don't listen to craz28

it has to be something simple that we're just overlooking here. give me an exact list of everything you've done to this point

 

I pretty much summed it up in the 1st post. It's a brand new rebuild. Tranny was done at the same time. It all went back in together. New plugs, wires, distributor, distributor harness, knock sensor, ignition module. Injectors, 02 sensors, MAP sensor, vacuum lines, and the knock module were replaced during the 1st rebuild. I've tested everything electrical that I can think of. I have been pouring over the shbox website performing all of the tests that they have detailed; trying to find the issue. To me, it sounds like a timing issue. If it's the distributor, then it's failed on install. It wouldn't be the 1st part to do this to me. If it's not, then I'll need to remove the timing chain cover and see if the cam is in properly.

I have basically doubled every ground as well, from the engine to the coil to the pcm, and everything in between. If the optispark is pointing to cylinder 1 at TDC, then I'm guessing it's time to take it to a mechanic with a scanner. I have no trust in anyone when it comes to my car. So, that's gonna be hard to do.

 

I have heard of people getting bad opti's. Can you take it back and trade for a new one? Good luck to you. It's always the little things that make us so mad. The little things are hard to find. It will probably wind up being a really cheap part, a wire off or something like that.

 

with the kind of money u have put into this y dont u buy a scanner? have u checked the color of the spark? i have heard of a opti rotor being off by a couple cylinders straight from the factory so checking the rotor position is a good idea. what kind of opti are u using? the single roller chain that i got has three settings for the crank sprocket so that may be something to look at.

 

you may want to tear the cap off of your opti and make sure the rotor isn't just spinning freely. mine had actually come loose and was flopping around inside. something to consider

 

I tore it apart prior to putting it in and inspected it. It looked ok. Nothing was binding, scraping, or making any unusual noises. It's a GM unit and was a lot smoother than the one I was replacing. But, I guess I wouldn't be able to tell if it was incorrectly assembled. The timing does feel off.

I'm getting to the point where I probably will be buying a scanner. I've been working on it for 2 weekends now. I am at my wit's end, which is why I'm asking around on this forum. I've manually done the checks, I'm not sure what a scanner will show me. The ones they use at Autozone are pretty lame. The one the tuner used was pretty cool. I'm sure the difference in price is significant. But, it'll be more expensive to take it to a mechanic I'm sure.

 

it COULD also be your PCM is failing. you don't happen to have a spare one you could try throwing on to see anything changes do you?

 

My plans for today are as follows:

Find TDC on cylinder #1
Pull off a bunch of poo so I can look at the opti
Verify Opti's position
Pull out PCM take it to get checked

We'll see how that goes...

 

sounds like a good plan...keep me posted please

 

Just got off the phone with the tuner and he states that the CPS isn't a necessary item on the LT1. He also can't check much on the PCM, except for if it's completely dead, outside of the car. So, if it's not the opti then I'm gonna need a scanner and hope for the best. What's a good scanner out there?