[1980 TA]

Thanks to all those that helped me with my 455 build up over the past year.

I got it fired up and two test drives under its belt so far.

The biggest pain was getting the initial fire and then the Fuel Command Center ran out of gas.

Once we figured out the car wasn't getting fuel, a little trouble shooting and we had to bleed the FCC to allow fuel in, the FITECH took over and the tune from the previous cam must have been close.

Car runs amazing to far.

Oil pressure is good and no longer 80 plus. It sits at 60 over 2500 rpms and 50-55 at anything below that.

No signs of any fluid looks.

A big thank you to my wife for helping me fire it up. It has been a good day.

I thought I put a big cam in but it idles better than the RAIV with Rhodes lifters. Might be something to a roller cam.

[johnta1]

Congrats!

Roller cams are awesome.

[25stevem]

A big thumbs up to you there!!

You FI issue is why when breaking in a motor with new non roller cam with minimal cranking time I like to do so with known good carb and then swap over once everything is well and happy!

[grivera]

That's great - what are the engine specs?

[67Fbird]

Just did the same...ish.... we gave birth to our 455 recently. My 3 teenagers built it with some dumbass supervisor....but it got there.....glad to hear it went well!

[1980 TA]

Still having a little trouble with warm starts but I'll get the tuning ironed out. Something is amiss with the gas gauge. It showed 1/2 tank but took 18 gallons ish to fill so I was almost out of gas when starting it. When I grounded out the sending wire, it didn't move either.

I noticed I have no brake lights on the last test drive. The dash is out for re doing the vinyl and the light switch is hanging loose under the dash. The only thing that seems to affect is the interior lights due to lack of ground. I checked the plug at the brake switch and it has power. When I jumpered the switch plug, the brake lights still did not come on. Some how power is not making it back to the lights. I'm at a loss where to look for the missing link.

I did pull out all of the old power window wiring that ran along the firewall while things were out, but I can't imagine that is the culprit. I tried to really clean everything up no that the dash is out so I'm guessing I knocked something loose.

Any thoughts as to where to look for the missing link would be appreciated. I have parking lights, turn signals, and hazards, just no brake lights.

[Joe's Garage]

The power for your brake lights go through it and are interrupted by the turn signals when you move the turn signal lever.

If you have the hazard flashers working and hit the brakes, do they all stay lit or does it not make any difference?

And, since you were working around the steering column, make sure all the wiring harness plug-ins on the column are correctly attached and snug.

[bhill86]

X2 on starting at the turn signal switch. Congrats on the engine though

[OCMDGTO]

Congrats on the engine! Anytime I lost all brake lights in my old cars it was the switch at the pedal either gone bad or needing adjustment

[1980 TA]

I dug out my factory gauges and harness plug and the brake light indicator had two tan wires feeding it. When I converted over to Speed Hut gauges I left these unhooked as I was not using the brake indicator. I joined these wires again and have brake lights now. I'm guessing I haven't had brake lights for many years.

As for the motor it is a 455 bored .30 over. Cam is a Howards with .560/.560 lift 227/237 duration at .050 and a 108 Centerline. It has the 4/7 cylinder swap.

[1980 TA]

I got some time to work on the starting issues today. You have to love when you get done with work by lunch and its 75 and sunny.

I found a nice video from FITECH on crank and warm up and one by Nabors75. The video from Nabors75 had the 600 HP baseline crank settings which I went back to for a starting point. I was extremely rich on start up.

Trying to do some 10 - 20 minute drives to break it in. I'm so happy with the build right now. I used to have a 60K mile 350 Lemans with RAIII heads and a four speed. That was the smoothest running Pontiac motor I had ever driven. This one is close. I was cruising at 70 on the highway and glanced at the tach and it was steady at 3000 rpm's. I didn't even realize I was still in 4th gear as it was smooth and quiet

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Originally Posted by 1980 TA

I dug out my factory gauges and harness plug and the brake light indicator had two tan wires feeding it. When I converted over to Speed Hut gauges I left these unhooked as I was not using the brake indicator. I joined these wires again and have brake lights now. I'm guessing I haven't had brake lights for many years.

Something else going on here.

E-brake/brake failure light and wires have nothing to do with stop lights.

Clay

[1980 TA]

All I can tell you is when I tied the two e brake wires back together, I have brake lights. I've checked them several times over the past two days and they are working like they should. It could very well be coincidence that while I took everything apart to check things, I got a loose connection corrected and did not know it.

Starting issues are really getting ironed out quickly. Drove the car to town to meet my wife for a walk and it started right up. Went to supper and it started right up again. Stopped for gas it it fired up right away. As the motor cools, it likes a little feathering of the throttle so I added some after start fuel.

If all goes well it might be deemed reliable by this weekend and we can stop taking two cars every time I want to drive it. Side benefit to taking two cars is the Firehawk gets some miles on it and I love seeing my wife drive it.

[1980 TA]

Thought I'd share a family pic. Nice day and we got my son's camaro back from the shop from gettting the rally stripes and we went to lunch.

Start up tuning is going great. Car starts like a modern car.

[1980 TA]

It was not the dash light connection as Quick Silver suggested. It was in the plug from the turn signal switch. The white wire from the switch had lost spring tension and would not make contact through the connector. I'm having some other minor issues with the turn signals so I have a new switch coming. I figured I would update the post in case anyone searched for brake lights.

[1980 TA]

Just wanted to update some progress.

Coming up on 800 miles now. Getting everything tuned pretty well.

Around town mileage is 12-13. I've only had one highway trip but it was 19 mpg exactly and the out trip was 80-85 to keep up with traffic. I think steady state 70-75 and I can get over 20.

Got the pro6ten compressor on today and hope to get the lines hooked up this week so I can get it charged.

I think I may need to look at a different oil weight. I am running 15W40 Rotella now. Oil pressure cold (50-60 degrees in the garage) is 70-90 depending on rpms. When the motor warms up, I'm 30 at idle to 60-65 at anything above 2000 rpms. Any thoughts as the "cold" pressures seem a touch high.

I drive it every non rainy day I can. Thanks again to all that helped get me here.

[Tim Corcoran]

I would switch to 10/30 motor oil as oil viscosity needs vary with your bearing clearances and it look like your clearances need thinner oil for better cooling of rod bearings with etc.