Generation III External Engine LS1 | LS6 | Bolt-Ons | Intakes | Exhaust | Ignition | Accessories
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Boom at top of third

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 18, 2007 | 08:09 PM
  #1  
hpjunky98's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 0
Default Boom at top of third

Well I just had an LS7 clutch and LS2 flywheel installed in my car by a local shop and after about 280miles i decided to push the car to feel the difference in the car. The car had a ticking noise before i took it to the shop, but i noticed it was significantly worse when i picked it up. I attributed this to the crapy pacesetter gaskets i had installed in my car with my JBA headers so I was under the impression i just had an annoying exhaust leak. The SES light came on after i picked it up, but It had been comming on so frequently, I thought it was just the TPS sensor again...

Now when i pushed the car getting onto the freeway, at the top of third gear the slight ticking became a loud BANG! and its made an unusually loud ticking noise ever since, and the SES light started blinking. I drove the car strait home after puling over and diagnosing to the best of my knowlage that the header gasket had blown.

Now this morning, I was getting ready to replace the gaskets, and when i was under the car, I noticed that the passenger side plug closest to the tranny (#7 I think) was hanging loose from the plug wire touching my header! Did the loud BANG! blow out the sparkplug? Did the shop mess up and disconnect the sparkplug and forget to put it back? Wouldn't this flood the #7 cylinder with fuel? Would the car have run on 7 cylinders for 280 miles???

Any help and opinions are greatly appreciated, as I dont even want to touch my car at this point.

Chris

Last edited by hpjunky98; Nov 19, 2007 at 12:05 AM.
Reply
Old Nov 18, 2007 | 09:31 PM
  #2  
hpjunky98's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 0
Default

TTT rly need some help here if anyone can shead some light on the situation.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2007 | 12:58 AM
  #3  
1994Z28Lt1's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 833
Likes: 0
From: Elko MN
Default

how could you not know that your car was only running on 7 cylinders?
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2007 | 05:05 PM
  #4  
hpjunky98's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 0
Default

Thanks that was alot of help...
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2007 | 05:08 PM
  #5  
Tainted's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,425
Likes: 2
From: Indianapolis
Default

k serious question

Did the car seem slower or sluggish? If it didnt, then I doubt the plug/wire was not plugged back in. Now if it did, then they may have forgot. But the tick sounds like a header leak and a blown gasket.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2007 | 05:23 PM
  #6  
ws98ta's Avatar
11 Second Club
iTrader: (48)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
Default

I have had this happen to me.
Just get a new plug and reinstall it. Just hope you didn't mess up the threads.
The louder ticking noise you heard was all the air coming out of #7.

I am not sure why the spark plugs lossen up, but some times they do. I have heard of it happen several times on our cars.

The SEL light flashing means it had a misfire. It will go away once your plug is back in.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2007 | 05:46 PM
  #7  
_JB_'s Avatar
TECH Junkie
20 Year Member
Photoriffic
Community Favorite
iTrader: (33)
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,762
Likes: 25
From: Tampa, FL
Default

Try to put it back in and see what happens. Hopefully the threads are not messed up like ws98ta said. It might not have been tightened down and slowly worked its way out.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2007 | 06:02 PM
  #8  
hpjunky98's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 0
Default

Thanks for the help I thought my car was gonna be fucked up... hopefully u guys are right
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Dec 2, 2007 | 07:30 PM
  #9  
hpjunky98's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 0
Default

Well Ive confirmed my fears. The Spark plug hole is stripped. it has about .5 - 1.5 Threads left at the very bottom that will barely hold the plug in. I stoped by Kregan and got a spark plug tap kind of like a helicoil. anyway I was having some trouble with it, but I havn't got very far. I was wondering If you guys that have done this repair could chime in with some tips... Seems like I could really **** it up bad, but at the same time I think i have the competance and patience to do it. Any help is appreciated!!!
Reply
Old Dec 2, 2007 | 08:16 PM
  #10  
ShortChevy's Avatar
12 Second Club
15 Year Member
iTrader: (21)
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 0
From: Muskegon, MI
Default

Originally Posted by 1994Z28Lt1
how could you not know that your car was only running on 7 cylinders?
Have you ever drove an ls1 on 7 cylinders. After my intake swap the number 7 injector was left unhooked. The only time you could tell was idleing in gear. Other then that it idled and and drove surprising fine. Only drove it about a mile before it was jerking at a stoplight, took me about 40 secs to figure it out. Sorry to get off track hpjunky98 but just trying to back you up a little bit.
Reply
Old Dec 2, 2007 | 10:16 PM
  #11  
hpjunky98's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 0
Default

For sure man, it drove fine right after it happened. I only noticed when i was ideling at a stoplight, and thanks for the bump.

If anyone has rethreaded a sparkplug hole please chime in and let me know your experience.
Reply
Old Dec 2, 2007 | 10:48 PM
  #12  
Drew04GTO's Avatar
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
Default

You can't just tap the head, you MUST helicoil.

If you have the cash and time take the head off and have a machine shop do this to avoid shavings and stuff in the motor. If you are strapped for cash and its your daily... Helicoil on the car.

The helicoil kit will come with the threaded insert and a tap for the insert.
1. apply a liberal ammount of grease into the threads of the tap to catch shavings
2. clean out all grease and shavings from tapping to a larger size, clean the tap and run it back through atleast 4 times, cleaning after each try with a good solvent such as brake cleaner or contact cleaner, the threads MUST be absolutely 100% clean, no oil or any kind of residue.
3. apply loctite brand bearing retaining compound on the insert, not loctite red or blue, you need some real ****. Loctite #620 or #668 high temp retaining compound would be prefered.
4. Make abolutely sure you don't thread the insert in too far as exposed threads in the combustion chamber are asking for hot spots and detonation.
5. There's a little tang used to thread the insert in, this must be broken off with absolute care to not get it into the motor.

Really, honestly, don't want to sound like a dick but being that there are so many unknowns you should pull the head and take it to a machine shop.
Reply
Old Dec 2, 2007 | 11:23 PM
  #13  
hpjunky98's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 0
Default

**** I really dont want to pull the head

I don't wanna **** this up though, so I guess thats what im gonna have to do. This means I have to pull the intake and all off too.

Damn it! Ive never had to dip into the motor before, and I dont have the cash to upgrade at the same time... unless i sell my wheels or something.
Reply
Old Dec 3, 2007 | 12:02 AM
  #14  
Grimes's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,636
Likes: 2
From: Northern NJ
Default

sorry to hear about your problem man, but if you pull the head and helicoil i'm sure it will be fine. Just some advice for other people - when putting in spark plugs always thread them in by hand most of the way so that you don't take the chance of messing up the threads.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:49 PM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE