Bad vibes, won't rev. Please help!!
06-04-2005, 01:53 PM
#1
Staging Lane
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Bad vibes, won't rev. Please help!! Recently bought a 93 TA with the following mods
350 LT1 (with 150mph speedo)
ported and polished heads
ported and polished intake
Comp Cams #305 roller cam (220 inlet 230 exhaust .510 lift 114LSA)
Comp Cams 1.52 roller rockers
Comp Cams hydraulic roller lifters
custom burn chip from TPI chips
Fluidamper harmonic damper
SVO #24 fuel injectors flow tested and balanced
Arizona Speed and Marine ceramic coated mid length headers and Y pipe (part # 20404-S)
Random Technology high flow cat (part # 923021)
Texas Speed Performance Rumbler cat back system
160 degree stat
Moroso 8mm spiral core plugwires
NGK TR55 plugs
1LE A/C delete pulley
MSD ignition coil
Summit Racing High Torque gear reduction starter motor
Trick flow intake elbow
K&N cone filter with custom intake tube
B&M 153 tooth flex plate
B&M Holeshot 2400 torque converter
B&M Super Cooler transmission cooler
Summit Racing rear end girdle
Lakewood control arms
Spohn panhard rod
Energy Suspension polyurethene motor mounts, transmission mount and all other suspension bushings
18" wheels and tyres
The problem I am having is that the engine will not rev beyond about 3000rpm while in gear. It will rev freely in park but not on the road. When I bought the car I knew the optispark needed replacement so my mechanic figured that a new optispark should cure the problem and it hasn't. While he was working on the car he noticed that the woodruff key was missing on the front of the harmonic balancer and that the previous owner had also made up the thick washer from 3 thinner washers. A new woodruff key and washer have been installed. Like I say, still the engine will not rev and it seems like the crankshaft may have become damaged as there is a noticeable vibration through the engine which transmits into the car. He also discovered that the torque converter was about to fall out as the 3 bolts holding it in were less than finger tight and had backed right off
So maybe the loose converter has screwed up the flex plate causing the vibration.
There also appears to be a 700R4 tranny in there. Is this correct? The plug in connector for the reverse lights etc is a square 5 pin coming from the car but the tranny has a round 4 pin connector, so nothing is connected! WTF is going on?
All of the performance stuff has been bought and installed with the past 18 months as I have all the receipts to prove it.
One other thing, even with a new stock 195 degree thermostat there is very little heat getting into the car and my mechanic reckons that the previous owner has not blocked off the 2 holes at the end of the header gaskets which prevent water from just circulating around the engine, causing the lack of heat.
You may ask why did I buy the car then? Well, I bought it off ebay and apart from the optispark, the owner said that everything else was guaranteed perfect. When I test drove the car I put the lack of power and loss of revs down to the bad optispark. The owner was a US serviceman based in England. I travelled over from Ireland to buy it. He has now been posted back to AZ and now I can't contact him as I feel like kicking the **** out of him
The guy seemed to know what he was talkng about as he told me how he had installed all the parts himself but he obviously doesn't know his *** from a hole in the ground. The worst thing I can do to him now is leave him negative feedback 
Any ideas? I really can't afford to throw a lot more money at the car and I feel like pushing it off a high cliff. Shame because I really love it otherwise!
Sorry this is so long winded.
Here it is..
350 LT1 (with 150mph speedo)
ported and polished heads
ported and polished intake
Comp Cams #305 roller cam (220 inlet 230 exhaust .510 lift 114LSA)
Comp Cams 1.52 roller rockers
Comp Cams hydraulic roller lifters
custom burn chip from TPI chips
Fluidamper harmonic damper
SVO #24 fuel injectors flow tested and balanced
Arizona Speed and Marine ceramic coated mid length headers and Y pipe (part # 20404-S)
Random Technology high flow cat (part # 923021)
Texas Speed Performance Rumbler cat back system
160 degree stat
Moroso 8mm spiral core plugwires
NGK TR55 plugs
1LE A/C delete pulley
MSD ignition coil
Summit Racing High Torque gear reduction starter motor
Trick flow intake elbow
K&N cone filter with custom intake tube
B&M 153 tooth flex plate
B&M Holeshot 2400 torque converter
B&M Super Cooler transmission cooler
Summit Racing rear end girdle
Lakewood control arms
Spohn panhard rod
Energy Suspension polyurethene motor mounts, transmission mount and all other suspension bushings
18" wheels and tyres
The problem I am having is that the engine will not rev beyond about 3000rpm while in gear. It will rev freely in park but not on the road. When I bought the car I knew the optispark needed replacement so my mechanic figured that a new optispark should cure the problem and it hasn't. While he was working on the car he noticed that the woodruff key was missing on the front of the harmonic balancer and that the previous owner had also made up the thick washer from 3 thinner washers. A new woodruff key and washer have been installed. Like I say, still the engine will not rev and it seems like the crankshaft may have become damaged as there is a noticeable vibration through the engine which transmits into the car. He also discovered that the torque converter was about to fall out as the 3 bolts holding it in were less than finger tight and had backed right off
So maybe the loose converter has screwed up the flex plate causing the vibration. There also appears to be a 700R4 tranny in there. Is this correct? The plug in connector for the reverse lights etc is a square 5 pin coming from the car but the tranny has a round 4 pin connector, so nothing is connected! WTF is going on?
