Alright, I've got my 95 broken down to the opti, what all do I need to put back on for a test start? Other words, what's the least I could put back on to get it started, if its going to.

Thanks guys.

 

Depends on how much you have torn off. Get the water pump back in so the serpetine belt can be attached again. you dont need to fill it at this point if you just want to quick start it, as your engine wont reach a high temperature afer a few seconds. You dont NEED to attached all the intake stuff, but the computer wont like that its not getting the readings from the sensors, might throw a code and/or run a bit funny, but again you're just looking to see if it will start.

Trying to remember if there are any other connectors around there that effect the firing of the motor that you would have delt with, but as long as you connected the coil and opti up correctly, that should do it.

Im guessing here, i put everything back together when i did my opti. In theory it should work still without the intake in and the cooling system disconnected. Just dont let it run too long (a few seconds is all you need)

 

Right, all I want to see if it will fire or not. I disconnected the coil and ICM to get it out of the way. When I was removing everything, on the right side of the water pump, there wasa mount covering the bolt for the water pump, and over it was a black contanier with hoses around it and going to it, what it that? Thanks for your help, I'm almost positive turning the harmonic balancer doesn't affect anything, when I was getting the bolts off of it, it turned some, is that alright?

 

the thing on the right with hoses coming out of it is the air pump (emissions).

you don't need to put water pump or belt on to start it just to test. It will throw at least code 100 for not having intake/MAF on. you can just disconnect the battery to clear any codes if you don't have a code reader/delete

the harmonic balancer should not turn either around hub or hub should not turn around crank....if you mean you turned over the motor some when wrenching on balancer, that is fine

 

To test start it you don't need to reinstall the water pump or balancer. Just the ignition fully connected. Don't run it long without the cooling system, 10-15 seconds is long enough. You just want hear it run.

 

I don't even need the serpentine belt? So pretty much just the ICM and coil need to be hooked up and it'll fire? Seems too easy. Lol and yeah, I meant when I was trying to break the bolts lose it turned some.

 

i would just but the balancer back on, its only 3 bolts, you dont need the belt, but when i changed mine, i left everything on except the waterpump and balancer

 

Alright, sounds good. Yeah, this was my first time, and I'm pretty new to the LT1 so it was pretty fun seeing how everything came out, the coolant was old anyway, still ridiculous the amount of work it takes to get to the distributor. lol Well, hopefully I get it put in and it fires right up, if not I'll have to call someone at this point I think.

 

Why? It's not a "balancer". It's a harmonic damper to offset crank torsion displacement harmonics. It is not going to hurt the engine to run without the damper for a couple minutes.

 

Alright, sounds good, so so literally all I have to put on to try it is the ICM and coil. Any simple way to check the firing order?

 

Use Shoebox's guides:

Make sure you have the Opti indexed correctly to the cam dowel pin.

http://shbox.com/1/opti_back.jpg

Make sure you have the air supply and vent lines connected correctly

http://shbox.com/1/opti_vacuum_harness.jpg

Plug wires:

http://shbox.com/1/opti.jpg

 

Thanks for the info, I don't have the intake hooked up so I guess I'll just leave it hooked in? I'm about to try this. Lol

 

You could push the intake elbow on the throttle body, and push the MAF sensor into the elbow. It will run speed-density without the MAF though.

 

Good news! After putting the ignition system back in, after about 8 seconds she fired up, ran a little rough, for a couple seconds, started to idle smoothly, then I cut it off, went back a short time later and if even 2 cranks fired right up, it was idling solidly at 1k, sounded like a dream. Now before I start putting coolant in, should I go back and change the gasket around the water pump? I'm not sure if its the original pump or not, I'm not even sure if that was a gasket or some kindve sealant. Thought?

 

You should replace the timing cover seals for the water pump and the Opti.