No start issues...low boost issues. HELP!

[grabbergreenboy]

Ok all. I had a local fella replace the headgasket on my 85.5 2R - now the gremlins are appearing. I am having two weird issues

1. Non -start issues - needs another car to crank it.

The battery checks out as ok (12 volts or so), and we checked out the alternator, its okay - showing 14 volts. The SVO will start if you use another car to jump it though??? I thought it was the battery - took it by the local AZone - they charged it & said it was ok. After reinstalling the battery the car started (sounded weak but actually started) and I drove into town 2 miles and back...the car ran for 30 minutes or so. As soon as I got home and tried to restart the car...it makes a weak grunt...and it seems like the battery is dead again. I take it back to AZone and they say...your battery is FINE. Is there some other thing common to SVO's that would cause this to happen?

2. Boost Woes -

After a new headgasket my Boost seems to be down - BIG TIME. Any normal thing a non-SVO'er might do when reinstalling a headgasket that would make the boost barely work at all? The fella that put the timing belt on had the timing belt off 2 teeth and some wires crisscrossed. it took a my buddy ( a Ford Tech) and I over 2 hours to get these issues fixed and get her running.

Any help would def. Rock. I want to get this SVO dialed in before I let her go. I am getting another 93 Cobra this weekend and will need to sell the SVO for everything to work out right. If anyone knows of someone in NC looking for a 85.5 let me know.

[SVOeric]

your no-crank issue sounds like a bad connection to the battery itself, a bad ground to the block, or a bad connection to the starter.

when jumping a car -- 12+12 is not 24 volts, you are still just running 12 volts through the system, so the fact that you can jump it says the starter is good, you just got a bad connection somewhere.

When you say low boost, do you mean the premimum switch isn't working? is the boost staying the same on unleaded, and premimum ?

Which wires did he have crossed ?? it's pretty hard to cross wires when the plugs won't plug into the wrong connectors...

ALSO -- what did the mechanic find on the head gasket?

[NavySVO]

I had a similar problem some years back. It ended up being the starter. It was drawing too much amperage from the battery due to the bendix bushings were worn out.
Depending on what types of services are available to you, a starter can be tested.

Another thing to look at is the ground coming off the neg. battery terminal. (and I know the fastener is corroded, but my connection is clean )

[grabbergreenboy]

I"ll check all of my grounds. The fellow that changed out the headgasket is a nimrod...it took him 3 months to do the job...yeah, i know. The original head on the car was toast...had a crack, thus I was going thru coolant like crazy. We found a nice used head from another svo, and he replaced it. I'm not sure how good of a job he did (long story...)

"When you say low boost, do you mean the premimum switch isn't working? is the boost staying the same on unleaded, and premimum ?" Yes - DOH!

The boost issue is similar to the one I had a while back...JayG helped me fix it with another (breather hose...i think to the fpr via intake). Right now this svo would be seeing a pinto's lights in the 1/4...with the pinto running on 2 cyl.

The fella that replaced my head gasket must have broken the blk/white wire to the tps...and the engine coolant temp sensor. Instead of connecting all of the blk white wires together again he decided that they didnt need to be connected. Long story short the injectors werent getting any fire...and the coolant temp sensor was throwing a code. The guy told me (one of the many) a whopper saying he'd had the car running but couldnt get it tuned right. There's no way the car was running after he fixed the headgasket cause the injectors werent firing. When I got the car back it didnt even run. He never returned my calls or anything...I left him a "kind" message or 2 and gave up on him. Oh...I paid him $400 for the head and his "mechanic services" - another DOH! I'll be taking some auto tech classes at the local tech school in the fall because I am sick of getting taken for a ride. Thanks all for your input and help!

[grabbergreenboy]

Brilliant - "Never smack a man who's chewin' tobacco. " Thats a good one

[Gyrhead]

Exhaust plugged??? Timing?? What it it set to with the SPOUT out?

[SVOeric]

$400 ain't that bad -- but 3 months is --

On your boost problem -- I BET your buddy has messed with the hose routing. check it out, and if you don't see anything obvious -- post up how the hoses are routed.

[NavySVO]

here is the hose routing, with the cam cover hose exhaust to the turbo deleted

[grabbergreenboy]

NavySVO - NICE! I'll check out the hose routings in the morning. My almost finished garage is blocked with a pile of shrapnuhl. $400 isnt bad considering it included the new head...bad news though...he didnt give me back the old one (so i have no idea if the head is actually new, and he didnt give me any receipts). The 3 months thing is for sure. I'll post my findings. I may take pics and see if you guys see anything out of sort if I dont comparing NavySVO's pics. Thanks all!

[grabbergreenboy]

Gyrhead - "What it it set to with the SPOUT out?" I'm a bit stumped with this question. Could you expand on it a bit? (I'm easily confused). (the timing was set according to the info in the haynes manual - Good Lord dont tell me the Haynes Manual is wrong

[NavySVO]

Gyrhead - "What it it set to with the SPOUT out?" I'm a bit stumped with this question.

Timing is set with the SPOUT (SPark OUT) plug disconnected. It is a plug about 6-10 inches off the TFI (most are a yellow wire). Timing should be at 10 degrees BTC as a starting point. Unplug the SPOUT, start the car, set the timing, and shut off the car, then replug the SPOUT cconnection

[Gyrhead]

The spout connector, down on the same pigtail as the TFI harness, has 2 yellow wires. That connector must be out when setting base timing to 10 degrees BTDC. Must be pulled when timing. It could be as simple as your timing being off.

[Gyrhead]

Navy, we have to stop meeting like that.

[Pat_in_L.A.]

Since you have a 85.5, the boost controller will look slightly different than the pics.

[grabbergreenboy]

Here's the scoop. We were still off 1 tooth on the timing belt - fixed that. The timing was at 5 def from tdc...changed to 10. Guess what? She runs great! Thanks all for your help. Its amazing how the timing being off a bit can screw performance. As for the start issue...it seems to be fixed as well. If I have any more issues I'll just replace the starter.