Heads lifted and blew, pics inside!

[TurboV6Olds]

Sounds to me like youre just lean, especially if you cant get the O2s above 600. I see you also have a MAF Translator on the car. I dont know how long you've had it but Bob told me a while back there was a bad batch of MAFs floating around, that could be an issue.

What do your plugs look like? I mean, if youre THAT lean, even methanol isnt going to save you. Granted you should not be blowing gaskets at that boost level unless youre really lean and detonating the crap out of it.

I do have a MAF translator which I have had for around 3 months and have the WOT set at 10% rich and have also set the TT chip at 10% rich (not sure if they work together or not) and does not change the o2 reading with or without it. I checked the plugs a week or so ago and they seemed to be burning lean (white looking). I have recorded a few short runs on the powerlogger and have 0 knock with 1 knock count.

Thanks, Rick

 

[TurboV6Olds]

I have about 27 deg of timing at 875 rpm according to a powerlogger run I have recorded. The car has about 40 deg of timing at 2100 rpm and 20.8 deg. at 4500 rpm. This is on one run recorded.

Here are the readings on another run. 1100 rpm with 30.7 deg. timing as rpm builds timing reduces to 4275 rpm 19.1 deg. timing. Should the car have such high timing at idle?

Thanks, Rick

 

[JayC]

It depends but thats not unusual. And all your seeing with the PL is what the computer THINKS youre running. It doesnt mean thats what youre actually running if the interupter rings are off.

 

[WINDMILL]

sorry.

 

[Turbo1dr]

Check to see if the injector screens are partially clogged on those cylinders. Check them all while they're out of the fuel rail.

 

[krom]

When my heads started to lift it was not long until the real carnage began, very low oil pressure, bent stock crank and chunks of metal in the oil pan etc etc etc.

 

[TurboV6Olds]

Don't want to sound dumb, but what screens are you talking about? I just got home after removing the heads to get them to the machine shop and both sides are the same as last time. The #1, #2, and #6 were not blown but well on there way. I used the felpro 1000 this last time which are not as likely to blow as stock ones. You can tell where it had weakened out to the water jackets. Makes sense that the injectors may be an issue after seeing the same cylinders messed up like before. It could be the machine work on the heads and block as well, do you think? The guy that done the machine work is top notch in our area on these buick motors.

Thanks for all the input,

Rick

 

[Turbo1dr]

When you take the injectors out of the fuel rail, take a look at the top of the injectors where the fuel goes into the injector....there is where you'll find the screens. If any of them are partially clogged you will not notice any running problems at all until you get up to full throttle. If they are partially clogged they can't flow enough fuel to the cylinders and cause a lean condition in that cylinder. You did mention you can't get the 02's over .600v and the same cylinders have the same problems again. I'd probably have all 6 of them professionally cleaned and flowed to be sure this this isn't the problem.

 

[Eric Stage I]

Good point, Turbo1dr. The screens, also called baskets, will catch any junk coming from the fuel lines. I've seen situations where cars that have sat for a while immediately plug up new injectors because of rust or whatever flushes out of the lines into the injectors.

 

[Otto J]

Not sure if you mentioned checking it or not,but you should check the flow coming out of the lines up front.
Just because you have 60#s of fuel pressure doesnt mean its flowing enough gallons per hour.
Is the pump hot wired?
what pump is it?

 

[TurboV6Olds]

I will check the injector screens this weekend and let you guys no what is going on. The car has sat for about 5 years without driving. When I installed everything I cleaned the tank as good as possible but could definetly have had rust get into the injectors. When I pumped the fuel to the front before running the car I had rust in it maybe some got in the rail. The car is hot wired but I have never checked the flow. The pump is a Walbro 340.

Thanks,

Rick

 

[Otto J]

How about the filter? is it 5 years old or fresh?

 

[TurboV6Olds]

The filter is fresh, about 2 weeks old. The fuel lines are stock but the injectors are new as well as most everything on the car.

 

[Roger]

Jay, I can only find Steel Seal in 4 cyl here locally. Can I use 2 cans or do I need 6 cans?
I found a unit that fits in the fuel line which increases gas mileage a bunch, how many do I need to overflow my fuel tank so I can use the excess fuel in my truck?

Sorry I couldn't resist.

 

[Ttype6]

The filter is fresh, about 2 weeks old. The fuel lines are stock but the injectors are new as well as most everything on the car.

