SR Problems: Turns over won't start.

SON240sx Automotive
21

Unfortunately I don’t have a code reader, so that’s not an option right now… I was hoping to get one before I left S-Ontario, but no such luck.

I was under the impression that the #1 Cyl was closest to the firewall/flywheel, since the timing loop comes off the #1 Cyl coil, and that’d be the one closest to the firewall… Can someone confirm this please?

I’m not sure what codes it would be throwing that would cause it to not even start.

A recap of what’s happened with this motor since the last time it ran:

Headgasket wasn’t sealed properly, and OEM studs were used with a metal headgasket.

Unplugged necessary plugs and hoses to remove the head, pulled cams, pulled head.

Replaced headgasket, installed new studs, installed cams ensuring the timing was set (according to the dots) with this guide as reference: http://www.rs-enthalpy.com/info.htm (SR Cam Alignment guide)

Plugged connectors and hoses back in, and it hasn’t run since.

Nothing on the motor was changed except the headgasket and studs.

Motor ran prior to doing that, hasn’t run since.

Today I pulled the valve cover to ensure the cam timing was correct, tried it at TDC, and 180* opposite.

Car is getting spark to all cylinders
Car is getting fuel to all cylinders

Unless it’s throwing a massive code (battery has been unplugged for charging more than once now, so any codes should have cleared, unless the issue was still there), that leaves me to believe it’s a timing issue of some sort, causing it to not run.

That said, without a code reader, I plan on pulling the cams tomorrow and re-installing them as per the guide above, to confirm 100% that they are in correctly.

Now: Can someone confirm: Cyl #1 is closest, or furthest from the firewall?

22

number 1 cyl is always beside the timing chain so number 1 is furthest from fire wall

23

Ok cool. Thanks for clearing that up.

24

ur welcome

25

ok ok,

you dont need a coder reader, you need a smaller philips head and you turn the screw on the ECU… long reds are 10x and quick reds are 1x

5 longs and 5 quicks = 55 = everything is fine

anything else = bad news.

there are endless things that couls cause it to not start.

my problems were combinations of wiring issues.

several sensors on the car run off common grounds, ie. CAS, coolant temp sensor etc.

G redid my harness and found a bent pin on the coolant temp sensor clip that went unnoticed after changing the coolant temp sensor 3 times with oem new.

the CAS may have intermittent functionality, this can be due in part to a fucked ground anywhere on the part of the harness running common with it.

i also had a common ground at the ecu with intermittancy that was fucking up the car badly.

all of these issues caused the motor to flood without starting, make sure you burn the fuel off by cutting the fuel and cranking it over… if it runs off the fuel in there for a couple seconds then you are getting spark obivously.

unless your motor has been apart in the past (i havent read through to see if it has) then you mechanical issues (cams physically being off) should be a last resort.

26

lol this is ALMOST EXACTLY what happened to me some water damage fuked up my ecu it caused it to run fuked up then one day it wouldn’t start and only one cylinder was getting soaked in gas I thought it was an injector problem I was pissed off and frustrated so i just sent it to my mechanic after trouble shooting so much in the fucking cold weather. He said there looks like water damage to the ecu(which caused a short) and i bought a ecu off of r33 for 40 bucks and i was on my way. After this i found myself to have a tendancy to speed due to sheer joy.

27

It RUNS!!! Turned out to be the cam timing. There was 1 pin too many between the intake and exhaust cam marks. Re did it, and it fired right up… It’s running rough right now (see attached video), but it runs…

Just looking for some thoughts on why it’s doing what it’s doing now, and what I need to adjust… Spark timing? It won’t idle on it’s own, but runs when fed throttle…

When I first fired it up, the start up before the video, it was reving itself at about 2500-3000 like up and down revs… as if you were feathering the throttle… Hopefully you understand what I mean… Anyway, here’s the video clip, lemme know your thoughts…

Edit: Here’s the video…

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b62/DJPyromancer/th_MVI_4026.jpg

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check the codes yo…

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Shall do. I think it’s just a combination of spark timing, the mad exhaust leak where my exhaust manifold gasket should be, and IACV. 'Cause I tweaked the IACV screw, and adjusted the spark timing a bit (still not perfect), and it idles on it’s own now. Just runs really rough, and I can see the exhaust leak where the header joins the head.

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Yeah, checked codes this morning came back with a 55, so everything is good, gonna replace the exhaust gasket in a little bit, and then it should just be a matter of timing…

31

Good luck Pete! Hope you bring it down here this time!! :slight_smile:

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Well as of now it idles, and the timing is set. I think I still have an exhaust leak at the turbo flange, and it’s not responding to the throttle properly… I think that might be bad gas, 'cause it’s real wonky… But it’s a huge step over what it was for the last 5 months…

33

Latest update.

Runs, drives, but it’s got a huge vac leak methinks…

It’s weird. It idles, but the idle goes up to about 1500RPM-ish, and it builds to about 5mmHG vac, as soon as it hits that the idle goes back down.

Responds to the throttle just fine, builds some boost, but it definitely has a vac leak, brake booster doesn’t do much, and it’s sitting at 0 vac during idle…

Thoughts?

34

Seriously people… I need a solution by tomorrow morning if I want to get the car back down to S-Ontario.

35

well it if you are at 0vac at idel then it sounds like there is a problem with the vac like you said. It should be around 20. Just trace over the lines. you can go old school on it and use a small can propane with a tourch end. Just turn on a little propain and place the tip around all the vac lines and when you notice your idle move oddle then you know where it is leaking.

But it sounds like you have a massive on so it should not be that hard to fix.

36

Yeah it’s fucked. It’s a huge leak, but I went over all my vac lines and all the connections and they all seem to check out… I’m wondering if my PCV is fucked… I took my catch can out and went straight to it again, just to rule out the catch can, but it’s not any better.

…:S I’ll have to poke at it again when I go home, but feel free to spout suggestions people…

37

A engine cannot run at 0vac. That would mean you have atmospheric pressure in the engine. An engine is basicly an air pump. Engines need a pressure difference. Did you use rtv for a valve cover gasket???

38

I used the rubber gasket with a small amount of RTV, as per the FSM.

I’m aware of how an engine works.

“It’s weird. It idles, but the idle goes up to about 1500RPM-ish, and it builds to about 5mmHG vac, as soon as it hits that the idle goes back down.”

Hence this part. I know my gauge isn’t surgically accurate, but it’s a manual gauge, so I trust it to be at least close.