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  1. #1
    Fuel Injected! jameslleary's Avatar
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    Ultra rich at cold start???

    Hey guys,
    I am trying to help another Truck owner figure out a problem.
    truck is an 87 GM with a TBI 350. it has been rebuilt and bored .30 over. Cam is next step up from stock, Comp cam, ECM friendly.
    Problem is, he says its flooding on cold start, and after about 3 minutes, it starts to lean out, but is still a bit rich at warm idle. all sensors and ecm have been replaced 3 times to no joy.
    Still banging my head on this....any ideas?
    He hooked a vac gauge up, and while cold and flooding, the gauge bounces between 14 and 16 with a corresponding lope...gauge reads 17 at warm idle.

  2. #2
    Fuel Injected! jim_in_dorris's Avatar
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    James, is the truck chipped? The reason I ask, is that 87 GM trucks for california only came with 305's. The bouncing vacuum when cold then clearing up when warm almost sounds like a problem with one of his valves not seating when cold. That's just a guess though. How many miles on the rebuild?
    Square body stepsides forever!!!

  3. #3
    RIP EagleMark's Avatar
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    Good guess too! Something is wrong mechaniclly if vacuum reading is bouncing. Could be vacuum leak one cylinder as well...

    1990 Chevy Suburban 5.7L Auto ECM 1227747 $42!
    1998 Chevy Silverado 5.7L Vortec 0411 Swap to RoadRunner!
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  4. #4
    Fuel Injected! jameslleary's Avatar
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    Yeah, i have banged my head on all the mechanical stuff pretty good.
    He is in Ohio.
    There seems to be so many TBI systems running really rich and causing problems...even when the engines are replaced with factory units, and all AC Delco sensors, Delco ignition.
    The only thing that goes through my mind, and because he says its only flooding at cold start, would be the CTS, or the circuit for it. He claims that he has replaced all sensors multiple times.
    But then it settles into a normal idle after 3 minutes...albeit a little rich., per the engine analyzer between the eyes.

    BTW,
    according to GM literature, All engines were available in CA in 87.

  5. #5
    RIP EagleMark's Avatar
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    Settling into normal idle at approx three minutes sounds like Closed Loop timer expired. New engines being this way could be no BLM learn at this point.

    But your buddys shaking vacuum reading is an issue.

    1990 Chevy Suburban 5.7L Auto ECM 1227747 $42!
    1998 Chevy Silverado 5.7L Vortec 0411 Swap to RoadRunner!
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  6. #6
    Super Moderator dave w's Avatar
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    Is there a data log of this happening?

    dave w

  7. #7
    Fuel Injected! jameslleary's Avatar
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    Nope, no DL. Most folks dont have the stuff, but I try to push ALDL cables at least, but have not suggested it in this case yet.
    Mark, I was alarmed by the shaky vac too, but he says it settles to 17 after warming up.

  8. #8
    Super Moderator dave w's Avatar
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    I'm thinking the lifters need to be re-adjusted? I'm thinking a lifter is failing to open a valve until warmed up? Several ways to re-adjust lifters, but I like the method that brings each cyliner to TDC of the compression stoke to make adjustments. I've seen were re-adjusting the lifters can actually make things worse, so I'm thinking only suggest lifter re-adjustment to a vehicle owner who has the skills / experience to the adjustment.

    dave w

  9. #9
    Fuel Injected! jameslleary's Avatar
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    Yeah, I suggested the rocker re adjustment. This was happening before the rebuild too, I just found out. I will be Bald soon.

  10. #10
    Fuel Injected! jim_in_dorris's Avatar
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    Try a compression check when engine is cold, My money is either a bad valve spring or a bad valve job.
    Square body stepsides forever!!!

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