New engine problems!!!! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

orange72350 · 08-04-2003, 12:08 AM

Finished installing the rebuilt tonite, and went to give her the old college try, and the engine just barely moves. throw the booster on, starter feels really weak. the engine turns fine when i just bump the starter over, but when i hold the key, it seems to not have enough power to turn over the engine. its relativley low compression, new flat top pistons. when the starter locks up, the ground wire for the alternator fries, almost like power is running through the alternator somehow. any idea what is happening? would really like to start her soon.
thanx in advance
dale

*Piston* · 08-04-2003, 12:31 AM

Double check ALL ground wires, mainly from the battery to the engine block, but also from the engine to the body, body to the frame and engine to the frame. Sounds like your starter is pulling too many amps or there is a power/ground problem.

The problem with the alternator wire is not good, (there are no ground wires to the alternator, I assume you meant a power wier?)find that ground problem before doing much more of that

orange72350 · 08-04-2003, 01:01 AM

hey, thanx piston. i think u found my problem. i wasnt 100% sure how to wire the ground system, as the truck was apart when i got it. the battery is wired directly to the frame on the ground side. thats probly wrong isnt it.if it is, then could tell me how it should be wired? i was pretty sure that the wire that was getting cooked was a ground. it runs to a bolt behind my wimdshield washer jar. it was wired like this before, so i left it alone. any ideas what its for? thanx in advance
dale

bpmcgee · 08-04-2003, 01:30 AM

Orange,

The ground wire on your battery has a big lug which goes to the passenger side head and a small lug which fastens to the radiator support in the front corner.

You say that you rebuilt the engine. Is it possible you put the starter in without shimming it correctly and it's binding?

Two more thoughts:

1) The starter might be bad -- mine was in the rebuild that I did.

2) Try pulling the plugs and seeing how it turns over. Should just FLY around with no compression.

Brian

orange72350 · 08-04-2003, 03:32 PM

Where does the negative cable bolt to on the passenger side head? im going out to look right away, just wanna make sure i have it right. shims? When i pulled the starter from the original engine, there were no shims so i left it be. how does a guy know if he needs shims? the starter worked fine on the original engine for about a year. ill try turning it over without plugs, see if that helps. thanx fer all the help
dale

08-04-2003, 12:08 AM	#1
orange72350 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Cold, Snowy High Level, Alberta Canada Eh Posts: 394	New engine problems!!!! Finished installing the rebuilt tonite, and went to give her the old college try, and the engine just barely moves. throw the booster on, starter feels really weak. the engine turns fine when i just bump the starter over, but when i hold the key, it seems to not have enough power to turn over the engine. its relativley low compression, new flat top pistons. when the starter locks up, the ground wire for the alternator fries, almost like power is running through the alternator somehow. any idea what is happening? would really like to start her soon. thanx in advance dale __________________ 2003 yamaha raptor. Stock, but it still hauls!!!! 2000 skiddo mxz 700. Camoplast 1.5 inch track, jaws twin pipes, b+b can, custom built and weighted clutch, wiseco piston, high comp heads. its very fast. wow. 72 c-10 longbox. Bright Orange. Brand new 350, rv cam, performer intake, qjet, headers, 2 1/2 inch exhaust into hooker areo chamber mufflers. Body work coming soon. "dont let yer mind wander, its to little to go places by itself." "Forget the herse, cause i'll never die"-ACDC Back In Black "If It's To Loud, Yer Just Too Old" "I Love Anything Fast Enough To Do Something Stupid In" "Instant idiot, just add beer!!""

08-04-2003, 12:31 AM	#2
Piston Account Suspended Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Olathe, KS Posts: 2,300	Double check ALL ground wires, mainly from the battery to the engine block, but also from the engine to the body, body to the frame and engine to the frame. Sounds like your starter is pulling too many amps or there is a power/ground problem. The problem with the alternator wire is not good, (there are no ground wires to the alternator, I assume you meant a power wier?)find that ground problem before doing much more of that Last edited by Piston; 08-04-2003 at 12:34 AM.

08-04-2003, 01:01 AM	#3
orange72350 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Cold, Snowy High Level, Alberta Canada Eh Posts: 394	hey, thanx piston. i think u found my problem. i wasnt 100% sure how to wire the ground system, as the truck was apart when i got it. the battery is wired directly to the frame on the ground side. thats probly wrong isnt it.if it is, then could tell me how it should be wired? i was pretty sure that the wire that was getting cooked was a ground. it runs to a bolt behind my wimdshield washer jar. it was wired like this before, so i left it alone. any ideas what its for? thanx in advance dale __________________ 2003 yamaha raptor. Stock, but it still hauls!!!! 2000 skiddo mxz 700. Camoplast 1.5 inch track, jaws twin pipes, b+b can, custom built and weighted clutch, wiseco piston, high comp heads. its very fast. wow. 72 c-10 longbox. Bright Orange. Brand new 350, rv cam, performer intake, qjet, headers, 2 1/2 inch exhaust into hooker areo chamber mufflers. Body work coming soon. "dont let yer mind wander, its to little to go places by itself." "Forget the herse, cause i'll never die"-ACDC Back In Black "If It's To Loud, Yer Just Too Old" "I Love Anything Fast Enough To Do Something Stupid In" "Instant idiot, just add beer!!""

08-04-2003, 03:32 PM	#5
orange72350 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Cold, Snowy High Level, Alberta Canada Eh Posts: 394	Where does the negative cable bolt to on the passenger side head? im going out to look right away, just wanna make sure i have it right. shims? When i pulled the starter from the original engine, there were no shims so i left it be. how does a guy know if he needs shims? the starter worked fine on the original engine for about a year. ill try turning it over without plugs, see if that helps. thanx fer all the help dale __________________ 2003 yamaha raptor. Stock, but it still hauls!!!! 2000 skiddo mxz 700. Camoplast 1.5 inch track, jaws twin pipes, b+b can, custom built and weighted clutch, wiseco piston, high comp heads. its very fast. wow. 72 c-10 longbox. Bright Orange. Brand new 350, rv cam, performer intake, qjet, headers, 2 1/2 inch exhaust into hooker areo chamber mufflers. Body work coming soon. "dont let yer mind wander, its to little to go places by itself." "Forget the herse, cause i'll never die"-ACDC Back In Black "If It's To Loud, Yer Just Too Old" "I Love Anything Fast Enough To Do Something Stupid In" "Instant idiot, just add beer!!""

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08-04-2003, 01:30 AM	#4
bpmcgee Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 2,181	Orange, The ground wire on your battery has a big lug which goes to the passenger side head and a small lug which fastens to the radiator support in the front corner. You say that you rebuilt the engine. Is it possible you put the starter in without shimming it correctly and it's binding? Two more thoughts: 1) The starter might be bad -- mine was in the rebuild that I did. 2) Try pulling the plugs and seeing how it turns over. Should just FLY around with no compression. Brian



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