car won't start after head reinstall

Rosco · 07-11-2005, 10:41 AM

Ok, long story short. Blew a head and intake gasket. Just finished putting the car back together last night. Installed the distrubutor at TDC with 1 facing 1. I have 2 different coil packs, one is a crane the other is the factory (the factory coil was already on there and always worked ), i also have an msd cap. The car is turning over and fuel system is working properly. Gapped my plugs to factory specs. I am not sure at all why it is not starting? Thinking it might've been the coil i changed them over, and still nothing. Every connection is connected where it should be, just reset the computer again and let the car sit for an hour thinking it might have been flooded. Any and all help would be appreciated. This car is my daily driver and the only car i have on the road during the summer.

Hozer 88GTConv · 07-11-2005, 03:29 PM

Sounds like your distributor is out 180 degrees.
Set 10 btdc on the balancer, check the rotor position. If it's 180 out, reset it to number one.

If it is on number on, crank the motor over to 10 btdc again, the rotor should be 180 out and set it to number one.

good luck.

ols0051 · 07-11-2005, 06:33 PM

Just had a similar problem. If you know the timing is right than check the adjustment on the rocker arms. If they are not adjusted right the thing won't start. Just an idea for you....It sounds like one of those simple things we all over look.. Good luck..

Rosco · 07-11-2005, 09:03 PM

Well, I found out it was the distributor. It was on the #8 cylinder plug. Guess that stuff happens when your up at 330am finishing a car and haven't slept for 2 days

Anyways i got the car running at 10degrees with no computer timing. Hooked the computer back up and let it run for a good 10 mins. Then i advanced it to 14 with no computer. Cars is running like a gem right now. I was wondering what I should be setting the idle to? Right now i have it at 950. I wanted to set it lower around 800. It seems to run fine with idle at 800, except when i turn the wheel when the car is idling the rpms drop out to about 500 and the car tries to compensate and will jump from 500-1100. Giving it gas will make it jump back to idle. So i was wondering if there is anyway I can fix this?

Hozer 88GTConv · 07-13-2005, 12:48 PM

you need the idle air bypass spacer, once you install that I guarantee your idle issues will be fixed...

Rosco · 07-13-2005, 03:45 PM

interesting..Just curious at how it works? it's funny, i had a couple left over gaskets in my kit, and it looks like one of them fits to that also. My last question is, I have been having issues with my car running very lean, even before i did the head gaskets. I have 2 electronic air/fuel gauges, one for each bank. Now im not sure what bank is which, as they were already on the car when i bought it. One bank runs usually at 1 bar, and never gets out of lean on less im at wot, and the other bank usually runs about half, and will get out of lean when at wot. I was wondering what I should look for on the car to adjust/fix it. Maybe a fuel regulator? I also get horrible gas mileage...Just put $10 in gas yesterday. Got it up to a little over a 1/4, i have about 35 miles on it, normal driving, shifting right around 2k every gear, and it's just below an 1/8th now? Any ideas?

Hozer 88GTConv · 07-13-2005, 05:23 PM

http://secure.50resto.com/product1.c...ategory_ID=920

and...

http://secure.50resto.com/product1.c...tegory_ID=1170

Incidentally, I have heard that air/fuel meters unless installed via welded bungs in the exhaust are notoriously inaccurate. I just use the dyno...

toevil1 · 07-14-2005, 02:09 AM

I was also told that the A/F ratio meter is not very accurate. Wish I would of known this before wasted money on it.

Your idle problem sounds similar to a problem I had after I had an E-cam installed. It would stall untill I installed the idle spacer. I still had an erratic idle.

I finally took it to the dyno shop to get tuned. The guy said that I did not need that spacer because he was going to properly tune the computer for my combination. It ran like a champ afterwords with no idle problems.

Sounds like you need to have a chip burned for you combintion. They should be able to fix your prolems with a new tune.

07-11-2005, 10:41 AM	#1
Rosco Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Vestal, NY Posts: 307	car won't start after head reinstall Ok, long story short. Blew a head and intake gasket. Just finished putting the car back together last night. Installed the distrubutor at TDC with 1 facing 1. I have 2 different coil packs, one is a crane the other is the factory (the factory coil was already on there and always worked ), i also have an msd cap. The car is turning over and fuel system is working properly. Gapped my plugs to factory specs. I am not sure at all why it is not starting? Thinking it might've been the coil i changed them over, and still nothing. Every connection is connected where it should be, just reset the computer again and let the car sit for an hour thinking it might have been flooded. Any and all help would be appreciated. This car is my daily driver and the only car i have on the road during the summer. __________________ 1989 Mustang 5.0 Conversion, Full Saleen ground effects and spoiler, '94 saleen decal set, '93 Saleen Seats, Black interior from a '93, Steeda quadrant, smog pump delete, a/c delete, Steeda Tri-Ax shifter, '97 rear differential, aluminum driveshaft, 5 lug conversion, '97 rear disc brakes, southside upper and lower control arms, '99 GT Anniversary wheels, flowtech longtubes, flowtech offroad H-pipe, saleen lowering springs, kyb shocks, caster/camber plates

07-11-2005, 03:29 PM	#2
Hozer 88GTConv Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 706	Re: car won't start after head reinstall Sounds like your distributor is out 180 degrees. Set 10 btdc on the balancer, check the rotor position. If it's 180 out, reset it to number one. If it is on number on, crank the motor over to 10 btdc again, the rotor should be 180 out and set it to number one. good luck. __________________ 1988 GT Convertible 331 10:1 TW heads, GT-40 intake, MSD, TRW flattops, B Cam w/ 1.7's, MAC exhaust, 24's, 70 TB, 76 MAF, 3.73's, Pro 5.0, Koni's, Anderson PMS, Wideband 02, yatta, yatta... One week with new motor, two speeding tickets...joy

07-11-2005, 06:33 PM	#3
ols0051 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: cent.wis Posts: 203	Re: car won't start after head reinstall Just had a similar problem. If you know the timing is right than check the adjustment on the rocker arms. If they are not adjusted right the thing won't start. Just an idea for you....It sounds like one of those simple things we all over look.. Good luck..

