i got a problem... please help
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mukwonago, WI
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 for now
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: stupid open diff. 2.73 i think
i got a problem... please help
ok, i just swapped an engine into my 92 gmc K1500... my rings went bad ... the engine is an 86 350 with 35,000 miles on it. i swapped my tbi over to it and all the sensors and all. brand new alternator and a new temp sensor.
Problem:
with the engine at idle, voltage is at 14 volts. when i turn on my headlights the voltage drops down to 9 volts, the engine speeds up, i get a check engine light (obd1, checking the code 2morrow), and the radio flickers on and off. when i turn the headlights off, the voltage stays low. after i turn the engine off, i can turn it right back on and all is fine. at higher rpms the voltage is fine untill i turn the headlights on.
does anyone have an idea on what would cause this? could it be a ground strap? i don't think that i hooked up the ground strap from the frame to the body, its the only ground strap that i have. i have a ground that goes to the engine, and one that goes to the body in at the fender wall.
thanks in advance for the help
Problem:
with the engine at idle, voltage is at 14 volts. when i turn on my headlights the voltage drops down to 9 volts, the engine speeds up, i get a check engine light (obd1, checking the code 2morrow), and the radio flickers on and off. when i turn the headlights off, the voltage stays low. after i turn the engine off, i can turn it right back on and all is fine. at higher rpms the voltage is fine untill i turn the headlights on.
does anyone have an idea on what would cause this? could it be a ground strap? i don't think that i hooked up the ground strap from the frame to the body, its the only ground strap that i have. i have a ground that goes to the engine, and one that goes to the body in at the fender wall.
thanks in advance for the help
#2
Supreme Member
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Adrian, Mi, USA
Posts: 1,551
Likes: 0
Received 25 Likes
on
20 Posts
Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird Formula
Engine: 5.7 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: i got a problem... please help
Have the alternator tested. Just because it is new..... doesn't necessarily imply that it is good.
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mukwonago, WI
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 for now
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: stupid open diff. 2.73 i think
Re: i got a problem... please help
alternator is testing good on my little tester, battery load test is good... i checked my ground straps, neither of them were connected, so i connected them and it seems to have fixed the power issue... i checked the trouble code, its a code 33... Mass Airflow Sensor... i'm using the same sensor and all from the old engine cause it was all working. only things different are that there are 2 spacers under the TBI and i had to move the coil to the other side of the intake manifold, so now its closer to the wiring harness. is this code really a big deal? if so, i can relocate the coil, all i would have to do is extend the wiring on it, but i can't remove the tbi spacers.... i went from a vortech motor to a non-vortech motor, and the tbi intake manifold wouldn't bolt up to the head. i used the carbed style intake manifold from the new motor, and i put a tbi adapter on it to mount up the tbi, and then i had to add a spacer so that the tbi would clear the egr valve.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: CALI
Posts: 926
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: 85' Trans Am !best car ever!
Engine: 305tpi 215hp LB9 two bolt,
Transmission: th-700r4
Axle/Gears: stock (3.27)
Re: i got a problem... please help
tbi doesnt have mass airflow sensor. did you use the computer from your 92?
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mukwonago, WI
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 for now
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: stupid open diff. 2.73 i think
Re: i got a problem... please help
ok, the code comes up as MAP or MAF sensor... everything got swapped over from the 92 to the new engine
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: CALI
Posts: 926
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: 85' Trans Am !best car ever!
Engine: 305tpi 215hp LB9 two bolt,
Transmission: th-700r4
Axle/Gears: stock (3.27)
Re: i got a problem... please help
map then. hmm did you try clearing the computer of codes and try again? check vacuum and time the engine
#7
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mukwonago, WI
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 for now
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: stupid open diff. 2.73 i think
Re: i got a problem... please help
woo-hoo... got it... i took the old vacuum gauge to it, no vacuum at the sensor... the vacuum lines on my truck are stupid. a main line goes to the egr solenoid, then on the back side of the solenoid there are 2 lines coming off... 1 goes to the egr valve, and the other goes to the map sensor. the line going to the map sensor is a bypass valve, but the solenoid has to open the bypass... so i hooked the main line right up to the map sensor, and it works like a charm. went and drove around town like that for a bit and it drives really nicely now and doesn't stall when i stop. only thing that boggles me now is that the egr valve had no way of getting vacuum to open up, and i never got a CEL for the egr system... lol... well now i gotta go take the multimeter to the solenoid connector to make sure its getting power, and if it is then i gotta go get a new solenoid. thanks for the help
Trending Topics
#8
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mukwonago, WI
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 for now
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: stupid open diff. 2.73 i think
Re: i got a problem... please help
wow, i feel stupid now... all i had to do is look at the pics from my engine swap to figure this one out... lol... i had the vacuum line going from the map sensor hooked up wrong, go figure... its supposed to go to the back of the tbi unit, not to the egr solenoid... i don't see why they have to put 2 ports on the back of the solenoid to mess with people like me... lol
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post