Because you have O2's at 600 it seems most likely that you have a fuel delivery problem. The screens are worth checking. The stock O2 sensor isn't as accurate as a wide band,but its still a good tuning tool. You just can't,as accurately,tune to the edge. The 60 lbs. of fuel pressure suggests that your fuel pump is doing its job. It seems most likely that the injectors aren't doing there job,or the injector harness has a problem,or the injectors aren't being pulsed long enough by the computer.
Since I believe your fuel pump is doing its job,I offer the following more as a FYI and know this information can be helpful when your pump is on the edge of being up to the task. There is no stock style fuel filter that flows as well as an AC filter. Red Armstrong told me that the Fram filter is the worst he's tested. When I noticed my fuel pressure wasn't what it should be and learned this from Red,I replaced my two week old Purolator with an AC and gained 5 LBS. of pressure. Again,I don't think this is your problem but it allows the pump to do its best work and is extra detonation insurance.
It doesn't seem like timing is your problem,but it might also be playing a role in your gasket failures. Many chips are programed with an extra 2 degrees of ignition advance in 1rst and second gears. If the switches on your valve body don't work,your computer doesn't know when the transmission shifts into 3rd and continues to command those extra 2 degrees of timing. Worth checking.

 

[TurboV6Olds]

Thanks for the reply Ttype6. I will be working on the car Tuesday evening and will check the injectors first. How do I check the injector harness? With a multimeter? I changed the computer to one that I know is good because it came out or a good running car so that problem may be eliminated.

I will change filter to AC filter just in case!!

Could the electronic spark module have anything to do with the problems?

The tranny is brand new with only 200 miles on it, What are the chances of something being wrong with the valve body controls?

I have a TT chip for Alky with 18-20 deg. timing @16-18 psi boost.

You fellows don't know how much I appreciate the input I have been given about this car.

Thanks to everyone,

Rick

 

[Ttype6]

Thanks for the reply Ttype6. I will be working on the car Tuesday evening and will check the injectors first. How do I check the injector harness? With a multimeter? I changed the computer to one that I know is good because it came out or a good running car so that problem may be eliminated.

I will change filter to AC filter just in case!!

Could the electronic spark module have anything to do with the problems?

The tranny is brand new with only 200 miles on it, What are the chances of something being wrong with the valve body controls?

I have a TT chip for Alky with 18-20 deg. timing @16-18 psi boost.

You fellows don't know how much I appreciate the input I have been given about this car.

Thanks to everyone,

Rick

There are two pressure switches on the valve body. One is used to tell the computer that the transmission has shifted into third and the other tells it when the transmission shifts into fourth. They can go bad any time.They are normally closed which means they are connecting their respective wires to ground. When the hydraulic pressures from third and fourth gears act on their respective switches,the switches open, effectively removing their respective wires from ground. You can trick the computer into thinking the trans has shifted into third and fourth by unplugging the plug on the side of the trans. This will work only if you have no grounded wires or if your computer is good. The only way I know of to test these is with a scan tool that monitors these two switches. You'll normally suspect these switches only when you have unexplained spark retard in third gear so I don't think this is your problem. Always worth checking. I wouldn't suspect ESC. Lets hope you find crap in your screens.

 

[TurboV6Olds]

What's Up Ttype6,

Just talked to my machine guy about an hour ago and he said the block was STRAIGHT and the heads had .002 clearance with staight edge which is below spec so I don't think I have block or head problems. I will be working on the car tomorrow and will keep you posted on what I find in the screens (hopefully alot in 1, 2,6).

Thanks,

Rick

 

[The_Six]

Hey Rick hope you figure it out. I have an Innovate LC-1 WB if you think it will help I can bring it by I have to drop off some parts to S&G and could dop it off at Steves for you to use. I think it will be a week or 2 before my car is back on the road so Im not using it now. Let me know if it will help.

 

[TurboV6Olds]

I really appreciate the offer but I'm afraid I won't have my car done by then. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and buy one for the car. H*ll what is another few hundred bucks when you have THOUSANDS in it anyway. I think since I have the stock exhaust manifolds off I am going to go ahead and buy some headers for it. Looking at SS headers with SS crossover.

"This should be the last big item I have to buy" Steve will like that comment.

Everytime I would buy something for the car Steve would say that should be the last big part you have to buy. That has been for the last 4 to 5 K.

I really appreciate the offer!!

Thanks, Rick