If you adjust your rockers too tight, will this cause it to be significantly harder to turn the motor over by hand? I'm thinking this is what's preventing my car from starting... if I don't find out my timing is off first (which I'm in the process of doing right now)

 

I don't think so. If they open sooner, you'll be relieving cylinder pressure. So it should crank easier.

Unless there is interference. Then you'll have a very difficult time turning it over.

 

If in doubt, re-lash them. How is the engine acting while trying to start? Is it cranking at all and just not starting?

 

wild1 and green96z are right but i would check the timing first. man i hope you get this thing running soon the suspense is killing me. i would like to know what went wrong and finally see it running. good luck.

 

Heres a video of it trying to start: http://youtube.com/watch?v=tFNPBJTXYyo

Yeah, its been killing me as well. I just have such little time to do much with it and it's taking a really long time. Not to mention this is my first big project with the car and I know next to nothing about diagnostics. Nice to know your interested in seeing it started though. You can be sure I'll post a vid when I get it done.
Thanks a lot

 

Kinda sounds like it's starting then immediately dying. I would definitely check the lash before anything else.

 

Sounds like the opti is off. Like i told you in your last post. Pull it off and make sure you've got the dowel pin in the right slot on the back of the opti. But leave the water pump off and try to start her up first and see what she does.



I'd come over and do it for you if you weren't soo far away! I'm pretty confident its your problem. I did it once on a buddies car. It sounded just like yours.. Give it a shot

 

I reused my stock stamped rockers and followed the LT1 book for adjustments for my rebuild. Huge mistake.
I heard some valvetrain noise so i figured they needed readjusting. They had become so tight due to the hydro lifters getting pumped up, one of the pushrods had even broke. Easy fix but could have destroyed my LT1

 

As of right now, I have waterpump, opti, and crank pulley removed. I'm just going to pull the timing cover off as far as I can without removing the hub again. That way I'll be positive about the timing. Then, I'll try starting with no waterpump. If it doesn't start, I'll re-adjust rockers. And if THAT doesn't work, I'm lost. Thanks a lot for all the concern and help you guys have been giving.

 

i would try to do the little things first by checking your rocker adjustment. then maybe the opti wires, make sure they are on the right cylinders. i'd be careful taking that timing cover off again, make sure you don't rip that gasket where it attaches to the oil pan.

i know your pain. it's frustrating when things don't start right up. good luck with it and let us know how things went!

 

Well the opti is already off, but I checked before I removed it and all the plugs were in the right place. And as far as the timing cover... it's already ripped from the first time I took it off. I just smothered it in ultra black sealant at the corners where it ripped, so I'll just have to repeat that when I take it off again.