Help! Running out of ideas. SR won't fire. Timing questions (many pics & video)

[Henry G]

I'll make this quick and simple with plenty of pics and videos. Bare with me I'm running out of ideas...

The SR cranks but won't start. While cranking I'll get a few pops, and a backfire once and awhile. Everything in the engine bay is hooked up all the way back to the turbo elbow/ O2 sensor. ( wiring, FMIC, BOV, etc )

I've attemtped to reset the timing almost 4-5 times already. I've pulled the VC off to do this 3 times.

Here are pics from the last attempt.

Here is the chain.. The darker links are where they should be (frsport.com) at 11 and 2.



Here is where the cams sit at this position. The #1 cylinder is at TDC with the lobes facing outwards. ( compression stroke, correct? )



Here is the CAS installed. Before installation the mark on the base was lined up with the right most mark. As it was installed it rotated to the lower left mark as shown. ( also, shown in frsport.com's guide )



...and the crank pulley. Set on the second to last mark on the left



Here is a video of this attempt. Sounds as if it almost wants to fire..."Test Fire Video"

I've swapped the CAS for one on another motorset I had. Now there is a chance they could be bad, but I'd rather not assume that.

If anyone will figure this out it's NICO.

Modified by Henry G at 10:17 PM 8/23/2006

Modified by Henry G at 10:28 PM 8/23/2006
Modified by Henry G at 12:06 PM 8/24/2006

[Henry G]

Also, any chance this could be related to a bad ignitor chip??

[SpeedRacer1]

Check for fire, check for fuel, check ECU codes.

Fire: take out a spark plug and coilpack and hold the end of the plug to metal (intake manifold or something). Turn over the engine. If you see a little spark every few cranks then that plug is firing.

Fuel: turn over the engine a few times, pull a plug out and see if it smells like gasoline at the tip.

[Henry G]

I'll check again when I get home but at one point it was throwing a Code 11 ( CAS ). Now will this code come up only when the CAS is bad, or horrible mis aligned?

[SpeedRacer1]

A CAS code will come up for a bad cas, and sometimes for no particular reason. It has come up before and the simple solution was to disconnect and reconnect the CAS plug and it was gone. However it can also come up if the CAS circuit wiring is messed up or incorrect.

[pearlS13]

15 degrees btdc is second mark form the right not the left.

[Henry G]

15 degrees btdc is second mark form the right not the left.

I've heard both... so I went with what the online FAQ's state.

"...the crank pulley set to the 2nd mark to the left instead of the 1st." frsport.com

I'll try it second from the right.. whats the worst that will happen, it doesn't start.

[Henry G]

Taken from frsport.com

[180fan]

yeah that looks bout right. test your ignitor and coilpacks?

[Henry G]

Did a comp test tonight:

145, 144, 145, 148.

Also, tried setting the crank pulley to the second mark from the right.. no luck.

So, which is it? Second mark from LEFT or RIGHT?
Modified by Henry G at 9:59 PM 8/24/2006

[180fan]

it's the yellow mark. so did you resolve that code 11?

[rkreimer10]

if your installing the cas with the timing mark on the second from the left on your crank pully your cas is way off. the mark needs to be at the first mark on the left to be at tdc. i had my motor at 180 degrees from tdc and it was doing the exact thing your describing. if this didnt help with the mater then email me at rkreimer10@yahoo.com and ill try to help further.

[Henry G]

E-mailed you.
Modified by Henry G at 3:12 PM 8/25/2006

[Henry G]

Spent an hour or two today resetting everything and she still didn't fire but got close.

Something I noticed is my #2, and #3 fuel rail seals are leaking. I don't know if this would cause the engine not to fire by dumping more fuel in the cylinder but I'll get this fixed and try again.

Thanks for the help so far. I'm so close.

What fuel rail seals can I use? 300zx?

[rkreimer10]

where exactly is the fuel leaking from? if its those big rubbers things that go on the intake mani that the fuel rail seats in those are from a 91-94 kade. Fuel Injector Seals '95 300ZXTT kit. the 300zxtt kit might come with the ones for rail to sit on. hope you can understand what im talking about. if not you know my number. ttyl hope you get it running soon. btw where are you located?

[IanS]

yah when I got my motor the CAS was instaled 180 degrees off and it did the exact same thing, as for timing, the mark second from the left is TDC and thats where valve timing shold be set, the mark second from the right is 15 degrees BTDC and that is where CAS timing should be set

[ILikeMy240sx]

Oh wow... the amount of idiot talk in this thread is huge...

1) Your valve train is nasty as hell.. wow.. whoever had that motor before you didnt change the oil for ages.

