Starting Issues (Timing? AEM CAL file issues?)

[John Hartman]

nahh, even if the lifters were solid, the pistons and valves would hit, but the cams would still turn until the valves bending would clearance it enough to spin freely.

You sure you put them on in the correct order, the correct orientation and the correct torque?  Pretty sure you did, but this is an odd one.

[Mike Schmid]

I would think that the valves bending should have reduced the load on the cam, and it's not like big ol' springs wiped the cams clean either because it's a roller cam, not a solid lifter.  So it was assembled a year ago?  What did you use for lube? 

It's not an oil problem eh?  Something to do with that cap inside the head or a wrong headgasket plugging up a feed or a plugger up feed or drain somewhere? 

It's a strange problem for sure. 

[John Hartman]

yea maybe an oil passage is plugged.

[Ryan Coft]

what's the best way to check that?

Put the head back on, leave the valve cover off and just spin the oil pump? See if oil is flowing to the head? Pretty sure it is but I'd like to check. Used lots of assembly lube when I put it together...

Just priming the oil pump without the tbelt on should show that I suppose eh?

[John Hartman]

put the head on, but don't put the cams in, and spin it with the oil pump drive and a drill.  Of course, no timing belt on.

Have lots of rags around, it might get messy, not sure.

PS, any torque specs on them damnable oil squirters?

[Mike Schmid]

Yup, if the Tbelt is off you can spin the oil pump up no prob.  Could do a visual inspection too of the oil passages.  Do you have an FSM?  What are the chances a gallery plug or something got removed and left out by the machine shop or something?  Not sure if there's even any that would do that, I don't have a FSM handy to check.  To hot tank a block or head some shops will pull all the frost plugs, gallery plugs etc. 

[daniel Dee]

I had something loose in the head causing the lifters to collapse at hi rpm..
The car would barely run for a few minutes.....
You will have to ask Lowell what it was cause it took hours to figure out.