OK I got a question, Since I blew up my last motor and got another one from the junk yard. I took the head off the good motor to replace head gasket, (it is easier to replace when motor is out of car) even though it was not blown. I just figured I better do it now then down the road. When I was putting the timing chain on the tensioner popped out. So head is back on the motor, but when I was taking off the pulley the pry bar that was holding the flywheel came off and the crank moved and stopped. Now the crank won't turn. Do you know if our motors are interference motors like most modern engines. Meaning if the valves are open will the pistons smack the valves. Or do you know why this crank will no longer turn. I may not be explaining all that good, but don't know how to explain exactly. Still new to these old engines

 

Yes the L28 is an interferance motor. But, unless you have super strength, I don't think you have done any permanant damage to the valves. You should be able to turn the motor back the other way a little. Remove the spark plugs to relieve all vaccume in the cylinders.

 

I don't have super human strength but, my impact does. So I should pull the head back off and see what happened?

 

do it so you get no suprises when you try n start...might as well man..

 

These motors are friggen nightmares. I have never had so much trouble before just trying to change a simple head gasket. This motors are terrible. I will never do another head gasket again. I am offically done with forced induction. These motors are to much to handle when you blow one up. I am all about the N.A. now. I will try my best to never blow another motor.

 

The L-series are super easy to work on compared to other engines. After you tear one apart, its so much easier the next time you work on one.

I'm not sure how the front pully was on while the timing chain was not connected to both upper and lower sprockets. Even if the tensioner came loose, the chain wont' come off the sprocket. Maybe you just jammed the tensioner between the chain and the front cover! Your valves might be ok.

 

Okay, the top sprocket was off and the chain loose. I then dropped the chain and was able to retreive that, but then the chain would not come all the way up, then when I got it all the way up it didn't feel the same. So I asked a friend with a 280 and he said that the tensioner probably came out since they are only held in by tension on the chain and the only way to reset was take the front cover off and redo everything. So when I was taking off the bottom pulley bolt is when the prybar slipped off the flywheel and pulley turned and came to a dead stop. I try turning it the other way without the spark plugs and it still wont turn. So I take the pulley off today and start taking bolts out to get front cover and have to go do other things will continue tommorow.

 

OK! Much better explanation. I see what you're doing.
You're on the right track. Any time you release even a tiny amount of pressure off that chain, the tensioner will pop lose and never go back in. Even with the front cover off, you have to work it in just right to get it to pop in.

When you take the head off, don't turn the cam. Note which valves are complete open. (actually, you can tell even before you remove the head by looking at the cam lobes pointed down) Replace just those valves and you might be ok. Lap them in yourself. You'll have to get a valve lapper.

 

The nightmare continues! I got the front cover off today, That was really alot of fun. Found out problem. The tensioner was at the botton of the cover wedged in the bottom. From the force of taking the pulley bolt out I actually put a small hole in the bottom cover. JB welded that. Took the head back off put #1 at TDC reset tensioner put chain back in, put cover back on, replaced head got the chain on the sprocket, The marks lined up per the book, Did no damage to valves as they were not open far enough to smack pistons. Only lucky break so far. Put motor in car, and as I was tighting motor I realized that I forgot the oil pump. So thats when I quit for the night. So tommorow I have to drop the sway bar to get the oil pump back on. And get it lined up correctly. and replace all the crap that gets bolted to the front cover, valve cover, fuel lines, and all that stuff, and then put the manual tranny in and drive shaft, and run the lines to the master cylinder and to the slave l and do the pedals, and then do the timing. And hope I did everything correctly. Atleast I feel really close to being done since I got a motor back in my car.

 

The bitch won't start. I also got a fuel leak to take care of, a fuel line is ripped on the injector #5. So I have extra fuel line laying around, right, no problem, so I take the injector out and WOW. There is some kind of fitting attached to my injector. So what do I do about that fitting? Can that fitting come off or do I have to go to the junk yard and pull a injector? Can I rip the fitting off and run fuel line with good old fashion clamps, or will it leak fuel all over my motor, and catch fire to my dumb ***?

 

The short hose is connected to the injector from the factory. That' the fitting you're talking about... I guess.

I think you can remove those and then put a short section of fuel injection fuel line on there. Use FI hose clamps, not just regular clamps.

Try starting fluid for your initial startup.

 

I did exactly as Bleach said and that was almost 2 years ago and mine has been fine.

 

Well, I got the little metal thing that holds the fuel line on the injector off and ran the fuel line and used fi clamps as you said. Will try starting tommorow night after work. Hopefully she will start up and be on time. Doubt it though, first time on these motors so you know it will most likely be off time. Even if she starts up I still might take the motor back out and try something different. I have a SR20DET, and a RB26 sitting in my garage.