07-11-2005, 09:03 PM	#4
Rosco Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Vestal, NY Posts: 307	Re: car won't start after head reinstall Well, I found out it was the distributor. It was on the #8 cylinder plug. Guess that stuff happens when your up at 330am finishing a car and haven't slept for 2 days Anyways i got the car running at 10degrees with no computer timing. Hooked the computer back up and let it run for a good 10 mins. Then i advanced it to 14 with no computer. Cars is running like a gem right now. I was wondering what I should be setting the idle to? Right now i have it at 950. I wanted to set it lower around 800. It seems to run fine with idle at 800, except when i turn the wheel when the car is idling the rpms drop out to about 500 and the car tries to compensate and will jump from 500-1100. Giving it gas will make it jump back to idle. So i was wondering if there is anyway I can fix this? __________________ 1989 Mustang 5.0 Conversion, Full Saleen ground effects and spoiler, '94 saleen decal set, '93 Saleen Seats, Black interior from a '93, Steeda quadrant, smog pump delete, a/c delete, Steeda Tri-Ax shifter, '97 rear differential, aluminum driveshaft, 5 lug conversion, '97 rear disc brakes, southside upper and lower control arms, '99 GT Anniversary wheels, flowtech longtubes, flowtech offroad H-pipe, saleen lowering springs, kyb shocks, caster/camber plates

07-13-2005, 12:48 PM	#5
Hozer 88GTConv Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 706	Re: car won't start after head reinstall you need the idle air bypass spacer, once you install that I guarantee your idle issues will be fixed... __________________ 1988 GT Convertible 331 10:1 TW heads, GT-40 intake, MSD, TRW flattops, B Cam w/ 1.7's, MAC exhaust, 24's, 70 TB, 76 MAF, 3.73's, Pro 5.0, Koni's, Anderson PMS, Wideband 02, yatta, yatta... One week with new motor, two speeding tickets...joy

07-13-2005, 03:45 PM	#6
Rosco Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Vestal, NY Posts: 307	Re: car won't start after head reinstall interesting..Just curious at how it works? it's funny, i had a couple left over gaskets in my kit, and it looks like one of them fits to that also. My last question is, I have been having issues with my car running very lean, even before i did the head gaskets. I have 2 electronic air/fuel gauges, one for each bank. Now im not sure what bank is which, as they were already on the car when i bought it. One bank runs usually at 1 bar, and never gets out of lean on less im at wot, and the other bank usually runs about half, and will get out of lean when at wot. I was wondering what I should look for on the car to adjust/fix it. Maybe a fuel regulator? I also get horrible gas mileage...Just put $10 in gas yesterday. Got it up to a little over a 1/4, i have about 35 miles on it, normal driving, shifting right around 2k every gear, and it's just below an 1/8th now? Any ideas? __________________ 1989 Mustang 5.0 Conversion, Full Saleen ground effects and spoiler, '94 saleen decal set, '93 Saleen Seats, Black interior from a '93, Steeda quadrant, smog pump delete, a/c delete, Steeda Tri-Ax shifter, '97 rear differential, aluminum driveshaft, 5 lug conversion, '97 rear disc brakes, southside upper and lower control arms, '99 GT Anniversary wheels, flowtech longtubes, flowtech offroad H-pipe, saleen lowering springs, kyb shocks, caster/camber plates

07-13-2005, 05:23 PM	#7
Hozer 88GTConv Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 706	Re: car won't start after head reinstall http://secure.50resto.com/product1.c...ategory_ID=920 and... http://secure.50resto.com/product1.c...tegory_ID=1170 Incidentally, I have heard that air/fuel meters unless installed via welded bungs in the exhaust are notoriously inaccurate. I just use the dyno... __________________ 1988 GT Convertible 331 10:1 TW heads, GT-40 intake, MSD, TRW flattops, B Cam w/ 1.7's, MAC exhaust, 24's, 70 TB, 76 MAF, 3.73's, Pro 5.0, Koni's, Anderson PMS, Wideband 02, yatta, yatta... One week with new motor, two speeding tickets...joy

07-14-2005, 02:09 AM	#8
toevil1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 39	Re: car won't start after head reinstall I was also told that the A/F ratio meter is not very accurate. Wish I would of known this before wasted money on it. Your idle problem sounds similar to a problem I had after I had an E-cam installed. It would stall untill I installed the idle spacer. I still had an erratic idle. I finally took it to the dyno shop to get tuned. The guy said that I did not need that spacer because he was going to properly tune the computer for my combination. It ran like a champ afterwords with no idle problems. Sounds like you need to have a chip burned for you combintion. They should be able to fix your prolems with a new tune.

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