Big block build for the Starship

I took it off of the jackstands today. I made another bracket for the trans dipstick. The serpentine belt is back in place. Tomorrow I am going to install the new bracket, and then it is time to try starting it. If it is running properly, I am going to put some refrigerant in the AC. I need to take my computer with me just in case it wants a TPS autoset. A couple of doors need realignment. I thought I had them right, but I can see the discrepancies. If I can get the hood on by myself, I can take it for a drive and get some gas.

The air dam impact detector needed a small tweak to clear the bumper cover. A small S bend did the trick.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

If I can get the hood on by myself, I can take it for a drive and get some gas.

This is Florida Fred, we don't need no stinking hoods.

I prefer to keep rain off of my engine and associated electronics.

Here is the new finished 461 cu. in. BBC. I was doing some final checks, and found a bad hose clamp on the upper hose. FEAD is from (pass side) 92 Chevy S10, and (dr side) 93 Fleetwood (requires FW power steering pump). Distributor eliminator (no distributor) and crank sensor with LS coil near plugs on custom brackets. Blow by oil catch can on the pass side. Upper driver's side is the Hydroboost. If you are using tall valve covers and coil near plug, I would suggest mounting the Hydroboost upside down for #7 plug wire clearance. Holley MPFI and custom fab intake. It has a 16" primary fan and a 14" secondary fan controlled by the computer through the gray relays (top pass side). I had to clearance the cowl behind the wiper motor so I can get the pass side valve cover off, and above the throttle linkage.

Looks great Fred!

Looks great!!!

I think I have stumbled on a wiring issue with the fuel pump. I inadvertently left the ignition switch on, and hooked up the battery without the computer hooked up, and the fuel pump ran. It should not run unless the computer commands it to. I am going to remove a redundant relay that I believe Is the culprit.

I rewired the issue by bypassing the redundant relay to the original one, and used the relay to supply 12v elsewhere. I had a wire pull out of a connector so had to repair that too. I had to connect it by feel. I could not put my hand on it, and see it at the same time.

We have ignition, and liftoff. The beast Is alive.

I was cranking it and it made a small pop...I squirted a little brake cleaner in the intake and it started...I thought it would burn off the break cleaner and quit, but low and behold it continued to run. Turned it off, and tried starting it again...it started, and continued to run.

I took it for a test drive, put gas in it, and it is acting like it has injector problems.

I found a local place that referbs fuel injectors, so I pulled them and dropped them off. They are supposed to be done tomorrow. $220 vs $500 for new ones.

I got the injectors back. The guy said that they were really dirty. Next, I need to reinstall them and find out if they were the culprit.

Injectors are reinstalled. If I feel up to it, the starter goes in tomorrow.

I had to put an alternator in the White Elephant today. The old one needs a new voltage regulator. I may rebuild it.

Installed the starter today. I want to check the driver's side ignition ground.

Reinstalled the skid plate. Checked the driver's side ignition ground. It started to get dark, so I called it a day.

I tried starting it today, and it is still backfiring from the left bank. Pulled a few plugs and I think #3 is not firing. I am going to check the coil and its associated wiring tomorrow.

I spoke with the tech at Holley, and thinks my timing has slipped.

I spoke with another Holley tech on Tuesday. He suggested that I might have a valve not opening. Since the #3 cylinder was not firing, I pulled the valve cover, and low and behold the exhaust valve adjuster had backed off. I think that says it all. The tech said that he had 3 instances in the past 3 months that had virtually the same symptoms.

A friend of mine stopped by today to pick up a few things, and gave me a hand getting the engine to tdc on #1, so I could reset the #3 exhaust valve (same as the 350). I got most of it back together, but lost a nut for the rear coil on the driver's side. I decided to check the valve cover bolts, and they were on the borderline of loose, now I must remove the wiper motor to tighten the rear bottom bolt on the passenger's side.

I have it back together. Now I need to clear the learn table, and start it.

I had to squirt some brake cleaner in the intake to get it to start, and amazing as it may seem, it started and ran. I shut it off, and it started right back up. I guess it likes a sip from the bottle before running the first time. Now, if it continues to start and run, I will be happy. I may carry a can of brake cleaner with me just in case it doesn't want to start again.

It does not like to start after sitting over night. I think I am going to replace the pump.

The Holley rep informed me about a change in the latest software. The new addition is a selection for prime mixture. It should solve my start issue. It allows mixture adjustment for starting the car. It comes set at 0, and the engine does not run without fuel.

I made the change in the tune, and now it starts almost instantly. So I am on the road again. Now to fix the deferred maintenance on the White Elephant.

I am having some teething issues, but the engine starts and runs.

I did a little trouble shooting today and found a few leaks in the cooling system. I need to make a tiny header tank with check valves so the system self bleeds. The reason I need it is that the reservoir is below the filler.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

I am having some teething issues

Did you get your choppers fixed?

