Need some help please

[Flagman77]

Alright everybody, i need some help! I just did a motor swap in my 78 el camino. I got a kragen rebuild with 20,000 miles on it for $400.00.... I had to put my old intake manifold on, same exhaust manifolds, distributor, fuel pump, onto the new motor. Bolted the flywheel to the torque converter and transmission to block. It seems like theres something dragging upon start up. I've tried adjusting the timing and nothing. HELP,!!!



Any advice or suggestions would be greatly apprecitted. Thanks again.

Flagman77 (Tony)

 

[ZZ4CutlaSS]

Alright everybody, i need some help! I just did a motor swap in my 78 el camino. I got a kragen rebuild with 20,000 miles on it for $400.00.... I had to put my old intake manifold on, same exhaust manifolds, distributor, fuel pump, onto the new motor. Bolted the flywheel to the torque converter and transmission to block. It seems like theres something dragging upon start up. I've tried adjusting the timing and nothing. HELP,!!!



Any advice or suggestions would be greatly apprecitted. Thanks again.

Flagman77 (Tony)

Sounds like you need to put shims in-between your starter and block...any parts store carrys them.

 

[Flagman77]

Alright everybody, i need some help! I just did a motor swap in my 78 el camino. I got a kragen rebuild with 20,000 miles on it for $400.00.... I had to put my old intake manifold on, same exhaust manifolds, distributor, fuel pump, onto the new motor. Bolted the flywheel to the torque converter and transmission to block. It seems like theres something dragging upon start up. I've tried adjusting the timing and nothing. HELP,!!!



Any advice or suggestions would be greatly apprecitted. Thanks again.

Flagman77 (Tony)

I got it to turn over a couple days ago. Im not getting any weird noises such as a unshimmed starer would sound like. Its kinda hard to explain but what im guna do is star over. Reset the timing, tdc, distributor, and so on. I'll let ya know what happens. Thanks agan

 

[lilbowtie]

Would like for you to clarify something. You did install the converter on the transmission, then install the transmission and then pulled the converter up to the flywheel to hook up???

 

[pontiacgp]

are you sure you have the distributor in right and that the valve lash is correct? Is there oil pressure when you are turning it over?

 

[airboatgreg]

Does engine turn over properly when you put a socket on the crankshaft?
Disconnect red wire at distributer and see if engine spins easily. No spark will take timing out of equation
Torque converter in transmission and seated in transmission before you put motor in?
Check engine ground and battery voltage during cranking and see where it is at.

 

[pontiacgp]

Does engine turn over properly when you put a socket on the crankshaft?

if you're suggesting to use the harmonic balancer bolt that is a bad idea.....

 

[Flagman77]

Alright everybody, i need some help! I just did a motor swap in my 78 el camino. I got a kragen rebuild with 20,000 miles on it for $400.00.... I had to put my old intake manifold on, same exhaust manifolds, distributor, fuel pump, onto the new motor. Bolted the flywheel to the torque converter and transmission to block. It seems like theres something dragging upon start up. I've tried adjusting the timing and nothing. HELP,!!!



Any advice or suggestions would be greatly apprecitted. Thanks again.

Flagman77 (Tony)

Ok guys, a couple things. No i did not install the converter to the motor then transmission to block. I put transmission in with the converter inside the transmission housing. Then i slid the converter to the flywheel and bolted it up. As for the distributor, far as i know its in correctly. The valve lash, i've never done that before thus i dont know how to.

 

[Flagman77]

Im headed out to my storage soon to work on it. Everything that has been mentioned, i've done correctly, except for the torque converter to flywheel. Other than that, its right.

 

[airboatgreg]

On the rebuilt motor if it came with the valve covers on we should assume(as much as I hate to) the valve adjustment is correct. I hear you on the crank bolt. I did it for many years so we are going to agree to disagree. If it takes so much pressure to break that bolt then there is a mechanical issue. If you have a flywheel tool turn it over using that.
Another thing is to pull some plugs to see if you can physically turn the motor over. Disable ignition though first.
You have to determine if the engine will spin over relatively easy mechanically. I have seen some rebuilds be incredibly tight. If it does then we go to the cranking system and timing. I don't remember if the flex-plate to torque converter is studs or bolts. May have to slid the converter back to take that out of the equation.