Still No Start

[maroman88]

still no luck with my TPI conversion. installed new TPI fuel pump and it works, plenty of presure. car cranks and keeeps crakin. its puffs pops and hisses and small clouds of smoke come out of the TPI plenum and the runners are gettin warm but she just wont start. could it be crossed ignition wires? maybe the dist? also i ****ed up the fuel tank fill tube while takin it out, i bent it all up n now the tank wont sit right. anybody got a tank layin around without a bent fill tube i guess

[Tru2Chevy]

Are you sure that the distributor is in correctly? It could be 180* out if it's cranking and blowing smoke out the top.

- Justin

[Koll]

Are you sure that the distributor is in correctly? It could be 180* out if it's cranking and blowing smoke out the top.

- Justin

Yeah. Try popping the cap 180* around.

Also, are you sure that you marked where the rotor was on the dist and put it back the same way?

[The Fixer]

Agreed with Justin. If you wanna check it the easy way, find where #6 is on the cap, and make that #1. Then re-wire from that point. That would be the same as pulling the distributor.

[maroman88]

ok steve ur idea worked, but only once, on the second start i got nothin but a click from wat sounds like the area of the dist, so i put the plugs back to the correct spots and still jus the click....

[Tru2Chevy]

ok steve ur idea worked, but only once, on the second start i got nothin but a click from wat sounds like the area of the dist, so i put the plugs back to the correct spots and still jus the click....

Did it actually start up and run?

- Justin

[maroman88]

yea for about 3 seconds lol

[Tru2Chevy]

yea for about 3 seconds lol

Well if it actually ran then why did you change it back? Look for whatever is causing your new problem next....

- Justin

[maroman88]

i looked, the click seems to be coming from the distibuter but ill have to take a better look between school and work later today. i know its not the starter clicking cuz my other camaro makes that noise all the time. ill check all the fuses but i have no idea what could cause it to just click?

[maroman88]

ok the click has been narrowed down to either the EGR(the circle in the middle of the manifold) or the cold start 9th injector. i have no idea wat the EGR is or does and if it would cause this so please help!?

[HardcoreZ28]

I'd say your timing is still off enough to keep it from running. Pull the distributor out and pull the driver valve cover. Turn your engine over until the balancer mark is lined up with 0 on the timing tab and both of the valves for #1 are closed. Then line everything up so the distributor drops back down with the rotor pointing at the correct number 1 position (about 5 o'clock). Then reinstall your cap and wires correctly and crank it up. Should be close enough to keep it running now and then fine tune it with a timing ligh.

[maroman88]

as of now the engine wont turn over, when u turn the key there is just a small click that might be coming from the EGR

[The Fixer]

Could it be something wrong with the VATS unit?

[Fasterthanyou]

as of now the engine wont turn over, when u turn the key there is just a small click that might be coming from the EGR
Sounds like a battery problem. Try jumping it and see if it turns over.

[maroman88]

no vats on the 88 and the battery seems fine, plenty of fuel pressure, 9th injector is workin, just that click that seems to be soming from the EGR valve and thats it. even when u turn the key with the cap and all the wires off thats still all that happens

[maroman88]

keep in mind it did run yesterday for a very short period, then after that nothing... could the EGR be stuck closed/open, i tested it like it said to do in the maual, i pushed on the inside and it made a suction feeling and could hear the air moving, im stuck........................

[Tru2Chevy]

So when you turn the key now, it clicks, and nothing else?

Bad starter/solenoid? I say bust out the voltmeter (or even test light) and see if everything is getting power.

- Justin

[PDubs87Z28]

Check the Pick up on the distributor or the Module...that little black rectangle on the dist. might be shot.....Part might run 50 bucks. If you haven't already tired Take wire #1 stick a screwdriver in it... put it a 1/4 inch or closer to a piece of metal & have someone turn the key just with short cranks...if no spark you problem is the pick up and module.

[maroman88]

ive got another distibutor so when it stops raining ill pop that in and see if it does anything different, i just rechecked all the wires to the starter and gave it a good smack lol

[HardcoreZ28]

Definitly electrical. The EGR cannot make a clicking sound as it's a rubber diaphragm inside.

[maroman88]

i swapped the little black rectangle thing with another one and nothing, so i swapped the whole distibutor and still nothing, where is the starter solinoid? by the starter?

[HardcoreZ28]

It's bolted right to the starter.

[Ian]

the starter solenoid is ON the starter.

[PDubs87Z28]

did you place the electrod jelly under the module....i did that too and i fried a new one. theres a special electrode jelly that needs to be spread under the module on the metal side. With out that coated on there once you turn the key ur screwed....or u might get one start out of it.....take the distributor that u have and get a new pick up and module because after i fried the module the pick up went bad and i needed a new pick up and module.....your last crank was probably all you had left on the pick up. change out the module and pick up....or else its like using a condom twice with out changing the pick up

[maroman88]

electrod jelly? where do i get that? there was no jelly of any sort on either distibutor and the 1st one was on the car with the TBI system i had before n it was fine, and the new one was working out of a 88 GTA. if its not the starter or solinoid ill try the pickup or module, are they 2 seperate things? the module i swapped had the connectors for the 2 electrical plugs n thta was all that looked like it could come off.

[PDubs87Z28]

Yeah the pick up looks like a circle on the dist. the wires from the pick up plug into the module. you gotta put the elecrode jelly on the module so it won't short out the pick up......im pretty sure you can get the jelly at napa or pep boys or somewhere.....i got it from my old job because i use to work at a gas station. mess around with the starter then try my idea if it doesn't work.

