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

Car wont start after Header install

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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 04:48 PM
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Default Car wont start after Header install

Got the pacesetters last night and finished it up today. The car is not getting spark for some reason. I changed the plugs and wires on the opti (checked firing order twice). I eliminated the egr and air and lengthened the o2 wires.

Please help I'm dying to hear it with open headers
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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 04:56 PM
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you may have to check the plugs 1 by 1 again it happened to me,i installed the headers & was sure that every thing was fine.
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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 05:07 PM
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When in doubt... check the opti! lol. happened to me too, triple check the firing order
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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 05:09 PM
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Well I dont think that could be because I took one of the old plugs and hooked it up and checked for spark against the block and got nothing. I would think it would at least spark or do the LT1s not spark at all when the firing order is off.

Could the egr or air not let the car fire?

Last edited by projekt70chevelle; Jul 21, 2007 at 05:18 PM.
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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted by projekt70chevelle
Well I dont think that could be because I took one of the old plugs and hooked it up and checked for spark against the block and got nothing. I would think it would at least fire or do the LT1s not fire when the firing order is off.

Could the egr or air not let the car fire?
Noo i dont think so b/c you can delete them with no problem.
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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 06:40 PM
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something isnt plugged in. lol
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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 06:56 PM
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check your opti- to ICM cable
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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 06:57 PM
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did you tune out the air/egr? also did you unbolt your starter, i know some people did that, maybe you forgot to put it back on? Are you getting power when you turn the car to on? Maybe your negative is still disconnected, lots of time its something stupid like that haha.
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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 10:33 PM
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I also just installed Pacesetters also and wound up with a car that wouldnt start. Only my problem is the fuel pump not running when you click the ignition over to start the car. Maybe the pacesetters are just bad luck??? Anyhow, I would check to make sure your wires are going to the right cylinders and that everything is plugged in. I would think its just something simple like that since the car ran before you did the swap. Any suggestions on my problem would help also.
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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 10:46 PM
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The car is turning over fine just not getting spark... Even if the firing order was off I would think I would still see spark going to the plugs. I replaced the coil even and I'm still getting nothing. I took the voltmeter and its reading 10volts through the plug that hooks up to the coil when I had the key in the "ON" position, but when I hook it to the coil terminal that goes to the opti using the red lead on the voltmeter and put it to the coil terminal and the black lead to the block for a ground and had the car in the "ON" position or cranking it was reading 0 which i don't understand because the coil is brand new!
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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 11:06 PM
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wires would be my guess, check all your wires near the headers.
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Old Jul 21, 2007 | 11:22 PM
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Originally Posted by scorpion_z28
Noo i dont think so b/c you can delete them with no problem.
yeah no way air/egr is the problem. If you didn't block it off/tune it out it might have a vacuum leak but it should still run.
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Old Jul 22, 2007 | 12:58 AM
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you pinched a wire, forgot to connect something, etc. etc.

this has nothing to do with the headers, you just bumped something while u put them in
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Old Jul 22, 2007 | 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by ThoR294
you pinched a wire, forgot to connect something, etc. etc.

this has nothing to do with the headers, you just bumped something while u put them in
+1
look at your connectors real close, its easy to break a wire in them in these older cars
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Old Jul 22, 2007 | 09:47 AM
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Originally Posted by ThoR294
you pinched a wire, forgot to connect something, etc. etc.

this has nothing to do with the headers, you just bumped something while u put them in
x2 to that
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Old Jul 22, 2007 | 07:50 PM
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Well we triple checked the wires and went back over everything! The opti is getting 12volts from the coil just not sending it out the wires. OPTI damn you!!!!!

Just odd how it would pick a time like this to go out
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Old Jul 22, 2007 | 08:13 PM
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Originally Posted by projekt70chevelle
Well we triple checked the wires and went back over everything! The opti is getting 12volts from the coil just not sending it out the wires. OPTI damn you!!!!!

Just odd how it would pick a time like this to go out
i really would like to doubt the opti just took a **** like that but with these cars anything is possible

i would check and make sure everything is connected

even if you had wires or firing order wrong you should be getting spark somewhere

check the connectors to the icm, opti, and the opti connector that runs up to the passenger side of the intake manifold
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Old Jul 22, 2007 | 08:41 PM
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Trust me I wish the same thing but everything is pointing to it... I even bought the 90 dollar ignition module and it didnt help any. I have checked the wires and vacuum over and over and over the coil is sending 12 volts to the opti and there is nothing coming out of it.


I did not mention this before but he did have a leaky water pump gasket and just fixed it a couple weeks ago...

Last edited by projekt70chevelle; Jul 22, 2007 at 10:12 PM.
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Old Jul 23, 2007 | 09:30 AM
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check the wires comin out of the opti. there should be a test location to the left of the intake manifold. its 4 wires... low ref, high ref, power and ground...
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Old Jul 23, 2007 | 10:48 PM
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It was the Opti... I guess the month or two of a leaky water pump did its toll and letting it sit for more than a day did it in... O well it runs now and the neighborhood now knows it
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