Okay, I am just wonrdering, can a piggyback chip be installed backwards on the OE chip? I can't tell if it is or not, because it starts up either way and idles fine either way, even though the piggyback chip only has enough pins to be inserted into half of the chip. BTW, it's now starting up with a little less effort, however, now a knocking has developed. I felt the valve covers and it doesn't appear to be coming from there, but instead I can feel it through the passenger side accessories bracket. I don't think it's a pushrod because the noise is intermittent at idle. it will "clack" in like an off beat random thing, however, once you rev it up, it becomes more rhythmic...WTF?!? I'm afraid to drive it until I know what's up!!

 

BTW, I believe most my problem is with the chip. I took it out and turned the ignition on, and no drain on the battery at all. The drain, however could be things like fans and stuff that are always on now...could the clacking be a power steering pump on it's way out the door? I was driving it yesterday and it looked like the pulley locked up for a minute, since the serpentine belt was smoking and left a nice burn mark on the ps pulley. I removed the belt and inspected the pulley. Pulley turned fine. Put the belt on and it didn't do it again...

 

I listened to it again, the knock isn't all that rhythmic. I'm still worried it may be a collapsed lifter or a bent pushrod (even though they are hardened...). I have doubts this is the culprit because it's lack of rhythm and the engine seems to idle and rev fine...or would it still do so with a bad lifter??

 

If its a lifter or pushrod it would speed up and slow down steady with rpm. what does your oilpressure do? does it drop when you rev? or does it stay constant. Yes most definately you can put a chip on the piggyback incorrectly. line the notch on the chip to the notch in the slot of the ecm. Did you try your stock chip? Does the ps reservoir have plenty o fuid? a ps pump will usually growl when it goes bad. does the car throw any SES lights while its running?

 

OMFG...man do I feel like a retard... Yeah...see my problem was, I never had the chip fully rested in the motherboard slot. you know those little white & blue clips that automatically cnap into place once you push the chip in (if you do it right)? Well I put it in the first time (and the second, and the third...) and it didn't click and I couldn't force the clips to snap over the chip. I assumed it was just an aftermarket chip and it was expected that the chip may not fit the factory clips. Well, I aws just tinkering with it a few minutes ago and took it out one last time before installing once again to finally bolt the PCM back in place and when I push it down, I hear a "CLICK CLICK". The clips snapped on!!! I still thought nothing of it until I sat in my car and turned the ingition on. There was no voltage drop!!! The fans didn't kick on!!! The car started up effortlessly!!! I can't believe I actually managed to drve this thing w/o a chip fully installed!!!

Anyways Perry, my oil pressure doesn't change and I can't hear it when I'm in the cockpit, only when I'm under the hood. WTF could the problem be???

 

Man...it just gets worse....

Yeah, you know that rattling/clacking noise? It was leftover bolt I had that I sat on top ot the radiator shrowd and it was vibrating when I revved the engine...today is just a "bad mechanic" day for me, I guess...

 

I'm glad to hear ya figured it all out yourself!!! Whats funny is when I was 17 I had an old 70 Nova and i had this god awful whizzing noise like a fan hitting something.... duh the fan was just barely clipping the shroud, I about tore the whole front off the car looking for it....lol

 

Yeah, but what's bad is I've had this car for 5 years and have modded the entire thing myself, only to forget to push the chip in all the way?

 

I got a nice laugh after reading this thread Glad you got it workin.

 

SG, I'm not sure I would've admitted that, but I'm glad you resolved your problem and posted the "solution" in case it happens to anyone else.
So how's it running now with the new heads/cam?

 

Well, it WAS running pretty nicely, but now my car won't even start now... Either something with the starters and/or wires is my guess...