Question : Engine builders step inside

[Maverick H1L]

Well, I finally got the beast running again. Still needs fuel injectors as I had to nearly double the injector constant to keep it running after initial start.

Anyways, I have an issue that's bugging the crap out of me. I have oil leaks out of nowhere. Front LIM china wall is leaking. Driver's valve cover is leaking (and I know that the gasket is relatively new and the cover is tight). Not only do I have oil leaks, but the engine is smoking out of the oil fill cap, keeps blowing the PCV valve out of the grommet, and it's also smoking out of the intake breather pipe (into the intake). This engine is acting like the internal crankcase pressure is ridiculously high.

Engine runs fine (when it runs). Doesn't seem to have any loss of compression or power. However, when cranking, it seems to have a kickback which has killed 2 starters on me now. Why, I have no idea. Didn't have this issue a year ago. Didn't have any of these problems a year ago.

Any suggestions? I'm about at wits end with this engine and if I can get a truck for a weekend and a Saturday off, I'm going to go find a stock 3.1 and call the HO quits...

[young gun]

I'm not going to be much help but what exactly was recently done since it was last running well?

[Maverick H1L]

I'm not going to be much help but what exactly was recently done since it was last running well?

No mechanical work since last running well, especially to the actual powertrain. Last work that was done was to put in new parking brake cables (pass side was binding and needed to be replaced to pass inspection which I haven't been able to do since it quit running just before I was going to have it inspected) and replace the starter (for the kickback reason). Then 2 more starters and also the battery (AutoZone screwed me good on the battery... wouldn't take it under 5 year replacement even though I bought and installed it in 13 because it wasn't in their system ). And yes, the starters were shimmed properly (high-torque starter I have in there now doesn't even use shims). Only work done in the last six months. The rest was all tuning (or trying to). The engine hasn't been touched since I put in the stock 3100 roller fulcrum rockers back in September to replace the roller tip rockers I put in when I assembled the engine that were having play issues (pivot balls were wrong for the rockers and the rockers were made for 3/8 studs).

[young gun]

Possible due to all the sitting that the PCV line could be clogged with something? I had my bike apart for a carb clean for about half a day and a wasp decided to go die in a vacuum line and I couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting any fuel to the carbs. Started to tear it apart when I attempted to blow through a vacuum line and couldn't, tried the other end and just before blowing I spotted a small yellow butt just inside the line.

[Maverick H1L]

PCV and breather lines are clear... PCV line has plenty of vacuum going to the valve. Valve clicks when my thumb is put over the end with the engine running.

Since I need to do the injectors anyways and reseal the front china wall on the block, I suppose I'll have to go out and get a full intake gasket set and see what I can see under the intake manifold. I'm not expecting to see anything out of the ordinary, though. I hope I haven't blown any rings, but I don't see how I could have since there doesn't seem to be anything in the exhaust and there isn't any strange noises (except the stupid exhaust leaks from my header ports and the #1 primary). Worse comes to worse, since I have another car to drive now, I guess I can drain the coolant completely out of the engine and pull the heads looking for cracks or whatever. Don't seem to be losing coolant though, either... I'm lost with this thing...

We had a similar issue with a 2.0 OHC that was in our 87 Firenza. Except that engine was literally puking oil out of the PCV system.

[Guest]

The most common reason I see for kickback during start like you describe is ignition timing FAR too advanced, assuming the firing order is correct. Try retarding it some, even setting it to 0* on compression stroke as measured at the piston, not the damper, since the damper may have shifted and giving incorrect ignition timing readings.

I would also check the firing order, since it's easy to install a pair of plug wires swapped, and still have an engine run decently, if the right pair of wires is swapped.

[Maverick H1L]

The most common reason I see for kickback during start like you describe is ignition timing FAR too advanced, assuming the firing order is correct. Try retarding it some, even setting it to 0* on compression stroke as measured at the piston, not the damper, since the damper may have shifted and giving incorrect ignition timing readings.

I would also check the firing order, since it's easy to install a pair of plug wires swapped, and still have an engine run decently, if the right pair of wires is swapped.

It's distributorless, and base timing is set to 10* in that corner of the advance table (or possibly less, haven't looked recently but it hasn't been any more than either 10 or 14*). And it only kicks back every so often after fully turning over either a couple times or a few times or whenever it feels like. Again, when it starts, it runs fine. I've even set that upper corner of the spark table to 0* advance with the same result. The EST bypass wire disconnects under cranking as in the stock ECM by a NC relay powered off of the CRANK circuit. So unless I have more than one messed up ignition module assembly, I can't see what the issue is.

[joshua52mcclain]

im doing a valve job and I pull out the smaller left vss but the larger right vss is what should go in it dosent fit my car is a 98 grand prix se 3.1 and the right vss is what should go in there in need help do I have older 3.1 heads idk I bought the car new in 98 Its first rebuild so idk

[3400-95-Modified]

the seal on the right is the correct one needed for a 98 3.1L... What is left on the bolt for the valve cover? perhaps the old seal is still on that. And why are you posting in this thread? If you have your own build questions I suggest starting your own thread since none of it relates to this one.

[joshua52mcclain]

The left one was what was on them but they fit and have lasted atleast 60k the right ones dont fit well they do but they dont seat to the channels they just go up and down on the vs

[joshua52mcclain]

Ok sorry I thought engine build