Agent_Orange_Shuvel

iTrader: (8)

Ryan are you tuning this yourself? If so I would strongly suggest connecting the scantool side of the program to the car for the initial starup, logging the first start may give some insight if there are any initial startup gremlins. IE a sensor not reporting correctly. Ask me how I know lol

ryanleiker

iTrader: (2)

Yes, I will potentially be doing most of the tuning myself, though a buddy of mine is going to give me a hand with his existing tune and copying some known table values over to get it close.
I'm probably going to start it in stages... power up the gauges, pressurize the fuel system, check for leaks, see if the motor will turn over and possibly fire and idle without the MAP sensor, check everything again... etc... This will be the biggest build I've ever done with the most new things all at once... so I'm a little hesitant with the first key turn.

garrysturbo

Can't wait 4 u 2 start it up. Beautiful ride .

ryanleiker

iTrader: (2)

Hey thanks man, me too!

Agent_Orange_Shuvel

iTrader: (8)

Sounds like you have a good plan going and I know what you mean about the butterflies in stomach feeling before initial key turn. No worries though I'm sure it will go smooth and if it doesn't report back here and help will follow

ryanleiker

iTrader: (2)

Well I started filling up the fluids last night...

I didn't cap off one of the ports on the radiator as I was filling the block up... coolant on the floor...

I didn't put the driveshaft in as I was filling up the transmission... fluid out the tailshaft on the floor...

So... I haven't done this in a while...

RatCityRex

iTrader: (3)

Do a check list on a piece of paper and put it on your windshield. Then have someone else there when you go to fire it up. Always nice to have a extra set if eyes/hands around on initial fire up.

garrysturbo

Hey , it's ok. We all get overly excited 2 hear our project start for the first time.

ryanleiker

iTrader: (2)

Good news: everything works
Bad news: zero oil pressure

Agent_Orange_Shuvel

iTrader: (8)

Where is your oil psi gauge hooked up and is it mechanical or electronic?

ryanleiker

iTrader: (2)

It is an autometer Ultra-lite electronic gauge, hooked up to the oil bypass port that I tapped and teed off of for my turbo line.
The gauge is reading correct because I'm not getting any oil through the line to the turbo and no oil to the rockers when I pulled the valve cover.

I have a feeling my 130K mile oil pump is done or I'm missing that bypass plug at the back of the motor under the rear cover. I don't remember seeing it or not and I could almost bet my machinist took it out and didn't tell me.

Does hot-tanking an oil pump hurt it at all? Mess up an internal seal or anything? My engine builder hot-tanked everything and I was told by somebody else that that basically destroyed it...

I've got a new gm oil pump and restrictor plug on the way. Should be back on the road this weekend.

garrysturbo

So sorry for the BS. But ur on top of it & we'll be waiting for ur result.

Jimbo1367

Is there a reason why you didn't get a high volume pump since you could use it being a turbo? ( I know NOTHING about turbos)

ryanleiker

iTrader: (2)

I actually did get the high volume pump... it's this one, which is a GM part...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-17801830


It turns out that the engine builder I had clean everything up is pretty reputable... It's Mike Schill here in Wichita. My chassis guy actually told me how great this guy was before I really knew. I'm going to call him today and see what his thoughts are about this oil pressure issue before I tear into the rear of the motor... I'm going to go ahead and put the new pump in though.
He may have something specific to tell me about the barbell.

ryanleiker

iTrader: (2)

Well bittersweet news from Mike...

turns out he tossed the barbell when he cleaned everything up as well as pulled the front plug for the oil gallery under the front cover... so my pump could be working fine and the o-ring could be seated perfectly, but there's just an open path back to the pan for all the oil...
so it looks like the transmission is coming out and new barbell, pump, and front plug are going in this weekend...
I'm ready for this thing to fire up again and pull itself down the road...

Essentially the tune is ready to drive and "fine tune"... so it should be ready to go after the new pump.

ChrisUlrich

Good luck with everything! Looks pretty freakin awesome!

ryanleiker

iTrader: (2)

I've been fighting oil pressure issues for two weekends.

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

Did you determine what was going on with the barbel restrictor and oil plug? Were they installed?

ryanleiker

iTrader: (2)

Front plug was. Barbell was not. Got one put in though. Put a new HV GM pump in.
After troubleshooting several variables and manually pressurizing the system to get oil to the rockers, I still didn't get any cranking pressure. But I hear these pumps sometimes won't build pressure cranking and sometimes take quite a while to prime even at idle. So I'm going to fire it and see what happens tomorrow I think.

Agent_Orange_Shuvel

iTrader: (8)

Mine wouldn't show any pressure while cranking either but as soon as it fired up and was idling it immediately came up, this was also on a used oil pump not new.