OK, so 2 months ago me nad a friend started the process of swapping the cam and installing a new torque converter on my camaro. AFter the first weekend and much trouble he left leaving me to finish on my own. To make a long story short it has taken me 8 weeks to finally put int he time to get the thing back together - spent 17 hours on it this weekend and got everythign reassembled and every sensor connected. Went to start it and it turns finebut just doens't start - after turning the ignition to the 'run' position from start it will sputter a few times and die. It also backfires while trying to start it. I seem to have spark on cylinders 1-3-5-7 ( have been unable to check 2-4-6-8 yet). I know the timing marks are lined up right on the sprockets - this would be the first thing i'd normally suspect though based on how it sounds and acts when trying ot start it (sounds like timing is just WAY off). I popped a valve cover on the passenger side and verified the rockers aren't on too tight by turning the motor over to open up each valve etc. I do know the opti got beat up a LOT during this process (it got hit a few times with ratches etc. pretty hard during harmonic balancer removal) and wet on numerous occasions - my assumption right now is it's probably bad. Any other input - if more information is needed please ask. I'd hate to drop money and time into a new opti if i don't have to.

 

I would guess the timing is off or the opti was installed wrong. I know you said the marks were lined up on the timing gears, but even with a new timing chain, when I did mine, there was enough slack in the chain that I could have had it a tooth off but still have the marks lined up. Chain was just tight on one side and a little bit loose on the other. The other thing would be the opti. There isn't really any way to put it on wrong, but was the pin the correct length on the cam?

Aaron

 

Yah, doens't seem to be a way to put it on wrong since the shaft that drives it can only be put on one way. I didn't have to force it on it slid on REAL easy and bolted up.

Dowel on the cam fit great into the timing chain. I'm guessing what i maybe should do is just pull off the timing cover to double check the chain etc. and then if that looks good swap the opti while i got everything apart. Any other ideas/suggestions?

 

did you upgrade to the vented opti design? if so i think you put it on one hole off that is what happened to me.

 

nope, it had a non-vented opti allready on it and i reused it.

 

The first thing I would check is spark plug wire routing.

 

Get a new opti from jason cromer, Mine did the same thing. take it off again and see if you can spin the opti with the drive. I bet its frozen and you can't spin it!! I turned it over and all it did was sputter and run like it was deiseling, then die.

 

Thanks shoebox, i used that diagram actualyl and re-verfieid the wiring 3 times (i actually DID have cylinders 3 and 5 wrong initially). But i have corrected that.

[QUOTE][B]take it off again and see if you can spin the opti with the drive. I bet its frozen and you can't spin it!! I turned it over and all it did was sputter and run like it was deiseling, then die.[B][QUOTE]

Actually before i put it on i was able to spin the drive fine (i tried spinning it to see). But i think at this point my plan is basically to try taking it off anyways and replace ti and see what happens - i'm just gunna grab one of the $130 rebhuilt ones from autozone - if that's not it then i guess i'll have a spare hand for my tran am when it goes out.

I guess i will just try starting it with the water pump off and fans off - if it starts great i'll shut it down after a few seconds and it not then i will just pull the opti back off and yank the timing chain to make sure the chain didn't somehow slip and get 1 tooth off (i can't see how tht would have been possible but i guess i better check it as long as i'm down there).

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by indieaz
[B]Thanks shoebox, i used that diagram actualyl and re-verfieid the wiring 3 times (i actually DID have cylinders 3 and 5 wrong initially). But i have corrected that.

[QUOTE][B]take it off again and see if you can spin the opti with the drive. I bet its frozen and you can't spin it!! I turned it over and all it did was sputter and run like it was deiseling, then die.

Quote:

Actually before i put it on i was able to spin the drive fine (i tried spinning it to see). But i think at this point my plan is basically to try taking it off anyways and replace ti and see what happens - i'm just gunna grab one of the $130 rebhuilt ones from autozone - if that's not it then i guess i'll have a spare hand for my tran am when it goes out.

I guess i will just try starting it with the water pump off and fans off - if it starts great i'll shut it down after a few seconds and it not then i will just pull the opti back off and yank the timing chain to make sure the chain didn't somehow slip and get 1 tooth off (i can't see how tht would have been possible but i guess i better check it as long as i'm down there).

you are aware that is not a complete opti you buy from autozone right? And if you take it apart and find that it needs the cap and rotor and the housing itself replaced that it costs the same as a brand new opti from Jason with shipping included?

 

Well from a previous thread i recall a part # from autozone for a c omplete opti for $130...i went backt o it thougha nd turns out that's only the vented optis. The non-vented you can't get that cheap...my cam doesn't have the correct dowel etc. for the vented opti so i can't swap. I guess i'm scrwed spending like $300.

 

I had the same problem when I had my hot cam installed this spring. I also thought that the timing gear can only go on one way. Turns out it was on 180* out. You need to make very sure that your gear is also installed correctly. We messed around with the rockers (set lash about 2 times each), checked spark and finally had to pull the front end back off the car to verify the gear.

Good luck!

 

Before you replace the opti, at least pull it off and reinstall it...no matter how impossible it appears to install it wrong, it can and does happen. There was just a recent thread about it...SnorkelFace can attest to it, and I experienced it first hand, sounds just like you describe. You can search for the thread in the last couple months using his screenname or mine...

 

Let me ask you something to make sure i am reading right. Is it wanting to start for a second after you stop cranking it? Mine wanted to start better after i stopped cranking then when i was cranking it (just for a spilt second.) Also when i was cranking it was backfiring a little.

If that is your problem then ythe doll pin is not in the right hole in the opti. the same thing happened to me two weeks ago. took it of and made sure it was in the right hole and it fired right up.

To make it a little easier to tell where the right hole was on the opti i took a paint marker an made a on top of the part that spins on the opti so when you put it on you can see if it moved when you didn't want it to. (sorry i don't know the real names for all these little parts)

Tom

 

Check the darn dowel pin on the opti. It took me about 2.5 months of aches and feeling like a whimp--mechanically to finally remove the opti once again and check to see if the car would fire up at last. I did remove the opti, installed it right on the money and with the waterpump off, I tried to turn the car on, and it did. I thought that "only one way in, can't be installed wrong" motto was solid gold. I had to find out the hard way.

Try it if you haven't already and you will probably feel a whole lot better when you do.

Laters---PLJ.

 

I am having a very similar problem after my cam install but I am getting no spark from my coil. I know it is getting fuel, I can smell it. The coil and coil wire are brand new, 0 miles on them. Any ideas here? Im thinking the IMC but really dont know. Sorry to hijack your thread but I need some help. Thanks in advance.

Bo