LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

Car missing after header install.

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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 02:13 PM
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Default Car missing after header install.

I just finished installing my hooker longtubes on my 95 Trans am today. Got it to the exhaust shop to get my xpipe and true duals installed i was glad it was finally done. On the drive home it was missing extremely bad. I would try and put the gas to the floor and it just slowly creep up to speed. After that it started cutting out on me when i was almost home. Anyone have any advice on what to check? I installed brand new spark plugs and wires while i was doing the install but i will check those first. Anyone have problems like this after header install?
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 02:20 PM
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My first guess would be plug wire. Happened to me too as soon as i put LTs on.
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 02:23 PM
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plus one one the plug wires, probally layed against one of the primarys and burnt through.
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 02:24 PM
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I will double check all the plug wires. I tried to wrap the headers with header wrap but i feel like i didn't do the best job. I'm letting the engine cool down a bit before i go searching around in there.
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 02:31 PM
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Your best bet to find a burnt one is to wait till its dark out and crank it up and look for it arcing off the headers.
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 04:27 PM
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Originally Posted by lethal bird
Your best bet to find a burnt one is to wait till its dark out and crank it up and look for it arcing off the headers.
^+1 definitely sounds like a burnt plug wire
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 08:31 PM
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Non of the plug wires were melted. Removed all the boots and checked the actual plugs and they all looked good. Started the car at night to look for it arcing on the header and no luck there. Any other thoughts?
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 08:44 PM
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A burned plug wire sometimes doesnt look burnt. Try to find one that is touching or close to a primary and replace it with an el cheapo Stock one. When I did longtubes I burned two wires and you couldnt tell by looking at them. I bought a 25 buck set from orellys.
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 09:01 PM
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Should i just go ahead and replace all 8 wires and see if that does the trick?
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 09:15 PM
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I would bet on a plug wire not seated completely, burned wire or a loose spark plug (assuming the plug wire order is correct). If two wires are swapped it will still run, albeit poorly. It is VERY easy to mess up the order.
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 09:24 PM
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How do i go about double checking to make sure they are all in the correct order? The set of wires i got from oreilly's aren't numbered. Looks like on plug wires #5,6 one is a little bit longer than the other. Any input on this?
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 09:25 PM
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The easiest thing to make sure you don't mess them up is to redo it one by one.
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 09:27 PM
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Any thought's on the two wires that one is a little bit longer?
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 09:53 PM
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http://shbox.com/1/opti.jpg
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 10:02 PM
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Length shouldnt really matter. The opti should be numbered with which cylinder is goes with. Just do one by one. Then double check, then triple check.
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Old Mar 22, 2011 | 02:21 PM
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Replaced all 8 wires wrapped them in some cool tape that protects up to 1500degrees. Double and triple checked all the wires and they were all in the correct spot on the opti. Do you think it could possibly be a bad opti?
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Old Mar 22, 2011 | 02:38 PM
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Sorry but I have to ask....

do you have your o2's installed... and have you checked that their wiring isn't too close to the header and burnt?
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Old Mar 22, 2011 | 02:59 PM
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I know the o2's are hooked up but i guess i never thought to check if those wires had burnt. ill go check that right now.
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Old Mar 22, 2011 | 04:10 PM
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I have hookers and burnt a few wires before I got it right. check cyl #5 and cyl #6 for roaster wires mine always burned those. Also, check to see if the 02 extender is toasted. that would make it run like crap as well. Something is most likely melted somewhere.
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Old Mar 22, 2011 | 05:14 PM
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sounds like a wire or plug. but i would also check the o2's to make sure they're functioning properly.

what type of plugs did you put in? what did you gap them to? i did a header install in an ls1 last week and the car kept randomly back firing, turned out one of the ngk tr55's was dead straight out of the box
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