Well, fortunately my block is ok after my little oil incident and after getting the valvetrain set straight. I just have some little questions I'd like to clear up:

1. I have a slight exhaust leak from the passenger side header, because the thing somehow warped very slightly, just enough for a leak. I can't pinpoint the location, but it's causing a slight tap when under load. Can or should I line the outside of the header where it contacts the head with some RTV? Will this solve the problem, or cause more problems?

2. My speedo is way off. I believe it climbs too quickly, and sits quite above the actual speed (I haven't found out exactly how much it's off yet). But I have this accounted for on my tune from Madz28 I know I should probably still expect a little, but this is pretty bad. I'm assuming I should contact Ion? Or is there something else, that might not have anything to do with his tune?

3. Everytime I start the car, no matter what the temps are, I have to give it a little gas to start it and then it will bog down to about 500 rpm, then go right up to normal idle at about 900rpm. Any ideas on that?

Other than those couple things, it seems ok. And I must say, it is AMAZING the difference in power. I don't think my tranny likes the new power though. I have to drive it significantly through different shifts and let it warm up or will not even shift when floored. But once it's ready to go it seems to shift fine. And I have to thank everyone who helped me out through some of my very "rookie" moments, being my first h/c swap. Thank you and I will be posting my promised video very soon.

 

1) The RTV will burn off very quickly. You may have to pull the header and see if you can get it straightened out.

2) Get the tune fixed.

3) ???

 

try tightening the headder bolts. if that does not work change the gasket and check it to see if it is warped. sounds like the speedo is off due tothe tune. the other issues with the tranny and the starting may also be addressed with a tune. there is no substitute for a good dyno tune.

 

I'm hoping not to go as far as pulling the header, I might not be able to anymore work like that around here for a while and I'd rather not pay a shop just to do that. Hopefully I don't have to pay anything for a retune, if it was a mistake on their part at least.

 

Yeah, the next thing I'm going to do is get it dyno tuned, I just have the mailorder until then.

 

I have a huge problem with my mail order tune from Ion (madz28). I have to go on the gas to even start it up and let it warm up a bit before it will even begin to think of running half way decient. And it runs richer then **** no matter what I do and fouls out plugs. I talked a local tuner that does an excellent job tuneing the fbodys and other ls1/lt1 cars around here. He looked at the tune that Ion had sent me and found all sorts of things wrong with it. I would not recomend going through Ion for a mail order tune. Seems kind of hit or miss with him.

 

Hmm, seems like you have the same problem as me with your start up, but mine will drive ok right away, it just won't shift if i get on it too much until I drive it for a while. The guy at my performance shop also told me that I should get it on their dynojet, but that this will be decent enough to use for a while. So it's sounding like all the problems I have can be solved with a good tune, except for the header leak obviously. I'm going to head out to Pep Boys and see if I can find anything that might be a quick fix for the header leak.