Tom

One of them was the leaks... maybe three. On to the next one.

I am waiting for parts again. The only parts available locally are the hose, a fitting, and hose clamps. I had to get the check valves and Y fitting on line. Counting the days.

I was going to drain some of the coolant today, and found that the draincock will not open. One more BS item to deal with.

I received the Y pipe and the check valves, so I installed them. Now I need to replace the radiator drain cock, and partially drain the cooling system to make a couple of minor improvements.

The cooling system upgrades are done. I need to fill the suction line from the reservoir. The replacement of the draincock went well with minimal fluid on the floor.

Got all of the issues fixed except the A/C charge, so I am driving it. The trans fluid was really low, so I warmed it up and filled it. It idled for about a half hour and maintained engine temperature...cost me an untold amount of gas.

It got me one last time...dying battery. New battery put in today...starts better.

I gave it a half throttle hit from a light, and it chirped a tire. Another 425 miles till break-in. I'm starting to save up for another pair of rear tires.

Well it is at it again. I had a couple backfires in the last couple of days, and it would not start today. Tries to run, but backfires and stops. It may be another valve backed off. I'll have it towed to my dad's house when the rain stops.

It appears that a few ignition wires were loose. I am charging the battery before trying to starting it. I ordered some higher flow injectors, because I was looking at the demand on the fuel graph and the ones I have in it now are really close to the demand at full throttle. I should get them on Thursday.

Got the 48 PPH injectors today. Now to get them installed and put a revised tune in it.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

Got the 48 PPH injectors today. Now to get them installed and put a revised tune in it.

Is that system a sequential or batch fire?

I decided to use sequential, but batch fire is an option. I watched an episode of Engine Masters where they tested both. There was little difference between them.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

I decided to use sequential, but batch fire is an option. I watched an episode of Engine Masters where they tested both. There was little difference between them.

When it comes to horsepower they are nearly identical because the duty cycle on sequential increases to basically be firing all the time just like double fire does.

One thing that I have noticed compared to old TPI double fire setups is that when engines are designed with sequential they seem to use larger injectors than the non sequential engines.

I think this is probably so they can get more full directly into the cylinder while the intake valve is open. This all kind of coincided with the development of the finer spaying injectors which all that to happen and still get atomization. Bigger injector capacity allows them to be open for less of the cycle.

When I built my first twin turbo Mopar 340 engine, it ran on a carb but about 3 years later they came out with the DFI programmable TPI style kits. I programmed on a huge, expensive, slow 8086 processor laptop then. I was making 600hp on 36# injectors in that engine but they were very close to maxed out. Back then I didn't go bigger because it affected the low rpm smoothness and power somewhat because of the poor atomization in modified carb manifold I had made.

Installed the 48 PPH injectors today. I have a fuel pump issue as well. If it is decent weather tomorrow I may tackle the fuel pump/tank.

I finished removing the tank today. I believe the leak is because the O-ring is installed incorrectly. Fuel spews from around the sender if I tilt the tank. Tomorrow I pump the fuel from the currently full tank into the spare tank, I have. I am going to install a new fuel pump and internal pump to fuel line hose, and make sure the O-ring is properly installed. Then reinstall the tank, and pump the fuel back into the car. I made a push button cable that hooks to the battery, and the fuel pump override connector. I can run the pump manually. I used a push on button so that I can not forget to turn it off if I walk away from it and get distracted. It should take about 10 minutes to empty the full tank, and about 20 to refill it. 400 lph in the full tank, and a pump for an LO5 in the spare tank. I picked up a hose from a 94-96 LT1 car that goes between the filter and the connector at the frame before the line that goes to the fuel rail.

Took the fuel sender out ànd I need to adjust the height of the unit. It fit for years and now it is all of a sudden a quarter of an inch too tall for the tank. That is the cause of the leak. The internal hose is intact, and I am still going to replace the pump.

Did the further mod to the fuel sender and reinstalled it. Today the tank goes back in. If this does not work, it can only be the pressure regulator, because I have fixed everything else.

Another kick in the shins. Putting the tank back in, and wouldn't you know it, the 33 year old vent line decides to break. Another PITA to fix.

Turns out that the car is trying to make me look like an idiot. It was dark and what I thought was broken, was only the loom on the line moving around. Got everything hooked up today and transferred the gas back into the car. Now I need to charge the battery, and find a few fasteners that I dropped.

I tried starting it today and nothing. The only thing I did not replace is the pressure regulator. I pulled it apart, and I swapped the regulator on the fuel rail, but did not get the rail reinstalled. It is a job for someone with relatively small hands and short tools. I may have to make a job specific wrench to reinstall the rail. Sunday looks like a good day to install the rail.

After installing the pressure regulator I ran the pump and to my delight I now have no fuel pressure. Where is that place I bang my head.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

After installing the pressure regulator I ran the pump and to my delight I now have no fuel pressure.  Where is that place I bang my head.

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