I rebuilt a KA for my S13 and I can’t get it to start. I can tell you all about the KA story if you really care, but what I’m looking for is so input as to why this S13 won’t start. I have checked the following items
Cam to crank timing (multiple times)
Cam to crank to dist timing( multiple times)
Spark (good)
Compression (on the low side, but rings aren’t set, and haven’t gotten to running oil pressure)
Fuel
trouble codes (12,55,21 all intermittently). usually triggers 55(no trouble found)
Given the intermittent nature of the codes I don’t think they are the issue. I checked all the grounds and connectors. I feel like I have tried everything and I am all out of ideas. Anyone have any input to help out. I am tired of driving my POS truck. I have check to make sure I’m not 180 off timing, and just about everything else that searching
the internet provides.
Car is 1992. Not sure what the year KA was from, but it didn’t come with an intake manifold, so I reused mine. Its a stock rebuild. Everything was torn down and inspected. Rings were replaced because I snapped one. New rings all had end gap at the lower end of the tolerance. new seals and gaskets. other than that everything else was reused.
I can get it to fire a couple of times, but nothing that will sustain it running. I seems to fire a bit the very first time I try and crank after letting it sit for a while. After that I get nothing.
turn over the car. make sure you can either smell gas or pull all the spark plugs and make sure there is a gas smell in the cylinders. all 4. keep your spark plugs out attach it to the ignition system ground the thread out and check that they all have spark when you turn the car over. this just makes sure you have gas and spark going into your engine. if thats not it could be a lot of things. If you have done all that then good luck.
I also don’t think there’s enough info here to really help you with your engine.
Check your spark timing again, and make sure that you have no problems with your MAF or the wiring to it. 12 is a MAF code, and 21 is a spark code.
I would lean more towards MAF wiring, but it’s also possible you have your spark timing 180* out. It will look correct, but it’s not.
---------- Post added at 08:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:49 AM ----------
I think he gave us pleanty to help him troubleshoot further. If everything is hooked up correctly, then his two trouble codes point to the two possible areas of concern. Either there’s a problem with the ignition system (I still think it’s probably 180* out), or there’s a problem with the MAF wiring. Either of which would present symptoms like he described.
Trouble codes pop up for a reason, and they’re all technically intermittant on an OBD1 motor. But they do tell you where the problem lies. It’s not usually wrong to at least start looking there.
I would be surprised if the MAF went bad as it worked before I pulled the old motor, but crazier things have happened. I tried to get it to start without the MAF plugged in, thinking it would just go into closed loop. No such luck. I’ll try and get another one I guess.
mine did that too when I put my lower Km KA in for the first time. Check the position of the rotor. mine was 1 tooth off and it ran but like shit. if yours is 2 or more out that may be your problem. Make sure when your at TDC your rotor is pointed straight to the front of the engine. check the manual for the position. if yours doesnt look exactly like the pic in the manual your out. as well your top adjust bolt should be almost dead center.
My problem was this i looked at the old running KA and the rotors timing bolt was centered. i looked at my new KA and found it was almost fully forward. I moved it to the center like my old KA and it did the same thing yours did. I moved it back to where it was and it ran but wouldn’t run under 2500 RPM and when it got warm the rpm would jump up and down by 1000 rpm. We then looked at the manual and found at TDC the rotor was pointed down a little compared to the manual. We pulled it out moved it one tooth. engine ran much much better we set the rotor adjustment to the point of lowest manifold pressure. and low and behold the bolt was dead center of the adjustment hole.
thanks for the input.
I tried moving the distributor both ahead and back one tooth from the position I am in now. no results, and where I was looked much closer to the #1 spark position, so its back there now. I will probably go get a timing light to check just in case.
Code 12 hasen’t come back. I think that was probably cause I had the intake on and off a bunch of times.
Code 21 however, comes back regularly now. Now I get to dif through the electrical. I have tried swapping the distributor, mostly cause I had a spare one, no dice. when its light out again I will go through the trouble shooting for the ignition coil and related items. It seems from the internet that there are alot of possibilities. might pay off to replace the plug wires while I am there. If anyone has any other ideas I should try I am open to suggesiton.
Mine had the same problem I checked everything posibble I even replaced all the stuff tht could not let it crank and it ended up to be the timming on the dizzy I didn’t set it right
I still can’t get the thing to start. I have gone through the FSM procedure several times. Timing is good, it did need some adjustment and has been verified with a timing light. Now I get no fault codes but it still wont start. The closest it gets is the same couple of fires the first time I try after letting it sit for a while. Spark has been checked multiple times and I routinely swap out the plugs to ensure that I haven’t fouled them. I’m all out of ideas. Anyone have advise of what I should try next?
if you get spark your timing is good your cam shafts aren’t advanced or retarded then find a way to double check that your injectors are all working and firing at the right time. so no plugs are swapped around you have continuity on all plug leads and you have fuel pressure.
Actually, having spark means nothing as far as timing. It just means your spark system is working.
I strongly feel at this point, that your cams are out a few teeth, and there’s still a really good chance your timing is 180* out.
As far as checking injectors, put a screwdriver on the head of the injector and put your ear on the other end. You should hear it clicking, unless you have access to a noid light to check them, which I doubt.
Make sure you didn’t wire your plug wires to the distributor in the wrong order. That’ll fuck things up too.
And yes, if you have reason to suspect your fuel pressure, check that too. Low fuel pressure to your rail will prevent it from starting too.
Nismo, if he’s not getting any codes for his MAF, it’s probably not that. And the fact that it coughs and sputters tells me there’s something out in the timing. Either the cams, or the spark timing.
Internal combustion engines aren’t that complicated. There are only so many possible options for it to not start. Something you’ve checked already is still wrong. I do this for a living, but it’s not very easy to diagnose a no-start over the internet. If you’re still having a problem over a week and a half later, you should try calling in someone who knows what they’re doing, or bring it to a local shop to get them to get it running for you. If you keep trying to start it like this you’re going to cause massive amounts of premature wear.
sorry i forgot to add a coma between spark and timing. hes checked his timing with a timing light I think its fuel related. you can check the injector coil with a volt meeter.
You could also try grabbing a wide bucket or oil catch can. take your injectors out still attached to the rail and fuel lines. set the back of the rail on the edge of the catch can. and do what you need to to make sure all injectors are in the air over the catch can not touching anything. plug them all in correctly and have your friend turn the car over.
Were eye protection… It could get kinda wild. anyways that’s a sure way to check your injectors are all firing. but it Will make a mess.
