janaka

iTrader: (7)

So a few weeks back I installed a set of TSP 5.3L heads. After the install I fired the car up and it smoked when idling and when rev'd (didn't drive the car). Being disappointed and thinking I botched the install I shut the car down and left it alone for a week or so. I talked to my buddy who's a mechanic (and installed the motor into my car: see signature) and decided to have him look at the car and do whats necessary to get it fixed.
Decided to tow the car to be safe since he's a 25min drive from my house (gotta love CAA). The day of the Tow I tried to start the car and no dice. Very odd.

Towed the car to his place.

Compression comes out to be ok, nothing screamingly obivous so did a Leak down- all within 10% - no leaks into intake, no bubbles in the rad, no air out the exhuast all seems 'normal'. Makes me slightly happier about head install.

He pulled my intake and found oil in the intake (Fast 90). He's thinking the cause was PCV issues so he bypass'ed the PVC with a K&N filter and such. Cleaned the oil out of the intake. Put it back together to start the car thinking it wasn't a coolant leak but blowby causing the smoking.

No start.

Checked for fuel pressure (A1000 pump, new stainless lines, FPR) and its good.

Tested for spark and it has spark (new plugs installed and gapped).

No known issues in with air (I assume air intake is off and TB blade moves)

Injectors are pulsing with correct voltage as per testing.

Says the car still won't start and "it won't even act like its going to catch"


I'm at a loss and I think he looks like this currently --->


I'm hoping another 'set of eyes' may see something that we are missing.

xRelapse13

iTrader: (21)

checked the starter? All grounds were put back on the back of the head?

janaka

iTrader: (7)

Can't say I'ce checked the starter as it'd be completely **** luck that it went. Grounds all accounted for as the car DID run lol. I'll mention the starter just incase that is the issue

xRelapse13

iTrader: (21)

Did the smoke smell like anything? color?

Have you tried turning over the motor by hand?

janaka

iTrader: (7)

car turns over via key (can see belt moving) and at the crank with big *** socket.

To me I *thought* the smoke was sweet aka my suspected coolant leak initially and it was white-ish in colour.

xRelapse13

iTrader: (21)

and it just wont fire? Have you checked the coil packs?

cadenwade

did you blow the head bolt holes out? so it wont crack the block.
and are you using 7.4 pushrods?

janaka

iTrader: (7)

it won't idle or catch at all. cranks and cranks and cranks.
we have spark so that eliminates the coil packs.
also NO error codes via the PCM either That alone boggles my mind at this point. Crank and cam sensors are functioning as per scanning I'm told.

I did blow out the head bolt holes. Based on measuring with the comp cams pushrod length checker we are using 7.30" pushrods (milled heads and LS7 lifters)

janaka

iTrader: (7)

so tonight i went to see the car at my mechanics.
he walked me through ALL the steps that hes gone through thus far.
He showed me the noid test on the injector clips, grounded spark plugs to show spark, fuel pressure guage the whole 9yrds.
Its weird the first turn of the key you could tell it wants to fire but instantly dies and if u continue to hold the key it doesn't ignite like it did on the first try. very weird.
so we pulled the #5 plug (as it was the lowest compression cyl) and checked spark on it and it was fine, went to put it in and dropped the plug, gone. Crap. he grabbed a TR6 out of a box on the shelf and threw it in #5 as he didn't want to use a used plug and that was the only new plug he had.

Attach all 8 injectors, snug all plugs, attach wires, turn the key.
Son of a bitch it fired over and caught and idled. What the F.

He stared at me sitting in the car with disbelief.

car idled and then the smoke started again. we let it idle incase there was oil residue in the intake that was burning off but it wasn't letting up. pulled the rad cap and proof is in the pudding, or bubbles as it were. Fack.

So tonight was a huge success as we got the car to start (without actually doing ANYTHING to it) and we know that it IS a coolant leak.

Downside is that all fingers point to a cracked head now it seems. We conclude this based on compression test and leakdown testing. Leakdown did not show any bubbles in the rad which makes us think there's something in the casting that failed or from the port/cnc work. Heads will be pulled off after he finishes two other cars that have been waiting on mine so they can be checked out for cracks etc. I'm going to be SOOO pissed if the seller of these heads neglected to inform me they were pooched when he sold them. Time will tell.

CamaroZ28_LS1

iTrader: (5)

well you have to throughly bleed the system, it takes a while to do so because the heads sit slightly above the radiator and air bubbles will come out of the radiator for a while. Now my Car smoked pretty good when I first started it up as well after doing heads. I'd just be sure that your coolant level is to proper level and make sure it was bled properly, that way you can eliminate the possibility of a cracked head. That would sure suck to discover that.

cadenwade

^^^^^agree^^^^^^^

Adrenaline_Z

Jaosn told me about this thread, so I thought I'd post up and update everyone.

Today I went to start the car and the engine would not cooperate once
again. Instantly fouled plugs came to mind. After removing four on the
driver's side it was clear that excessive fuel during cranking soaked the
plugs enough that they were dripping. This after replacing and gapping
all spark plugs the previous night

The fuel pressure was dropped 5 PSI to 45 PSI at prime. The plugs were
cleaned and cylinders dried out.

Fired up the motor 1st try.

No smoke out the tail pipe, and no bubbles in the rad.

Yesterday with the white smoke and bubbles, we figured there may be
a coolant leak.

After confirming that most plugs were fouled, and some excess oil remained
in the chambers, the smoke was most likely caused by misfiring cylinders
and oil residue in the cylinders.

At the moment, all seems well. I want to check the engine at full temperature
and ensure the cooling system has been purged properly.