trying to start .... please could someone help?

1madgumby

New member
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

Dude I have the same problum with mine when I went to start it. I have 4 threads showing on the rocker studs. I did have like 8 showing & did not have 0 psi. on all clys. You have the same heads,rockers. I have the 412 cam but that is not going to throw it off were it not going to start. Set all your rockers with 4 threads showing & it shoud fire right up. hope it helps.
 

JSM

Active member
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

That v8ttty guy on chat is a asshat. Trust me.

50# inj and stock chip is not a great combo. Try your other ecm, might also check the lash again now that it has run, lifters might have pumped up and sounds like setting lash isn't your expertise at least yet. (that is ok though).

Honestly 50# inj are a pain in terms of from 1 truck to another they vary a ton for some reason. Once tuned they do ok. Where is your 50# chip from?

Going by "4 threads" is a BAD idea. Best to set lash properly. Height of head surfacing, block, pushrod length, head gasket thickness etc will all change how many threads show on the stud. This assumes you have adjustable rockers also, a lot of the 4.3 stuff was not.
 

Quickstop [UK]

Combating adversyty.
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

thanks for the tips. My ECM is a stock one and the 50# I got is from Mike Hood. I also have one from Tooky that I could use. I was using a PROMinator that I got to work.

I did try both ECMs and had a similar experience with them. Datamaster monitors when it is not in the start posn then obviously cuts out when I turn the key.

I will definitely do the lash adjust again - I am certainly no expert seeing as that was the second time I ever did it. I guess I am a bit less delicate than I need to be when feeling for resistance. I definitely will adjust them again this weekend. I was going to do a hot lash but it needs to be running for that right? Maybe one step at a time :lol:

The best comp on the cylinders was 170psi and the least was 120 - would that be enough of a spread to stop it running? It has convinced me in any case to revisit the lash.

Would I be making life difficult sticking with the 50s? I think longterm I am going to need 65s or more - just got fed up of spending money for the time being :D

The truck wants to start but it doesn't quite build up enough rpm to get away from the starter. It needs a lot of throttle to keep it going but as soon as I turn the key back to run, it dies immediately.

Would it start at all if the ECM was bad? Am wondering why it won't gfet up and keep running. I am so close...

FP stays at around 42 psi. I tried the trick DaveP suggested with my AFPR and a vacuum pump, took 15psi off the AFPR and it made little to no difference.

Last night was kind of emotional because within the space of 3 hours I went from thinking I had to pull the engine to actually having my truck fire up for the first time in 2 years... I got pretty wasted :D

So when are you free to come over? :D
 

bezerk

New member
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

if you set lash as i decribed you to do, you might not had oil soaked lifters. and the spring inside the lifter makes it easy to bottem it down without feeling resistance.
on the otherhand. you primed the engine before you set the lash or after?
my Sy started up with 65's on a bad ECM, but on the otherhand it really depends on how it's bad or what bad things it does.
 

Quickstop [UK]

Combating adversyty.
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

lash was set initially before I primed the engine so it was probably all off for starting.

I'm going to have to do it again I think - I am aiming to get the compression a bit closer on each cylinder - wish I knew what I was doing :D
 

1madgumby

New member
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

I need A vacation, get me A plane ticiket & I will get it running for you in A hour.
 

Quickstop [UK]

Combating adversyty.
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

:lol: when you wanna come on vacation then?

Ok, this evening I had another go at the truck and still couldn't get it to run.

I tested both ECMs that I have and I get ALDL data on both, one of which is the PROMinator setup that I thought wasn't working.

I loaded up a 50# bin and put in the 3 bar MAP so that it had the right references.

I connected the FP test circuit and verified my FP which was actually running at 50psi. I brought that down to a nice and healthy 42psi.

The engine turns over and I get good spark and I know there is fuel. I flushed all the lines before I started the truck and the flow coming out of the pipe was massive - no blocked filter.

I thought that the FP might not be working once I took the key off CRANK and left it in the RUN position so I jumpered it and it made no difference.

EGR block off plate is closed off so no issue there.

Would the oil pressure switch cause the engine to not start? It cranks and I have fuel - I thought if the OP switch was too low then there was no fuel? I know I DO have oil pressure due to it previously leaking from the turbo hoses and when I primed it maually it was very very tight.

I checked for a tach signal when cranking and got it so the ECM is getting a timing reference pulse.

The odd thing is that when I turn on the IGN the CEL stays on permanently. Is this a fault? I get code 12 if I test the ALDL but apparently this is normal pre start.

I disonnected the FP relay and cranked it and it sounded a lot better, almost like it would run.

Has anyone got any suggestions?

IAC motors fine as well when I short the ALDL.

I'm going to jumper the OP switch. Where is the oil pressure sensor that links to the dash? Is it the same component?
 

dgoodhue

BuSTeD 4.3
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

If your having problems setting the lash on the valve, you can always doing with the engine running. I warm my engine up a little and pulled each valve cover off, I used a 6" high piece of cardboard as a splash shield.
 

bezerk

New member
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

If your having problems setting the lash on the valve, you can always doing with the engine running. I warm my engine up a little and pulled each valve cover off, I used a 6" high piece of cardboard as a splash shield.

that's the mayor problem, getting it to start
 

dgoodhue

BuSTeD 4.3
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

Would the oil pressure switch cause the engine to not start? It cranks and I have fuel -?

I think the oil pump switch cuts the power to the fuel pump. I think you said it smell rich, have you tried a test light accross the furl injector harness to see if it pulsing? I would also imagine that the spark plugs might be getting all fouled up (assuming it's actually injecting fuel into the cylinders.)
 

UK-Ty

Ty Crazy
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

Mark on the up side you have made me feel happy that i only have a problem with knock.
 

Quickstop [UK]

Combating adversyty.
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

the plugs are brand new and I have taken them out a couple of times to get to the cylinders - they don't look gummed up at all. I've only turned the engine over a few times so don't think that's the problem.

The injectors are matched to the BIN and the fuel pressure is correct, not sure how it could be rich.

I'm going to back the dist off by a tooth or two tomorrow and see if that affects my timing but I used the timing light and it was bang on so I am certain that isn't the problem.

I'm going to have another go at the lash tomorrow but I have great compression now so it should at least run, if only very rough.

I'll test the injectors for the pulses - ordered a NOID set this week but bank holiday = no set :(

What the hell am I forgetting here? :(
 

Quickstop [UK]

Combating adversyty.
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

Mark on the up side you have made me feel happy that i only have a problem with knock.

I call it the Eastenders Theory of Relative Misery :D

As long as someone is worse off than you, you feel a lot better about your own predicament!
 

91blazins10

Active member
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

Your distributor is in wrong, might be 180 degrees out. Mine sounded just like that when it was 180 out.:2cents:
 

Quickstop [UK]

Combating adversyty.
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

I was really thorough on checking the timing for the compression strole and have tried it 180 out just in case anyway...

If you look at the pics earlier on in the thread you can see that I set the rotor to point at no1 and the position of the balanceer to TDC at the time.

I verified TDC both with the balancer and with the piston stop.

For shits and giggles I'm going to take the dis out and move it back a tooth or two and see what I get.
 

bezerk

New member
Re: trying to start .... please could someone help?

If you look at the pics earlier on in the thread you can see that I set the rotor to point at no1 and the position of the balanceer to TDC at the time.

I verified TDC both with the balancer and with the piston stop.

For shits and giggles I'm going to take the dis out and move it back a tooth or two and see what I get.

still haven't done that? jeez...
 
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