performance car won't start... Any help?

My parents have a 1981 Camaro Z28 car, with a lot of modifications. Theres a big block 350 instead of the older 350 small block, and everything is upgraded, including the frame with "Z28" on the side, and the gas tank which has pinstripes.

The problem is, we have no charge in the battery, but it was changed just a few months ago. We took it into the shop, and they said that the starter motor was burned internally from the heat off the headers. So, we got that replaced, and a new heat blanket re-installed. Then, they said that the fuel filter was fucked, so we re-ordered one from the US (not sold in Canada, go figure...) and it ran for a little while. Now, the damn car won't start again and still has no charge.

I figure that the alternator is fucked up, but my parents won't listen to me long enough to check. Can I get some guesses as to whats happening and how to fix it?

 

Okay, love this stuff


If you do get it started pull the (+) side battery cable off while it is running, if the car dies sure clue the alt is not working. If it still runs then use a volt meter, while car is running it should be putting out at least 13.5 volts better if 13.8 volts.

All a car needs to run is fuel, spark and compression in a timed sequence.

To check for spark, pull spark plug wire off of any spark plug, pull insulation boot back to expose the wire, while holding onto the insulation part hold the exposed wire about an inch from metal, turn engine over and your should get a good spark nice and white. Beware not to touch that bare wire or you will have a hell of a kick and if its a high power coil it will knock your ass off and can even stop your heart.

So if you have spark, next is fuel. Pull fuel lead off carb, crank car if mechanical pump and it should launch out of the hose a good 2 feet with every hit. Connect line back to carb and work the throttle manualy and if you see a misty look down in the throat of the carb its all good.

Next would be compression, pull spark plug, pull coil wire so car wont start, if HEI then unplug power lead to coil off the cap and put thumb over spark plug hole turn over engine and it should easlity pop your thumb off the hole.

So if you have confirmed, spark, fuel compression then you need to confirm timming, pull #1 spark plug, kill power to coil so car wont start and turn engine to TDC on compression stroke, manualy turn engine by hand when you are close using a small stick pushed into the spark plug hole to make sure piston is at the top most on the stroke. when it is on tdc (top dead center) of the compression stroke pull cap of distributer and make sure the rotor inside is point to the contact point under the cap that leads to the spark plug wire that would be for #1 cyl.

If you have all that it should run if the car has real gas and it is not old.

Hope that helps.

 

by the way once the alternator is dead and the battery gets so weak even if the car is running it will shut down as the car needs voltage to spark the plugs to make the fire to ignite the cylinder to create the power to turn the crank and so on.


Also so manyh times of killing a battery can make it so the battery will not accept a charge anymore.

Lastly I never ever have heard of a big block 350 unless its a pontiac engine. Chevy made small blocks 262-400, big blocks 396-454 not counting a few odd industrial engines.

 

sounds like you know what you are doing, wanna come help me change the head gaskets on my chevy 350. Not that this is hard or anything, I just have no motivation. The only reason I care to do it now intsead of later is that I would prefer to drive the truck to my new house as compared to towing it. I am going about 60 - 70 miles away from where I am now.

 

If your just doing a head gasket its cool but be careful if your doing heads, came and valve train on an old bottom end, fast way to see just how weak the bottom end is. lol

I have to pull out to drive some more in the morning so sadly I can not assist. I love working on cars like I do working on computers just hated doing computers for a career and know being a mechanic for aliving would kill me. Its a relaxing hobby to me and thats it.

remember SBC have the old intake leak issues across the front and back, a tad of atv on each end is a good thing but just a tad.

 

It's a truck block, not a car block... I don't know if that helps you

 

did ya get it running?

 

we never tested it, but we ordered a replacement alternator (freebie)... We also replaced the battery and it seems to work fine now. I will update if it fucks up again...