All of the performance stuff has been bought and installed with the past 18 months as I have all the receipts to prove it.
One other thing, even with a new stock 195 degree thermostat there is very little heat getting into the car and my mechanic reckons that the previous owner has not blocked off the 2 holes at the end of the header gaskets which prevent water from just circulating around the engine, causing the lack of heat.
You may ask why did I buy the car then? Well, I bought it off ebay and apart from the optispark, the owner said that everything else was guaranteed perfect. When I test drove the car I put the lack of power and loss of revs down to the bad optispark. The owner was a US serviceman based in England. I travelled over from Ireland to buy it. He has now been posted back to AZ and now I can't contact him as I feel like kicking the **** out of him
The guy seemed to know what he was talkng about as he told me how he had installed all the parts himself but he obviously doesn't know his *** from a hole in the ground. The worst thing I can do to him now is leave him negative feedback Any ideas? I really can't afford to throw a lot more money at the car and I feel like pushing it off a high cliff. Shame because I really love it otherwise!
Sorry this is so long winded.
Here it is..
06-04-2005, 03:54 PM
#2
Sorry, this has nothing to do with your problem, but how does your texas speed rumbler sound with the headers and high flow cat? I had one when I had stock manifolds but I am thinking about getting one with my MAC's and off-road pipe.
Anyways about your problems, I don't think there should be a 700r4 in there unless the guy put one in, f-bodies came stock with 4l60e's, it seems like you have a lot of problems going on with your car and I'm not sure what to tell you, have you tried conntacting ebay? I think they can help you out if you feel you really got ripped off by this guy.
Good Luck!
Anyways about your problems, I don't think there should be a 700r4 in there unless the guy put one in, f-bodies came stock with 4l60e's, it seems like you have a lot of problems going on with your car and I'm not sure what to tell you, have you tried conntacting ebay? I think they can help you out if you feel you really got ripped off by this guy.
Good Luck!
06-04-2005, 04:14 PM
#3
Staging Lane
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[QUOTE=satinleafct]Sorry, this has nothing to do with your problem, but how does your texas speed rumbler sound with the headers and high flow cat? I had one when I had stock manifolds but I am thinking about getting one with my MAC's and off-road pipe.QUOTE]
It sounds awesome! Bit like a very deep old school style muscle car rumble. I was reversing the car into a friend's driveway the other day and he said he was in the bathroom, upstairs at the back of the house, and the floor was vibrating! It's kinda loud inside though, but I love it!
It sounds awesome! Bit like a very deep old school style muscle car rumble. I was reversing the car into a friend's driveway the other day and he said he was in the bathroom, upstairs at the back of the house, and the floor was vibrating! It's kinda loud inside though, but I love it!
06-04-2005, 04:34 PM
#4
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As for the trans it 93's do have 700r4's but in 93 they were called 4l60's. The 4l60 does have a 5 pin connector for the TC lock up. Older 700r4's have a 4 pin. So I would say that, thats not the stock trans and an older 700r4.
06-04-2005, 04:47 PM
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I would have your mechanic check your crank tolerances...bearing wise etc to see if everything is to spec. Then pull the tranny and see that everything looks sano there. Then I would pull your opti and make sure the bolts on the backside of it are tight....otherwise it might not be getting a good signal. Also electrical hookups...coil wise and spark plug wise. Are there any codes being thrown? If so, have it scanned to check what they are. Also, the tune might be preventing it from revving if something was messed up or if the chip isnt on the electrical board all the way. Check that stuff and get back at me.... 
