This could be something easy...

[Seven3Lee]

Okay, so I rebuilt the engine on my car. It started fine before I tore it down and apparently I didn't put something back together correctly. Here is what I have going on:

Clue #1: When I turn the key to ACC, the dash lights up like it should, but there is an audible buzzing sound which sounds like it is coming from the front of the car someplace. This lasts for about 6 seconds. If I turn the key while it is making this noise, the car does nothing. If I wait for the noise to stop, I can start the car normally.

Clue #2: The car idles perfectly, with no surging, hunting for idle or anything. Rock solid. With it sitting in neutral, I can rev it normally as high as I can go. When I put it in reverse, it goes backward with no issues. If I try to go forward, it runs like a champ until 3500rpm and stops. I get nothing at that point. I even tried shifting to 2nd and still nothing past 3500.

Clue #3: If I do not move the car and let it idle, it will idle for as long as I let it. There is a slight burning smell, which I am assuming is the piston rings seating, seals settling, etc that is normal with a newly rebuilt engine. If I have tried driving the car for any length of time, there is a thin, wispy white smoke coming from the exhaust. It isn't anti-freeze, as it doesn't have that distinct burning anti-freeze smell.

Any ideas on where to begin?

[IanS]

The buzzing could be a loose ground, cause electrical glitches.

The 3500 rpm rev limit sounds an aweful lot like a bad MAFS, try testing it, or swapping for a known good unit.

As for the smoke, only time will tell it could just be residue from the rebuild, or you could be burning oil in the exhaust from a valve seal. The smoke will often appear as a light grey wisp, and smell acrid. Its also possible that the bad MAFS is causing the engine to run outside of optimum A/FR, which could lead to smoke, albeit black, but you never know.

[Seven3Lee]

MAF was good when I took the car apart. Could it go bad just from sitting? I cleaned the two little thin wires in there, since they had some caked on dirt and dust. It was doing this before and after I cleaned the MAF though.

I'll definitely go back and recheck all the grounds - thanks.

What do you think of water from the gas tank causing the white smoke? The car sat for about 18 months with 1/8 tank of gas in it, plus i moved from NV to TN.

[IanS]

Its possible that moisture in the fuel, or just bad fuel in general are having an effect on what coming out the tail pipe. Fill it up with some new gas, and a bottle of Heat to absorb any water.

As for the other issues, I would pull the codes out of the ECU see if it knows what is going on.