'm about to pay the ****ing money just to get someone to figure out what's wrong with the god damn hunk of **** $11K new parts boat anchor.

 

Here's a video. Right click - Save as...

In the 2nd part of the video where it sounds like I'm holding it part throttle, I'm not. I gave it a rev, then it wouldn't come down. I had to keep my foot down in order to get it to rev up any. I have an old video where it revved nice and snappy, I'll have to find it.

Thoughts?

http://paradox.shacknet.nu/dave88lx/...ng_crappy1.wmv

 

Here's a good video of it running. Notice how good it idled, and how SNAPPY it was when I blipped the throttle...RPM's bumped and came right down.

Right click save as:

http://paradox.shacknet.nu/dave88lx/...nning_bret.wmv

 

Dude after seeing the clip, I know that's a major timing problem, if you had a madz28 tune, I'd go get it dyno tuned, for that car it's way more effective and my newly built 388 runs fine with a 360 ci. tune from my old motor. I think it also has to do with that Delphi conversion package, check those coils out and the sending unit that sends the signal to the ignition. Also the black on the plugs is just what I thought, when the car is firing at the wrong time it will make the carbon in the cylinders and eventually build up. Check those things out and I guarantee you'll find that problem.

 

I hear ya, I'm just confused though...why would the tune change? It shouldn't...so if it ran good before, it should run good now...the timing didn't change...you watched the video of it running good, the post right above yours right? Nothing changed in the software...I checked spark on all the coil packs and they're all good...

Someone mentioned the coolant temp sensor or wire; I'll check that out tomorrow too.

 

It'll run fine with the coolant temp sensor wire disconnected. What was the car tuned for before? 383? If it's not the tune, youve eliminated that so I'd go to the next thing, what sends the signal to the Delphi system? The optispark right? even though your car doesn't use it for spark it could still be bad and sending a bad signal, that's probably the problem, get the MSD cap/rotor cuz you won't need the whole unit.

 

Yeah I got the OBD-I box from Ion, tuned for a 383. The video you see where it's hauling *** is on the same tune that it's on now. You think the opti just went and crapped out? I thought the optical side was pretty reliable. I think there's a way to check the signal on it...need an O'Scope or something?