Basket Case Non-runner HELP!!!!

I have a 91 s10 with a 4.3. I bought it about a year ago and it hadnt been running for almost 10 years. It had 180,000 miles on it. I got it started and it ran excellent but smoked excessivly. I bought a rebuilt motor with heads and swapped it out. I bolted everything back up and couldnt get it to run. It would start sputter and then run for a few seconds, sometimes longer then die. I played with timing all day with no result. I took it to a shop and they told me I had an intake manifold leak, and my throttle body shaft was damaged. they wanted 800 to fix it so i did it myself. I put new gaskets on the intake again and tried my luck with that. It didnt make a difference at all. I thought maybe it was warped or cracked so I bought a used one on ebay along with a rebuilt throttle body. Tried that and no luck again. I got it running enough and sprayed starting fluid all around the manifold and it didnt do anything either. I gave up on it for a while after that and parked it. Just recently I figued I'd play with it again. Trying to save some money I found a couple of auto guys on craigslist that wanted side work. They came and look a look and immediatley thought that the cam and crank sprockets werent lined up. I told em to go ahead and fix it since i was busy. They informed me that it was off a 60 degrees. I didnt think it was possible since i got the engine from a machinist. I told them to go ahead and fix it anyway. Well they got it all back together and tried starting it. Now it just turns over with no attempt to start at all. Its getting plently of fuel and good spark. They gave up on it and went home and left me with a truck deader than it was before. I checked it out today and all of the valves rocker arms were wayyyy too lose. Im thinking possibly it was a valve/rocker arm problem the whole time, and they threw everything out of wack. any suggestions? should i tear it back apart to check the timing marks myself?

If it would at least start before, then I am afraid you have no choice but to re-check your timing marks. As to your other problems, did you take all of your sensors off of the old engine and put them on your replacement engine ? The PCM does not do well without them. Have you tried to pull any codes out of the computer ? Even if your check engine light is not on there may still be codes set. Did you do a fuel pressure check ? I have seen pumps supply fuel pressure at idle but not under load. When you were checking timing did you disconnect the bypass wire, probably tan/blk, right side kick panel, ? Hope this helps.

Sounds like to many people working on it that do not know what they are doing.
Now You are going to have to start from scratch and go threw the basics.
First thing find out if the camshaft/crankshaft is timed right.
Bring no. 1 piston up to TDC compression stroke.
When No. 1 piston is at or rolling over top dead center.
Look at no. 6 cylinder valves. They should be rocking.
One valve closing and one valve opening.
Like one rocker arm going up and one going down.
Also known as valves rocking!!!
If not the timing chain/gears is not timed.
Post back what you find on it.
And we can go from there.

I re-used all sensors. I did disconnect the wire under the dash while messing with timing. The only code it had was code 44 which was i guess oxygen sensor? i have already replaced that. This morning i took off the timing cover and the marks were lined up but....i looked in my manual and it shows a picture of the the dowel on the cam being on the left hand side, and on mine now its on the right. what the hecks backwards here? anything?

I re-used all sensors. I did disconnect the wire under the dash while messing with timing. The only code it had was code 44 which was i guess oxygen sensor? i have already replaced that. This morning i took off the timing cover and the marks were lined up but....i looked in my manual and it shows a picture of the the dowel on the cam being on the left hand side, and on mine now its on the right. what the hecks backwards here? anything?

Do not go by right or left. It can be timed 180 off and still run.
Remember the crank turns 2 times to one turn of camshaft
To check it.
Go threw my last post to check the true timing or if the timing gear and chain is set right.
MT

Has anyone ever seen the wrong timing gear on a cam? I checked over and over and I think the cam is 180 off. At # 1 top dead center, # 3 takes its intake. Not sure how to explain but not sure if the idiot I got the motor from put the wrong cam in or wrong gear?

It is the way you are checking it not the gear.
Check it like I explained it to you in first post to see if it is timed right.
The way you are checking it.
When the cam and crank gear marks are lined up for setting the timing chain it is one no 6 TDC compression.
Just.
Line up the gear marks and turn the crank one full turn clock wise and it will be on No 1 TDC compression.
And ready to set the dist.
MT

I checked and checked again, the timing marks are lined up, and the valves are opening at the right time- #1 at top dead center and #6 rocking. Has excellent spark and getting fuel but will not fire.

Good hot blue spark to all spark plugs?

Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 14


Re: Basket Case Non-runner HELP!!!!
I checked the # 1 plug and it had a good spark. I thought that was good enough but I decided to check one more just be sure. I pulled out the next one and it had nothing. Had carbony black soot on it. I pulled out the other plugs and they werent firing either and all looked the same. I put in some new plugs and it started right up. It will idle until I give it some gas then it immedialy cuts out and runs rough and shakes all over.

Check base timing.
Good hot blue spark to all spark plug from the wire going onto the plug?
Any check engines lights on?

all plugs have good hot blue spark, timing set right after checking again and again. the service engine light comes on when running.

the service engine light comes on when running.

Get those codes...

I gave up on this thing for a while but I tried working on it again today. The only codes it was giving was 42 which was o2 sensor? I replaced that and that went away. It still runs like crap though. It will start when cold and idle fine for a few seconds then immediatly start chugging and shaking all over. Timing is set. Replaced cap and rotor and all plugs and wires. Blows a black smoke out the back and leaves a powdery soot all over the ground. Im about to give up.

Code w engine or TBI injection.
If the inside injector set up check fuel pressure and watch for a fast leak down.

its a Z with TBI

Check for flooding or leaking injectors.
Check map and coolant sensors.
What is the fuel pressure?
You have something driving it rich.
Good Luck
MT

checked the codes and nows it getting more. #33 and #42. I'll check fuel pressure too.

Check the codes out.
They may be trying to tell you something.
MT

code 33 says map. is there any way to check the map sensor to see if its bad? im just tired of buying parts and they fix nothing.

Check the voltage readings and for good engine vacuum to it.

This may sound a little stupid and may be covered already. Check the distributor rotation. if the wires are set up for a clockwise rotation but the swapped engine was counterclockwise you will never get it started. I've actually seen this issue before. If this is the case, you may simply need to remove and replace the wires on your distributor cap in the opposite order.

I replaced the map sensor and the code went away. Still runs exactly the same. Runs good for 10 seconds when cold then idles rough and smokes like crazy. Havent got a chance to check fuel pressure yet. Could this be a prob? I also seem to remember I had the truck running a lot better before I re-installed the cat and muffler. Could this be clogged up?

I took off the cat and muffler and that is all cleared out. The MAP has good vaccum to it. The codes are still coming up. # 33 says low vac to MAP and 42 says ECM has seen an open or grounded EST or bypass circuit. What does this mean?

I took off the cat and muffler and that is all cleared out. The MAP has good vaccum to it. The codes are still coming up. # 33 says low vac to MAP and 42 says ECM has seen an open or grounded EST or bypass circuit. What does this mean?

You need to get a good repair manual and go threw the repair flow chart for code 42.
Could be wiring or est module or bad pcm.
On the map sensor code check wiring and actual engine vacuum and vacuum to map sensor.
What is the engine vacuum readings at idle and at 2000 rpm?
MT