Blown Expedition Needs Help

[signdoctor]

Okay. So I finished the install of a 2003 Lightning Motor in my 1997 EB. Thanks to the write up that boiler71 made it went pretty smooth. I have may tune and it seems ready to fire but when I do it runs like crap. I cant do my data log like this? It will not start without a little help and when it does, if I feather the gas I can JUST keep it running. It doesn't sound like its hitting on all 8 just right. I have brand new injectors on. Making just over 35psi fuel pressure on stock expedition fuel pump. I am getting spark. It does not feel like it is getting any vacuum because I can barley feel it in the brake peddle. The guy I got the motor from said it was a running motor when removed and I trust that it was, although I have not seen with my own eyes. Unless I hear any better leads from this site I am going to start at the bottom and work my way up the motor. I will start with a compression test and go from there.

1997 Expedition 4X4, ECM, Engine wire harness, Trans wire harness
Motor: 2003 Lightning 5.4SC
Bored .030
Manley Rods
J&E Pistons
Polished Crank
Kooks LT Headers
Bassani High Flow Cats
Boost By-Pass Delete
K&N CAI
Rear O2 Delete
4R100 Trans.
Program by Mike @ MorePowerTuning

 

[toms89]

Okay. So I finished the install of a 2003 Lightning Motor in my 1997 EB. Thanks to the write up that boiler71 made it went pretty smooth. I have may tune and it seems ready to fire but when I do it runs like crap. I cant do my data log like this? It will not start without a little help and when it does, if I feather the gas I can JUST keep it running. It doesn't sound like its hitting on all 8 just right. I have brand new injectors on. Making just over 35psi fuel pressure on stock expedition fuel pump. I am getting spark. It does not feel like it is getting any vacuum because I can barley feel it in the brake peddle. The guy I got the motor from said it was a running motor when removed and I trust that it was, although I have not seen with my own eyes. Unless I hear any better leads from this site I am going to start at the bottom and work my way up the motor. I will start with a compression test and go from there.

1997 Expedition 4X4, ECM, Engine wire harness, Trans wire harness
Motor: 2003 Lightning 5.4SC
Bored .030
Manley Rods
J&E Pistons
Polished Crank
Kooks LT Headers
Bassani High Flow Cats
Boost By-Pass Delete
K&N CAI
Rear O2 Delete
4R100 Trans.
Program by Mike @ MorePowerTuning

1st I would check all vacuum lines. Is the turkey pan line hooked up?

Also make sure the vacuum line is hooked up to the bypass valve correctly. It should be open at idle. Check the little black solenoid that operates the bypass valve. When the motor is off it should be closed. When you start it you should see it pull up and open.

 

[toms89]

I will pm you my phone#. Give me a call and I will see if we can figure it out.

Would take much longer via posts..

 

[daoud el-massri]

Good luck keep me posted to your out come I hope it all works out come.Tom is one smart dood .

 

[Stoned06]

Talk with Tom and he will be able to help.
If it were me, I would start with the vacuum lines, and install the stock L tune as a baseline to make sure it's not the motor. Custom tunes can be tricky, and I have seen many L custom tunes fail, even from the big tuner names in the L community. What plugs are in it? L's can be very finicky on the type of spark plugs that are installed. MAF good? TPS adjusted properly (a very common issue on the L engines). Did you use the L engine harness and ECU?

 

[toms89]

Talk with Tom and he will be able to help.
If it were me, I would start with the vacuum lines, and install the stock L tune as a baseline to make sure it's not the motor. Custom tunes can be tricky, and I have seen many L custom tunes fail, even from the big tuner names in the L community. What plugs are in it? L's can be very finicky on the type of spark plugs that are installed. MAF good? TPS adjusted properly (a very common issue on the L engines). Did you use the L engine harness and ECU?

Unfortunately he has 4wd as I so its not possible to use stock lightning pcm. The programs are also not interchangeable but many of the files are. Most tuners will use lighting timing tables and mass air transfer function as well as other misc files and parameters as a base.

We spoke on the phone briefly but I did forget to mention the basics. (spark plugs)

NGK TR6's are very popular among the lightning community and are 1 heat range colder than stock (for lightning). Stock lightning plug gap is .042. If you run more than 8#'s of boost it needs to be reduced. At 14#'s I am running .032.

Standard copper core type plugs, though they will not last nearly as long as platinum or iridium, is considered the best conductor. That's why its most recommended by tuners for boosted applications.

 

[BakerEdition]

Good luck keep me posted to your out come I hope it all works out come.Tom is one smart dood .

TOM....SMART....that could be a whole new thread!

 

[signdoctor]

Working on the fourth tune now. My tuner says he is not getting any data from the logs I have sent him. I am hooking up the wide band at his request for more info. I told him that I am not building vacuum but it does not seem to bother him yet. I guess it could be because its still not quite running on all eight. For right now I just block the boost bypass open. I will pull a plug too and see what kind it it and what the gap is. When I got the motor I only pulled a couple to make sure they were good, never thought to check the brand. Not sure what pulley's I have, everything looks stock to me and the guy I bought it from never mentioned otherwise. Thanks for the tips guys!!