2000, 454 vortec bb engine seems to be missing after distributor R&R

[Mangonesailor]

So we've pretty well ruled out the ignition system right?

Did you say where you got the injectors from? Are they the stock size?

Yes, from what it seems the ignition system is OK. Now I'm looking for something mechanical, starting with the dizzy. Since the dizzy is "new" though... next stop is the cam. And the answer to that lies with his misfire counts.

Depending on how his counts look, either his cam gear is starting to go, or he's got issues on one side of the engine... or one is just worse than the other. We'll see once we get the data.

Stay sane out there. I was on a sub, so I know how it feels to be stuck in one place for months surrounded by not only sweat and ********... but lots of things that could make your day end suddenly. We didn't have chicks on our boat though... nor see the sun every day... but if it was storming out there we just dove to 600' and let the waves rock us to sleep.

 

[Christian Steffen]

Yes, from what it seems the ignition system is OK. Now I'm looking for something mechanical, starting with the dizzy. Since the dizzy is "new" though... next stop is the cam. And the answer to that lies with his misfire counts.

Depending on how his counts look, either his cam gear is starting to go, or he's got issues on one side of the engine... or one is just worse than the other. We'll see once we get the data.

Stay sane out there. I was on a sub, so I know how it feels to be stuck in one place for months surrounded by not only sweat and ********... but lots of things that could make your day end suddenly. We didn't have chicks on our boat though... nor see the sun every day... but if it was storming out there we just dove to 600' and let the waves rock us to sleep.

Think the timing chain could be added to the list of possible culprits?

 

[Ttoyota]

So i got them new off ebay. But the housings were stamped with all the correct markings. They didn't look fake. Supposedly they were direct bolt in replAcements. I gave lex tech the data for them before he did base tune. I dont think its ignition. But damn who knows. I can say i hosed the entire plenum down with starting fluid around distributor and lower intake gaskets because i changed all that out too. Idle never fluctuated while spraying.

 

[Ttoyota]

Rha

Yes, from what it seems the ignition system is OK. Now I'm looking for something mechanical, starting with the dizzy. Since the dizzy is "new" though... next stop is the cam. And the answer to that lies with his misfire counts.

Depending on how his counts look, either his cam gear is starting to go, or he's got issues on one side of the engine... or one is just worse than the other. We'll see once we get the data.

Stay sane out there. I was on a sub, so I know how it feels to be stuck in one place for months surrounded by not only sweat and ********... but lots of things that could make your day end suddenly. We didn't have chicks on our boat though... nor see the sun every day... but if it was storming out there we just dove to 600' and let the waves rock us to sleep.[/QUO

 

[Ttoyota]

I will and thank you. I was navy sar swimmer and heli crew chief. Bahrain was as bad as it got for me. Getting my sea time now though thats for sure. Operate a unmanned sub

 

[Ttoyota]

Any chance the distributor could be off by a tooth? Would it even run if that was the csse

 

[Mangonesailor]

I will and thank you. I was navy sar swimmer and heli crew chief. Bahrain was as bad as it got for me. Getting my sea time now though thats for sure. Operate a unmanned sub

HAHA! Well I'm sure it's just "another day in the life."

We'll wait up for ya I'm sure. I love troubleshooting, and that's what I do for a living know... working on Hydraulic laminate flooring presses.

The dizzy will still run no matter where you stab it. The ECM references the dizzy rotor position itself and the crank to determine when to fire the coil. However, there is an offset that the computer calculates to keep this in line and if it's too high (say, 15° or more) it'll throw a code (p1234?) telling you "You've got issues with your cam/crank offset. Sum Ting Wong." You can zero this, if need be, if you take it to a chevy dealer and tell them to do a crank relearn on it. You'll have to tell them to set up their Tech 2 for an '02 chevy express with an 8.1 for it to work though.

@Christian Steffen I'm not super concerned about the chain, but, its a possibility. Or even the crank sensor/reluctor wheel has some issue. I haven't seen so much around about the 454 timing set wearing out and the symptoms of it. But I'd pull the dizzy and get a cheapo borescope to put in the hole to check the cam before I'd pull a timing cover. Plus, hey, new tool!

 

[454cid]

The dizzy will still run no matter where you stab it. The ECM references the dizzy rotor position itself and the crank to determine when to fire the coil. However, there is an offset that the computer calculates to keep this in line and if it's too high (say, 15° or more) it'll throw a code (p1234?) telling you "You've got issues with your cam/crank offset. Sum Ting Wong." You can zero this, if need be, if you take it to a chevy dealer and tell them to do a crank relearn on it. You'll have to tell them to set up their Tech 2 for an '02 chevy express with an 8.1 for it to work though.

He just needs a scanner that will read the offset, and then adjust the distributor position until its +/-2 with the engine running at 1000rpm, or a little over. There's no need to shell out money at the dealer. I did this to mine this past summer/spring. I found that it was at -7, with no code.

 

[Ttoyota]

Cmp offset is gtg.

 

[Christian Steffen]

HAHA! Well I'm sure it's just "another day in the life."

We'll wait up for ya I'm sure. I love troubleshooting, and that's what I do for a living know... working on Hydraulic laminate flooring presses.

The dizzy will still run no matter where you stab it. The ECM references the dizzy rotor position itself and the crank to determine when to fire the coil. However, there is an offset that the computer calculates to keep this in line and if it's too high (say, 15° or more) it'll throw a code (p1234?) telling you "You've got issues with your cam/crank offset. Sum Ting Wong." You can zero this, if need be, if you take it to a chevy dealer and tell them to do a crank relearn on it. You'll have to tell them to set up their Tech 2 for an '02 chevy express with an 8.1 for it to work though.

@Christian Steffen I'm not super concerned about the chain, but, its a possibility. Or even the crank sensor/reluctor wheel has some issue. I haven't seen so much around about the 454 timing set wearing out and the symptoms of it. But I'd pull the dizzy and get a cheapo borescope to put in the hole to check the cam before I'd pull a timing cover. Plus, hey, new tool!

I think that's a good starting point.