I have been working on my car for a long time now and have been too prod to ask for help but I guess now is the time. I have put a LS1 into a 1950 Ford. To make this install that much harder I started from scratch. Re-built a 2000 LS1, have a stand-alone harness and computer tuned for stand-alone (from a company called Chevythunder). This is making trouble shooting a lot harder.
The problem: I got everything mounted in the car and everything hooked-up (fuel, water, intake system, wiring, etc.). When I try to crake up the motor it will not start. It spins over nice but will not fire, it actually fires but at the wrong time as it misfires, pops and backfires out the exhaust.
Trouble shooting: I bought a copy of EFI Live so I can monitor what is going on and find any DTC’s. I have everything hooked up, tried to crank again and noting. There are no DTC’s, and on the dashboard setting of EFI Live there is no RPM indicated. I then went to the CPK (crank shaft position sensor). I unplugged the harness and checked the voltage with a Multi meter. I put the red lead on the hot wire in the harness and the black lead to chassis ground. I got 11.5V, so I then but the black lead onto the ground terminal in the sensor plug and got the same 11.5V. Through this test I think this proves that the ground is good. But why is it not 12v? While I was there I checked the voltage to the coil packs and it was actually 12.4v.
Now what? I do not know what to do next. How do I get my car to crank? I know that the info is probably there but I don’t know where to look.

 

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Any help would be great, Thanks

 

The 11.5 volts is normal.. Probably exactly what your battery is pumping out. have you popped the cam out at all? positive you put it dot-dot?

 

Check the wires on the coil connector... make sure that the colors are matching up between the engine harness and the coil harness. If those wires are backwards, or not in right, the coils will all fire at the wrong time, making it sound like the timing is way off.

 

I am sure the cam is put in correct (dot to dot) that is why I am frustrated. I will take a look at the coils this was a concern of mine a while back. Will the wires on the harness connector be the same color as the wires that are on the coil pack harness?

I do agree that this sounds like a timing issue, but with the computer and reluctor ring on the crank the computer should know what is going on. My first impression was that it is either the cam or crank sensors.

Thanks for your help!

 

Ask Chevythunder about the crank reluctor signal. Make sure that their stand alone programing is looking for the number of counts that your 2001 reluctor wheel is sending. There are different tooth count reluctor wheels & if your reluctor wheel has a different number of teeth than the stand alone is looking for, there will be issues.

 

Thanks for everyone’s help. I have done the wise thing and that is contact the person who I got the harness and computer from. I should have done this in the first place, and wow all I can say is that they are more than helpful and a wealth of information.

It looks like I am now on the right path to getting the car running, and finding out where I screwed up. For anyone asking yes I did confirm that the computer is programmed for the correct relucter wheel, and yes the VATS is disabled. I knew this was the case, but it was confirmed. I have a good starting point and the Harness people have given me a wealth of information already.

I was really thinking that I had bitten off more that I can chew with this project, but after talking to these guys I am feeling that this is a solvable issue and the car should be up and running soon. Unless I discover something that I completely screwed up (let’s hope not).

 

Leonard at ChevyThunder is a good guy, I've know him for years, but have never meet him in person, he will not steer you wrong. He has a lot of good info on his site, that might help you. Where are you located, there are a lot of users on these sites that would stop by and help other users out, but so many people asking for help do not list there location.

 

All is well and my motor has come to Life. This has been a long term project and it feels good to know that the complicated part is now complete and I am just left with the small items to get the car on the road (items like brakes, shocks, etc…). Chevy Thunder was a great help. He directed me on how to trouble shoot my problems and I was able to find my mistake and get the motor fired up.

The problems: There were two issues I encountered. The first was the wire harness on the coil packs. One side was installed incorrectly which resulted in misfires. After if found this problem my fuel pump took a crap, I installed a new one yesterday and she cranks right up and runs great. Everything was working correctly, good oil pressure, good temp, etc.

Thanks for everyone’s help.