Tuning question

[Looking Good in Red]

I have a 2000 bird that originally had the original ls1 with basically bolt ons only and a mild tune. I have since pulled the motor, dropped an lq4 with bigger injectors, a cam, and better heads in on top of the bolt ons. Now, my question is am I safe to start the car without another tune? I'm in line to get it tuned on Monday and the shop is 10 minutes away but I'm scared that I'm going to encounter bad things such as detonation or any of the other problems that come from a bad tune. I'm not planning on driving it except to the shop if its possible, but if I really need to be safe, I have a trailer I can borrow but would really rather bypass all that hassle. Thanks!

Only problem I see is the injectors. That's going to change how it runs the most. If you want to start it, use the injectors it was tuned on then you would be ok to start and drive it. Then change the injectors out when you get to the shop.

[speedmon]

If everything was installed correctly, it should start....it will have to for the tuner to tune it.

It may not idle right....
It may stall....at a stop.
Just stay out of WOT.

But if you can drive it around the block...you can make it to the shop.

6.0Ls work great in these cars! especially with LS3 heads!

What kinda cam....what kinda heads....?

[Looking Good in Red]

317 heads and not sure of the exact cam specs but its a comp cam. Now I have a problem though. I went to start it after priming the oil pump went fine, it fired for a second and died which I expected but then turned it over a bit more to see if it would start again and the starter broke. Had a spare starter laying around, put it on and it wouldn't turn the motor over. So I got out the breaker bar and I can't turn it over either. It will turn backwards about 330 degrees but stops. Same forwards. I took out the spark plugs and loosened the valves to see if it was hydro locked and possibly bent a valve and it still won't turn. I am about to pull the heads again.... I can hear the engine hitting something and its coming from the back. Got under it and it may be coming from the bell housing or the back of the block.... I'm not excited. Anybody ever run into this problem? Did I maybe bend a rod because of detonation?

[Looking Good in Red]

So in my diagnosing because I really really don't want to pull the motor again, I pulled the intake manifold off and stuck a tube in the intake valves. Can't really hear anything in there. So I pulled off the valley cover and shoved a tube as deep as I could in there. Can hear it for sure but its not clearly coming from in the block. Touch it to the bell housing and you can hear it for sure. Stuck the tube in where the starter goes and you can hear it clearly too. I'm really crossing my fingers and hoping its binding on something in the perhaps a flywheel bolt or something although I'm almost positive I torqued everything down. I'm going to pull the tranny first just to save the head gaskets and bolts if that's not the problem but if I don't see anything after that I guess its out with the motor again which I'm seriously dreading so if anyone has anything to chime in that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[speedmon]

That sucks!
To back up....if it doesn't rotate....it sounds like it did....to start...but no more.....something wasn't installed correctly. Was the motor new or a junkyard special (not that that's bad)

Why would you think it was hydrolocked?


6.0 with 317 heads (same as 243s) and the right cam, porting and an LS2 manifold can make almost 500whp.....good set-up.

Pull the heads.....
and see if you can rotate the short block. If not you'll have to pull that.

Detonation on a five minute "idle"start (is unlikely) would not cause a siesure....sounds installation oriented.

I know people who have installed new motors and didn't tune em for a year......as long as the computer was for an LS 8 cylinder.

Good luck

[speedmon]

Did it backfire when you started it?.........that can break a starter.
Who degreed the cam?

If the cam wasn't installed correctly...that can cause a backfire and break a starter.......cus the valves are open/closed at the wrong time.

[Looking Good in Red]

Well because on the old tune the tuner said my stock injectors were at 110% duty cycle so I went with the cobra injectors so maybe not "hydro" locked but petrol locked and bent a rod? Also with a bent rod would the engine actually stop turning over? I think I'm going to pull the tranny. Its about out anyway just to see if its coming from behind and so I don't have to waste head gaskets and bolts. The motor was from eBay but I had it completely rebuilt and double checked professionally.

[Looking Good in Red]

Well I turned it over many times with the cam in by hand. I'm not sure who degreed it. I bought it from a local performance shop and just installed it.

[speedmon]

ooooo and by the way....what year is the LQ4.

I'm going to assume that you verified it had a 24x reluctor as opposed to a 56x.......your computer won't work a 56x without a converter box....that could cause firing problems too and break a starter.

Good Luck

[Looking Good in Red]

I've already concluded that the started broke because the engine won't turn at all. So that's not really my worry. My worry is damage to the engine and why it won't turn. I'm not sure on the year either... I wanna say between 02-04

[Looking Good in Red]

So... The culprit... An exhaust Mani bolt.... Ughhh must have been in the intake manifold somehow?? So I'm now debating do I put it back together and hope the piston doesn't explode? I'll upload pics in a minute. There are indents on the piston and head but I'm not sure they are catastrophic?

Edit: looks like I'm pulling the engine again.... The piston is coming up crooked so I figure the rod is bent

[speedmon]

That sucks!
So a bolt fell into the cylinder and got pounded between the piston and the head?

At least you've isolated it.

You should be able just replace rod, pin and piston. Hopefully the bearing or crank wasn't injured. Hard to believe the rod would bend before the piston would break.

Have them check the head to make sure the seals are good and valves for that cylinder are not bent.

Look forward to seeing you getting it running.

[Looking Good in Red]

Well did some further investigating and the rod is fine. The only thing from keeping me from just slapping the head back on is the piston... It is scored but I'm curious as to whether it is severe enough to replace or could I just roll with it? What does everyone think?http://s1362.photobucket.com/albums/r690/lskywalker6