yurizx6r

Hey guys, as some of you already know, I just finished installing essentially a Trick Flow stage top end kit. I bought most of the parts used.

I went to start it up, and it does not want to start easy (perhaps the Ford E303 cam, but I doubt it), you must give it gas in order for it to start. It did not get better when it warms up. It still took me about 3-4 tries to get it started hot or cold.

When it does start it's stable, but the motor shakes left to right more than it should. This did seem to get a little better when it warmed up. Once again, maybe the cam is doing some of it, but a buddy with the same cam said it should not be shaking that much.

I have a Bama chip for it (yes I know, I'm taking it to a real tuner as soon as I get this thing running right) and they said to put the timing at 10 degrees. The car does not seem to like 10 degrees. The more you retard the timing, the lower the RPMs go, but the car feels like it wants to die. If you advance the timing the motor feels stronger, but louder.

What is also concerning is at idle it's running LEAN. It does not move from 17.0, but when you give it gas it goes to 11.3. Thoughts?

Mod list: Trick Flow intake, Twisted wedge heads, Trick Flow push rods, unknown roller rockers (heads bought used), Ford E303 cam, 30 lbl fuel injectors with C&L MAF (red calibration tube).

Thanks for any help guys!

64bit

take the chip out

yurizx6r

I tried switching it to the factory tune, but it didn't want to start. Timing at 10 degrees.

yurizx6r

I found a problem. Major vacuum leak under the thermostat, lower manifold, water pump, & distributor area. Can't tell for sure because it's in a pocket. Not building any pressure at all on the boost leak tester and it's not subtle. That explains why it's running so lean, but I'm not so sure that would explain why it's having trouble starting... would it?

mjr46

lean.....fix the vaccum leak and it'll start better

yurizx6r

For the lower manifold do you guys use the cork gaskets that come with the felpro 1250's or just use one big bead of silicone? Last time I tried a Ford racing gasket and I put the rtv both under and over the cork gasket, but I didn't take the glue off. Maybe that's why it failed? That is where it's leaking from, the cork gasket in front just left of the distributor.

mjr46

never use the cork gaskets.....unless you glue them in place first and allow to dry......I run a thick bead of Permatex's "the right stuff" never had an issue since I've done it that way

yurizx6r

I'm going to try that method this time. I'm not doing this again and wasting more time and money.

64bit

I run a bead on both the manifold and the block. then gently drop the manifold on. Then I pick it back up and check for contact across the whole length. If it missed anywhere, I add more right stuff.

Although if you have a vac leak, its going to be because one of your intake gaskets shifted and isnt sealing a port properly.

I use a very VERY small amount of blue RTV around each intake port and coolant ports too. keeps the gaskets sealed perfectly, and in place.

yurizx6r

So I tried something lazy just to see if this was my issue.... I put Permatex on the outside of where it was leaking......it worked! I did the boost leak test again and it was not leaking from under the manifold; however, it was not building pressure either. I could not find any other leaks, so I decided to test drive it.

I checked the oil and it seems like there is still coolant in there (maybe from the job or something else IDK at this point, I flushed it with 3 quarts of fresh oil before I started the car the first time.

I started the car, and it started easier, but you still needed to mash the gas. I set the timing at 12 degrees. The motor was still shaking like hell, but it got better when I took the timing down and it warmed up a little, but it was still VERY shaky. I then tried to take it up and down the block. It felt like it lacked in power (but I was gentle with it), seemed to hesitate a little, and shook like a son of a b the entire time. When I pushed the brakes I noticed that it felt like there was no vacuum pressure in the brake booster and it was all up to me (like manual brakes). That scared the hell out of me, so I idled it back to the garage.