It was running REALLY well, then.............nuthin'.

[fastasleep]

I put in my new cal from ShelGame and the van was running like it never had before. I am convinced that my power woes were tune related, so now I am contemplating a stand-alone EMS just to make sure I am not leaving anything on the table as far as power goes. BUT, I broke it and I hope I don't have to build the bottom end before I get to feel this thing pull again. I was driving (spiritedly) after installing the new tune. I had just tried the two-step and went to grab a sixer to celebrate a little success with my ride and then, on the way home, the thing laid over and started popping throught the exhaust. And it died. A good neighbor dragged me home.
I figured I jumped time so I rolled it all around and put it back in time. It started for 1 second then died again. When I tried to start it again it popped through the exhaust. I set the cam timing AGAIN. This time I made sure the rotor button was facing #1, then put the dizzy cap back on and started it. It ran for 1 second and died. When I rolled it around to time it again, I noticed the rotor button was pointing in the #2 area on the dizzy cap.
I looked for a stripped timing belt, but didn't find my problem. So I pulled it apart last night and found my intermediate shaft gear and my oil pump gear stripped. The reason I am writing this is because that is all I found.....the bushing for the intermediate shaft were good, and I didn't see anything else out of the ordinary. So when I pull something apart I want to not only find the problem, but the ROOT CAUSE of the problem and I have found nothing. Have you seen this? What should I look at before I replace parts and put it back together?

-Les

[onerippinturbo2]

the intermediate shaft and oil pump issue was just that, replace both with known good parts(as long as the bushings in the block are good) and put it back together, i would probably drop at least 1 main bearing cap and check the bearing and all the rod caps to check them as well while the pan is already off, if all looks good, put it back together and run it.

[fastasleep]

I tried to move them all (rod caps) in an up-and-down motion to see if there was slop, but there wasn't as far as I could tell. I haven't put it together yet, so I may pull all the caps to check.

-Les

[turbovanman²]

Its more common than people like to admit. Didn't you just rebuild it? If any of the gears were worn and you used used parts, it can accelerate the wear. Stock or aftermarket pump? I prefer OE pumps that have good gears, or you can buy a gear kit from Napa etc and reuse the pump if its good. I find the aftermarket pumps are crap, they seem to bind and cause issues,

[trannybuster]

^^Exactly, do a search...lots of info...