Back in September I was driving from my parents house to my apartment, around 110 miles. Roughly 25 miles into my trip back to my apartment, I see fluid spraying out from under my hood. I pull over thinking it was my water pump. I get the car towed to my cousins house and change the pump. The next day, I finish the drive but my car would not go below 210*. I would drive for about 10 miles and then shut her down when she was getting hot.The hottest I would let her get was 240*, I took me alittle over 8 hrs to finish the trip.

I think took it to a local mechanic, who diagnosed the problem as a blown head gasket. They quoted my $2,600 to take the head off, replace the gasket and get the head tested and install it. I figured this would be a good chance to do a small heads and cam swap.This is the list of modifcations I did:

-LS2 243 heads with Comp Cams 918 Valve Springs
-EPS 222?226 .596/.598 114 Cam
-LS2 Timing Chain and Gears
-GM LS6 Oil Pump
-Comp Cams 7.425" Pushrods (I asked Patrick G which pushrods to run since he spec'd the cam, he said this length)
-Truck Starter
-Then all your typical gaskets and bolts
-NGK TR55 Spark Plugs

I am up at school so I did the swap when I can and had all the tools. I had a memeber from here help my pull the cam and re-install the new cam . The oil pump was installed fine, I did not pinch the o-ring. I got the car back together and it was very difficult to start. When I was able to get it started, it idled great with no issues. After the first start up, I noticed my drivers side catalytic converter was glowing bright orange and I heard popping (back firing?). I quickly shut the car off. A few hours later, I started the car again and tried to drive it. It started fine, I put it in drive and gave it gas, I was about 2 feet out of my parking spot before it stutard and stalled. I restarted the car and put it in reverse and it barely ran. With the car off and with the foot off the break, you can put the shifter into any gear. People suggest that the transmission linkage was messaed up.

During this time I was in finals and had an unexpected death in the family. From the time it stalled to the next time I was able to work on it again, it was about a month. I was able to get it started and idling good, but whenever I would give it and amount of gas it would die. At this point I contacted a shop about tuning, because I just tought it was running rich. They told me to unplug the MAF and see if it would run. I unplugged the MAF and it wouldnt even turn over. It wouldnt even turn over with the MAF installed. It would take about 6-10 times of cranking it before it started. When it did, it wouldnt idle at all. I could rev it, but after a few seconds it would die. I would repeat the process and I would get the same outcome.

This past weekend I pulled the drivers side sparl plugs and they were fouled and soaked with fuel. Looking under the car, I noticed that oil was leaking in a small amount. I contacted the shop again today and their suggestion was to rebuild the motor and to do a compression test on my current set up. They also said that running the car for that long of a time running that hot, will do or did damage to the engine.

I apologize for such a long thread, but any suggestions?

My car is an A4 1998 Z28 with 111,5xx miles.

Here are some thread about my issue:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...r-heating.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/western-m...ad-gasket.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...catalytic.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...ve-issues.html

 

Sounds like you got the cam installed wrong, possibly off by 1 tooth.

Did you verify the dots on the crank gear and cam gear were **perfectly** aligned by using a straight-edge, or just eyeball them?

 

I did eye ball and I also had someone else verify it. I have also had other people tell me that it can be my camshaft position sensor or crankshaft position sensor going bad.

 

Jeez....$2,600.....what a complete dirtbag shop. They suck, I'd never go near that place again.

Taking off both of my heads, having new double springs installed, guides, valve seals, spring retainers, and having both heads machined for straightness.........plus labor to remove and reinstall both heads.....$900.00 total. Labor to remove and reinstall my heads alone, in my driveway, $400.00. My friend did it.

.

 

I dont think it would be one of the sensors my cam sensor when bad and the tach stopped working but the car still ran fine it would have a hard time starting but once it did it was ok. If the crank sensor was bad the car wouldnt run period. I'll go ahead and say your maf might be dirty or bad and that it is possible you may be a tooth off with the timing chain.

 

 

Did you also upgrade your injectors?

 

My bet is on the cam timing being wrong.

 

Start by pulling codes.

 

The injectors are stock and the only code that has been thrown is P1635

 

This was a video I got of the car last weekend, before I pulled the plugs

 

I'm still going w/ cam timing...

 

srry bro

 

P1635 is as follows




CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) uses the 5-volt reference 1 circuit as a sensor teed to the following sensors:


•The Throttle Position (TP) sensor
•The Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor
•The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve pintle position sensor
•The engine oil pressure sensor
•The Fuel Tank Pressure (FTP) sensor
The PCM monitors the voltage on the 5-volt reference 1 circuit. If the voltage is out of tolerance, the PCM will set DTC P1635.

CONDITIONS FOR RUNNING THE DTC
The engine is running.

CONDITIONS FOR SETTING THE DTC


•The PCM detects a voltage out of tolerance condition on the 5-volt reference 1 circuit.
•The above condition is present for longer than 10 seconds .
ACTION TAKEN WHEN THE DTC SETS


•The control module illuminates the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) on the second consecutive ignition cycle that the diagnostic runs and fails.
•The control module records the operating conditions at the time the diagnostic fails. The first time the diagnostic fails, the control module stores this information in the Failure Records. If the diagnostic reports a failure on the second consecutive ignition cycle, the control module records the operating conditions at the time of the failure. The control module writes the operating conditions to the Freeze Frame and updates the Failure Records.
CONDITIONS FOR CLEARING THE MIL/DTC


•The control module turns OFF the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) after 3 consecutive ignition cycles that the diagnostic runs and does not fail.
•A current DTC, Last Test Failed, clears when the diagnostic runs and passes.
•A history DTC clears after 40 consecutive warm-up cycles, if no failures are reported by this or any other emission related diagnostic.
•Use a scan tool in order to clear the MIL and the DTC.

 

Took the manifold off today and noticed the small/thin vacuum hoes that goes into the manifoldd was not attached to the manifold

 

that would not cause the problem you are having, it would cause high idle if anything due to a non-sealed (leaking) intake manifold. it sounds like your cam was installed wrong, also did you make sure that both your coil packs are pluged in? i forgot to plug one side once and it sounded crappy like that, but i had stock cam so it stayed on