[maroman88]

ok i got the wire tester and there seems to be power going to all the starter wires when the key is in the start position. i checked the wires going to the modual on the distributor and only the connector with the 2 wires(red and white i think) gets power. the second connector with 4 wires(white purple brown black/red) gets no power in the start or run key positions. i got a picture of the conectors but i duno how to post it but i can email it to u if it would help.

[PDubs87Z28]

Yeah send me an e-mail (V8pwrdolds@aol.com) I bet you the pick up is bad. the last time you got it started was probably all you had left. that happened to my car and that was it....send the pic let me see if its the same thing.

[maroman88]

sent

[PDubs87Z28]

Kinda hard to tell.....let me check my dist. and see how it is again. when you got to start does anything happen with the key in the start position or run position? Does the key cylinder move freely when turning to start? another thing i forgot to factor in was maybe you ignition cylinder may be broken as well...(lets leave that for option 2)

[maroman88]

key turns fine with no problem. when its turned, nothing happens. i checked the four wires in teh connector on my other camaro and got no light from them either so thats not the problem, monday im guna disconect the harness from the firewall and make sure everything is still clean and making good contact....other then that i duno wat else to do and the car season is here.....

[PDubs87Z28]

really.....im starting to think that it actually might be the cylinder....i still think it may be the pick up and module as well. In the begining of march i gutted the inside of my camaro because i ordered new carpet and a new driver seat.....long story short i had everything together and while it was inside my buddys garage i started the car for 2 seconds and he bitched saying we were ganna die.....so i shut it off......when i went to put the radio on....NOTHING....tried starting it....NOTHING i bought a new key cylinder for $10...put that in....NOTHING.... what actually was the problem was the little gear that moves when you turn the key came loose... my buddy tightened it up and started right up. Those are the only things i can actually think of thats wrong with it. I'd have to actually see the problem to give you the actual answer....let me know if the wires are the problem

[maroman88]

nope my radio works as well as all the power stuff. i took out the distubutor and turned the key to see if the starter moved at all, it didnt, should it still work without the distibutor in? if it should i guess i found my problem, is there a way to test the starter?

[PDubs87Z28]

if theres juice...it will turn....might be something with the ignition system its self thats fried....somethings def wrong. ok....if the pick up/module went bad you'd have crank but no spark. if you have no crank gotta be electrical or something with the starter or even some thing in side the coloum......i don't know how to exactly test the starter......maybe a stupid ground wire got fried

[Tru2Chevy]

The starter is attached with two bolts.....take it off and have it tested. If there is something clicking in the engine bay when you turn the key, obviously it's not the ignition cylinder. Sounds like a starter solenoid to me. I'm willing to bet that your distributor is just fine.

- Justin

[maroman88]

yea sounds liek the starter, i climbed under there n smacked it with a wrench and got it to click once or twice per smack then i had someone else turn the key while under the car and it would click and shoot sparts out of the motor terminal. how much is a starter n should i jus get a new one and give it a shot?

[Tru2Chevy]

They start around $35.00 and go up well over $100 depending on brand.

- Justin

[maroman88]

ok well im a little confused...theres the little piece with the wires going to it(starter motor?) and then theres the big thing, might be the solinoid? which do i need to get?

[Tru2Chevy]

ok well im a little confused...theres the little piece with the wires going to it(starter motor?) and then theres the big thing, might be the solinoid? which do i need to get?

The starter assembly is composed of two cylinder shaped objects. One big (starter) one little (starter solenoid). They are attached to each other. Any starter that you buy in a parts store will come with both pieces.

- Justin

[camaro2you]

you can buy a button to start the car under the hood i think you turn the key on and hook it up to the starter and positive on the battery and just push the button there like twenty bucks. just a thought

[PDubs87Z28]

true if you're getting clicking then its not the cylinder but if nothing is happening after you put the starter in and it just cranks without turning on--then no spark. buy the starter i think mine ran $60ish (i don't remember)

[maroman88]

yea got the starter it was 66 but i get 15 back when i bring the core in so not to bad, its halfway installed, i ran outa time n had to run to work so tomarrow we'll see what happens....

[maroman88]

ok starter is in and its back to square one, just keeps cranking and backfireing/popping/hissing. the timing is really off and even with the wires reversed it wont start like before, i tried the thing suggested earlier with removing the drivers valve cover and the dist. and cranking until both the #1 valves are closed, but they never close at the same time help plesae ive lost allll patience!

[Tru2Chevy]

i tried the thing suggested earlier with removing the drivers valve cover and the dist. and cranking until both the #1 valves are closed, but they never close at the same time help plesae ive lost allll patience!

If they never close at the same time, then you have some kind of freak camshaft in there. Both valves should be closed during the compression stroke. Are you turning the motor over by hand and watching the rockers?

- Justin

[maroman88]

turnin it over with the key and watchin, does this make the split second there both closed go by to fast?

how do i turn it by hand?

[PDubs87Z28]

I've never tried it but i've heard about this.....take a pry bar and go to the center pulley and there should be bolts there that if you get the pry bar to grip then put all your power into it & turn....i've heard that could work...BUT I'VE NEVER TRIED IT so don't get mad at me if it doesn't work lol

[Tru2Chevy]

Stick a breaker bar (or a big ratchet) on the crank bolt, turn it till the intake on #1 opens and then closes.

- Justin

[maroman88]

the intake would be the more forward one? and the exhaust the back one?

after that set the dist to the number one spot and give it a shot?

[Tru2Chevy]

the intake would be the more forward one? and the exhaust the back one?

after that set the dist to the number one spot and give it a shot?

I don't remember off the top of my head, but look at where the exhaust port is....the valve directly above it is the exhaust, the other one is the intake.

- Justin