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| The engine is back together but...; I've got a couple problems | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Oct 25 2013, 04:59 PM (868 Views) | |
| geodad98117 | Oct 25 2013, 04:59 PM Post #1 |
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Thought I was doing a clean detailed job on this rebuild per the FSM but ran into a couple issues on trying to start it up. Bummer. First, I cranked it with the F1 fuse and coil unplugged to get the oil pressure light to go out before I tried starting but never could get it to show pressure. I have a new pump and I did note it was dry but figured it would fill up and prime on it's own. Is this correct or do I have another issue to resolve? Decided to start it up and see if the light goes out. Second, filled up the coolant and heard a dripping sound. Appears to be coming from the joint where the tube comes into the back of the water pump. That joint had an O ring and black RTV sealant when I disassembled. I cleaned all the old RTV from both parts The O ring in my gasket set didn't look as thick in diameter so I put it back together with the old O ring and some red RTV. So it has to come apart and I'm wondering if it's easier to pull the head rather than just the intake manifold to get access. Those bottom intake manifold bolts are a PITA to get to. Or maybe pull the alternator get enough access that way? Third, I thought I'd fire it up anyway for a couple seconds just to hear it run so I put in the fuse and hooked up the ignition wires. Got a couple sputters but it wouldn't run. Pretty sure the camshaft/crankshaft timing was set correctly and I set the distributor in the middle of the adjustment range. So I have to work through that system too. |
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| Deleted User | Oct 25 2013, 05:07 PM Post #2 |
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Hopefully, you poured a little oil in the oil pump before you installed it. You'll get the pump to move oil by cranking it, but you usually won't get pressure. The coolant tube can be removed and the o-ring replaced without any major disassembly. Click on the link in my signature about o-rings for more information. I have them, or they're available from Suzuki or GM. They are metric o-rings. You'll get more than one suggestion about which o-ring from which source will work. Chances are, they won't. Or, maybe they will. Get the correct o-ring. Did you clean or bleed down the lifters? If they're pumped full of oil, you'll be there all week trying to get the engine started. |
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| geodad98117 | Oct 25 2013, 05:37 PM Post #3 |
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Thanks for the reply. No, I didn't put any oil in the pump, I installed it dry. Do you think it will get going on its own? I put assembly lube in all the bearings and some oil on the cylinder walls but I wouldn't want to run very long with the light on. I'll send you a PM for the O ring if I can't find the correct thing locally this weekend. I've taken another look and see how I could slip out the tube if I can get to the mounting bolt under the intake manifold. Hard to access but better than pulling the manifold. Edit: I found it at one of the GM dealers, this should be the correct one, right? Do you use RTV in conjunction with the O ring? I didn't really touch the lifters. Per the FSM I just removed them and stored in marked jars of clean motor oil. I put each one back in the same hole it came out of. I checked compression while cranking for oil pressure and was getting 150 so I don't think they're pumped up. Actually that's another question I had. I was expecting to see more compression after all this. Can I expect it to raise after the rings seat? Edited by geodad98117, Oct 25 2013, 05:52 PM.
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| Deleted User | Oct 26 2013, 01:42 AM Post #4 |
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You can prime the oil pump with one of those little bottles of oil with the long plastic extending tube. Remove the spark plugs to make the engine turn more easily. Then remove the oil filter. Put your little oil tube into the oil galley hole in the block that goes towards the oil pump. Squeeze oil in there while turning the engine in reverse with a ratchet on the crankshaft bolt. That should be adequate to get the pump primed. If you see oil in the oil filter area when you remove the oil filter, the priming operation is not required. When you get the cooling tube out, make sure the hole in the block is nice and clean. Use some sandpaper to remove any corrosion and remnants of RTV. Clean the end of the coolant tube. Put a light smear of Vaseline inside the hole in the block. Put a little Vaseline on the o-ring. It will slip right in. That's all I ever do. They don't leak when you have the right o-ring. No RTV required. If you're getting compression, the engine should start and run. I very rarely, if ever, check engine compression, especially on a freshly overhauled engine. If it's running well, and doesn't use much oil, don't worry about it. |
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| geodad98117 | Oct 26 2013, 04:50 PM Post #5 |
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Thanks for the help Glenn. All the problems are solved. I pulled out the coolant tube, cleaned up the water pump housing and replaced the O ring. Put it back together, no RTV and filled up with coolant. No leaks. I had set the distributor in the middle of the range thinking that it should run there. Pulled up a photo of that end of the engine before the tear down and noted it was set to one end of the range so I matched that. Turned the key and it fired up on the first revolution. Only let it run a second because I had pulled the oil filter off to check for oil. I didn't see any oil when I pulled the filter off so I was thinking I'd have to prime as you described but after running a second there was oil on the floor so I put the filter back on and started it up. The oil light went off in a second and it purrs like a kitten. Had a bit of a tapping under the valve cover (I assumed a lifter) for a while but that went away and it sounds perfect. Thanks again for your help. Edited by geodad98117, Oct 26 2013, 06:40 PM.
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| Boogie Rat | Oct 27 2013, 03:31 PM Post #6 |
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When it came to pre-oiling my rebuilt engine. I removed the plugs, FI fuse, oil filter and valve cover. I cranked while a buddy watched the oil filter mount and stopped when he told me oil was coming out of it. I then spun on the filter and cranked again until it got good, consistent oil flow to the camshaft journals. Then I re-installed the valve cover. After everything was back together, it only took about three seconds of cranking and it fired right up. 2000 miles and no problems yet. |
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