New 1996 CCLB 3500 454. Help set my expectations on power or is there a problem

[brycebba]

Yeah, I did a new fuel filter after seafoam about 800 miles ago

- Bryce -

 

[VorTecxas]

Hmm. Should have told you to do an injector leakdown check while you had the upper off. Except this doesn't sound like that, it sounds like its having trouble getting up there

 

[VorTecxas]

Double check all of your lines, make sure they're tight. Even if it's not puddling, it could be bleeding pressure and causing a hard start, had that issue a couple times with small blocks I did spiders on. They'd take awhile to start and run rough

 

[brycebba]

What's a good way to test for leaks if it is bleeding pressure? Should I be checking all the areas I touched like the fpr and injector seals?

- Bryce -

 

[VorTecxas]

The FPR and lines right at the rail is a good start, it's easy to get that FPR not fully seated. Did you put the snap ring back in? Did you install the injectors with the orings dry or did you lube them a little?

 

[VorTecxas]

Pressure gauge is still the best tester. After running, your pressure should hold within 2 PSI for at least 10 minutes

 

[brycebba]

I did lube up all orings with some clean motor oil and I did get the new snap ring back on the fpr. It definitely doesn't keep within 2 psi for 10 minutes. After 3 minutes it was down 4 psi and thirteen minutes is was down about 10.

- Bryce -

 

[VorTecxas]

Could be as simple as a loose line that is only losing pressure and no noticeable fluid. It's possible, I've been there. The first time I ran into it was after doing the spider on the 350, it drove me nuts. I could smell fuel, it wouldn't start right away, and it idled rough. I finally just started tightening everything and found the feed line was loose right behind the intake, it was only a 1/2 turn loose and only wet right at the fitting, it wasn't dripping anywhere, it had been that way for a week. 4 PSI in 3 minutes doesn't sound like a bad injector to me.

 

[brycebba]

I didn't loosen any fittings doing that stuff but that's not to say that me moving around in there didn't loosen anything or were possibly already loose. Seems like since it went from being good to having hard starts it would be something related to what I did. Where are the possible places I should check that would be I the area I was working in. Hopefully I can get to them without taking the intake off again

- Bryce -

 

[VorTecxas]

You changed the injectors without removing the rail?