My 1986 Grand National (re) Build Thread

[Forzfed]

Nice work!

[larrym]

Video Log is great! I too hate wiring so the end really put a smile on my face.

[GavinHunyady]

oh man, I'm finally done with the wiring... connected the WB02, PL and all the interior is back together.


I finally got the brakes to bleed, I had a collapsed hose on the RF, I also put new drums on the rear because I didnt have a good way to measure the aluminum drums that I had. I figure if they are still good they wont go bad sitting on the shelf.


Anyhow, in the most anti-climactic way possible... I got a no start once I finished up last night. Fuel pressure looks a little low <30psi, I hadnt set the regulator yet. I also noticed the fuel pump wasnt as loud as I expected/remembered. I did get injector pulse on the noid light while cranking and I did spark... so I'm thinking its fuel related but ran out of time (energy) for more trouble shooting last night. (also didnt check batt voltage, but had the charger on it for a while)


It did sound like it stumbled or popped a little while cranking, maybe as if it was off time. Its been a long time since I put the cam sensor in, I'm pretty sure I got it in correctly, but I've made bigger mistakes.


Anyhow, I've got some troubleshootin g to do:

• double check plug wires
• check battery voltage
• check voltage at fuel pump (hotwire fuse maybe?)
• set fuel pressure regulator with fuel pump running by hotwiring the test plug (is there a better way?)
• replace fuel filter if 43psi cant be met (not sure what else to do)
• check cam sensor timing
• anything else I'm missing other than the obvious grounds and connections (though the pulse and spark makes me think I'm OK)

[good2win22]

Glad to hear you are making some progress even if there are a few obstacles. Here's a link to help with your no start issue:


http://www.vortexbuicks-etc.com/no_start_tree.htm

[GavinHunyady]

yup 


Already printed it out to take it home.

[Steve Wood]

sounds like the fuel pressure is too low to activate the injectors.

You can squirt some gas in the throttlebody and crank it up, I suspect...doub t it will keep running until you get the pressure up a bit

[GavinHunyady]

ok, got the fuel pressure set by running the pump of the diag wire...


but something is off time, it chugs and stumbles... I'll check the cam and crank sensors..

[GavinHunyady]

Yup, cam sensor was off, I must have put my mark at 25* BTDC instead of ATDC. Fired right up.


Now on to the next problems, trans cooler line adapter leaks at the trans case, and low oil pressure light is on.


I'll rig up a gauge to see what the actual oil pressure is. I did prime it with a drill, though that was some time ago. As a result (I hope) the lifters are SUPER noisy, that has me really concerned.


I took apart the trans cooler lines, and the brass adapter looks ok, I wasnt sure what to expect. It doesnt look like it seals on the threads but rather the slightly conical shape of the seat. Anyone have advise for these things? Is there supposed to be a crush washer?

[TexasT]

No crush washer, probably just need to "massage" the line around to give it a better straight shot to get the line seated well.

[GavinHunyady]

its definitely leaking between the case and the adapter, not between the line and the adapter.

[TexasT]

I'm guessing the pump was packed with vaseline or something to get it to prime. I don't know how long it sat but I soak lifters in some stp treatment after disassembly, cleanout and reassembly of the lifter . Some break in lube on the cam . I know you have your own "tricks" with your race engines. The lifters might just be dry. Have you broken in the cam? Maybe pull the cam sensor and spin it with the drill with a vc off to make sure it is pulling oil up. If not repack the pump and try again. It at least that's what I would do.

[TexasT]

its definitely leaking between the case and the adapter, not between the line and the adapter.

In that case, pull the fitting wrap it in Teflon tape(I like three turns, no less, no more haha I used to do fire sprinkers and wrapped a sprinkler head or two in my time) and reassemble. Or some rector seal #5 if you like paste. Or maybe you have some fancy stuff in your race box.

[GavinHunyady]

Usually loctite 577 is what I use, but I'm not afraid to use tape. 

[TexasT]

Tape just looks tacky, but it is what I know. I'll have to look up what locktite 577 is. I use a lot of the blue locktite. I used to get it in the little single use packets working in the oil field. I have a bunch of em as every setting tool came with it and a frac ball. I got a bunch of balls too, or can I say that? Haha my humor might not come across well on the interwebz.

[GavinHunyady]

I'm guessing the pump was packed with vaseline or something to get it to prime. I don't know how long it sat but I soak lifters in some stp treatment after disassembly, cleanout and reassembly of the lifter . Some break in lube on the cam . I know you have your own "tricks" with your race engines. The lifters might just be dry. Have you broken in the cam? Maybe pull the cam sensor and spin it with the drill with a vc off to make sure it is pulling oil up. If not repack the pump and try again. It at least that's what I would do.

Lifters and cam are all new, and were soaked, also primed the engine with a drill motor, checked at the turbo line for oil pumping. That's not in the upper end circuit though. I hadnt run it with a valve cover off to see if oil is coming up through the pushrods, thats an idea. Also hadn't broken in the cam yet, between the noise and the oil light I wasnt going to let it run for 30minutes until I verified that I have oil pressure.