HELP!! won't start after changing LIM gaskets....

[JS70]

Got everything put back together but it won't start. Only thing that I am unsure about is the rocker arms. Have a 95 Monte with the rocker arms that have the pivot ball and studs. Haynes manual said to tighten adjuster nut while rotating pushrod until pushrod can't be turned then turn adjusting nut another 3/4 turn. I could only turn it a 1/4 turn!! I did follow the TDC procedure in the Haynes manual and the adjusted rockers looked to be moving as I was turning the crank. When I try to start it, it almost fires and sometimes will backfire. Anybody have any thoughts??

[bszopi]

With the 95 Monte and 3100 engine, you should just torque to 89in-lbs (10Nm) and then an additional 30º.

Do you have the plug wires right?

[Doubt_Incarnate]

if you could only turn it so far, i think you may have put the wrong pushrods in in the wrong place. they are different length for intake and exhaust.

[JS70]

I also forgot to turn of the Theftloc system for the radio...this wouldn't have anything to do with it??

[Doubt_Incarnate]

if it isnt the wires double check those pushrods for the proper location. if they arent right it might be holding an intake valve open all the time, that would cause a backfire.

[JS70]

I checked the plug wires again and everything was correct. 2,4,6 numbers in front and 1,3,5 in the back, each wire going to its corresponding number on the coil packs.

When taking apart the engine I knew the pushrods were different lengths so I poked holes in a box to make sure I would get them back into the correct locations. Just to double check, I took off the front valve cover today and checked all of them. They were all correct. 6" on the exhaust and 5.68" on the intake.

It did run a little bit today. Sounded like it was kind of putting along on 2 or 3 cylinders. Maybe I should check the rear valves too? (They're a pain to get at.) It almost seems like the ignition timing is off. The battery was failing to crank it over after about 3 tries. (Engine turns over freely by hand by turning it at the crank with a wrench.) I cleaned the terminals and I also checked the voltage, it was at 12.2.

Any other suggestions????.....Thanks everybody for your help.

[Juglenaut]

Well just remember it next time with the pushrods and all.

I recommend keeping the pushrod, rocker, ball, and lifter matched up and replacing them in the exact place they were removed from.

I use the jiggle turn method *LoL until the pushrod has next to no free hand lash then turn the nut down about 30 degrees like stated.

Was there spark coming from the plugs, an easy way to do this is loosen the rear boots with the car off and let them just sit on top the plug electrode, start the car and listen for spark detonation, if none shut the car off. Remove one of the boots completely from the spark plug electrode and place as close as possible to an grounded bolt or something grounded, pull the fuel pump relay out, and crank the engine you should be able to either see or hear a spark, try this for every spark plug wire.

if one plug is not firing the coil bank is bad or the slot the coil pack is plugged into is fried. It is very possible that one or more slot banks on the ICM is bad.

[MasterJacko96]

make sure your tb gasket is on the correct way that was a problem when i first did mine not knowing it would run cause i had it on backwards. also check and make sure u plugged the map sensor back in on the top of the intake towards the firewall cause it wont run right without that plugged in i made that mistake also. last thing i can think of is did u plug in all the injecors heh but i doubt u forgot to do that

[JS70]

I checked everything over again last night and tried starting it. It putted along for a little bit and then stopped. Next time I tried, the starter wouldn't turn over, it would just click. Took the battery out of the wife's car and put it in. Car started but was still missing, took the rpm's up a little bit and it started to clear out. After revving it a little bit, it was firing on all cylinders and was sounding great! The old battery was checking 12.18 volts, but something must've been bad and the amps weren't there.
Thanks everybody for your suggestions!!

Now I gotta get the radio out of "LOC" mode................