So I recently installed a new pair of Iron Ram 2.02 heads and a new Hughes cam along with all the other mumbo jumbo involved. Now that I have it all together and fluids in, I brought the oil pressure up and tried to start it and nothing.

My cam timing is not off, I have checked it's intake centerline against TDC 3 times and it's @ 111*. I lined my distributor #1 cylinder mark up with the rotor and shaft. I have fuel pressure. I have spark. I don't have a motor that will start.

Any Ideas?

 

Is it firing the injectors?

How LONG do you have spark? Gotta crank more than 3 seconds for a real test.

But, if you have fuel, and spark..... it should start. Or, at the very least, backfire.....

Getting any codes?

 

I suppose it could be 180 out. And here is a good pic of how to install it, courtesy of Slomojo

 

Ah yes, 180* off! Took the dist out, rotated the crank 180, lined up # 1 cylinder, and 2nd crank......It came to life!!!

Ran it @ 2k for about 20 min. and checked for leaks......and I have a coolant leak behind the heads somewhere by the bellhousing and a very minor oil leak out of the damper. I'm thinking either I should have used copper spray on the head gaskets or just rtv the head bolts with no moly grease on them. The leak out of the damper is likely coming out were the keyway is on the crank....

Checked the oil... no water in it and my oil pressure is steady. Any ideas about that coolant leak? Hope I'm not pulling heads to chase it.

 

Are there freeze plugs on the backs of the heads?

 

none on the heads

 

Only coolant passages back there are in the intake... there IS, however, a hose that runs back there for the heater...... might wanna have a look at that.

 

heater hose was the first thought in my head also. Ran the truck again after cooling the initial start up. I found the coolant to be leaking on both sides equally just above the starter and just above the oil filter. It seems to be coming from the mating spot on the very end of the head. Almost right above that little lip in the block. I think I am forced to pull the heads off and see if I can't copper rtv it in that spot. I just don't want to affect the seal anywhere else by trying to seal the end of the head.

As far as the intake manifold, no coolant on top of the block by the dist or the CSP sensor. No coolant in the valley (AirGap), and no coolant in the oil.

It's hard not to jump in and romp around the block with the new heads and cam, but this coolant leak is serious and I have nothing but time.

 

Sounds like you are right.... OFF WITH HIS HEAD(s)......

Not sure if RTV is going to solve that problem though..... gets toasty warm there. Have a look at it when you have it apart, and see if you can't determine just why it wanted to leak there.

 

Well heads are off.... again. I didn't see any stress marks or a cracked block. I'm thinking my dowel clearence was off due to using a thinner "LA race" gasket. I will file down the dowel a bit and use a "stock" gasket. Still debating the copper spray on the gaskets....