2) Your cam timing is ok. You line up with the yellow mark (2nd from left) on the crank pulley and your cam lobes should be facing out like you had in your picture (compression stroke). The colored link on your chain should line up with the dots on the cam sprocket (like you had in your picture). Cam dowels should be 10 and 12 O'clock like you had.

3) In your picture, CAS seems to be misaligned slightly. The left dot should line up perfectly with with that indentation on the CAS. At that point, your CAS mounting point should be in the middle. So if you were to install the bolts to tighten down the bolts, it should be in the middle.

4) The leak you speak of at #2 and #3 injectors, I will assume you are speaking of the rubber seals. If you have a bad seal there, you will have a HUGE vac leak and your engine will not want to start or start and die immediately. Take your fuel rail off and I bet you there is a good change your rail is bent. I've seen so many of those fuel rails bend and create vac leak.

5) check to see you have fuel and spark as well. Your compression is good so if you fix your vac leak + line up CAS, it should start up (assuming you have fuel + spark)

6) I posted in a thread a week ago about checking the condition of your CAS. Try searching, you might find it.

[Kenrik]

Wow... Ewww nasty valve train.

Anyway Make sure you have new plugs and they are gapped... also if all your grounds on your harness are not conected then it will act like that.

make sure when you install the CAS you align the colored mark (IIRC) when it slides in it turns to the second mark and is lined up.

[Kenrik]

oh yeah and before you start it get a bottle of Seafoam and poor it straight on that crap.. let it clean off the crap then flush with oil and do a oilchange.

[Henry G]

Oh wow... the amount of idiot talk in this thread is huge...

1) Your valve train is nasty as hell.. wow.. whoever had that motor before you didnt change the oil for ages.

2) Your cam timing is ok. You line up with the yellow mark (2nd from left) on the crank pulley and your cam lobes should be facing out like you had in your picture (compression stroke). The colored link on your chain should line up with the dots on the cam sprocket (like you had in your picture). Cam dowels should be 10 and 12 O'clock like you had.

3) In your picture, CAS seems to be misaligned slightly. The left dot should line up perfectly with with that indentation on the CAS. At that point, your CAS mounting point should be in the middle. So if you were to install the bolts to tighten down the bolts, it should be in the middle.

4) The leak you speak of at #2 and #3 injectors, I will assume you are speaking of the rubber seals. If you have a bad seal there, you will have a HUGE vac leak and your engine will not want to start or start and die immediately. Take your fuel rail off and I bet you there is a good change your rail is bent. I've seen so many of those fuel rails bend and create vac leak.

5) check to see you have fuel and spark as well. Your compression is good so if you fix your vac leak + line up CAS, it should start up (assuming you have fuel + spark)

6) I posted in a thread a week ago about checking the condition of your CAS. Try searching, you might find it.

1) Yeah it's dirty and the camera flash makes it look even worse. Seaform will help.

2) Setting the timing on the second mark from the left, is this when you installed the CAS? I should set the timing like you mentioned then insert the CAS, correct?

3) When inserting the CAS the indentation should always stay at 12o'clock?

4) I'm 99.9999% sure the rail is not bent since I purchased a new one because I accidently bent the original one when moving the engine around. I think bending the original one and leaving it that way for a few weeks caused damage to these rubber seals. I'll pick up new DE ones today and see if that helps.

The engine seems to be getting too much fuel when I attempt to start it. Maybe this is the problem that is keeping the engine from firing.

5) I do have fuel, spark and compression. My biggest concern now is I think I'm getting too much fuel.

6) Found the thread and printed out those directions. I swapped the original CAS for another unit I had on my second motorset.

The ECU was giving me a code 11 with both CAS units installed. I did reset the ECU one night and got the code 55 that everything is okay. Now the code is back.

Hopefully the fuel leak is the problem. Thanks again ILikemy240sx for your help so far, I'll keep this thread updated to help others in the future.

[Henry G]

Wow... Ewww nasty valve train.

Anyway Make sure you have new plugs and they are gapped... also if all your grounds on your harness are not conected then it will act like that.

make sure when you install the CAS you align the colored mark (IIRC) when it slides in it turns to the second mark and is lined up.

I have put in new plugs (twice). I don't recall the part number off the top of my head but they are the NGK coppers for the SE-R. It should have been the plugs that came pre-gapped.

All the grounds appear to be okay. I am getting spark and fuel.

[Henry G]

I should have the new seals for the fuel rail soon. It looks like they are just like the KA24DE ones. I'll post the results.

[ILikeMy240sx]

When you replaced the fuel rail... did you swap the injectors from your old rail into your new one?

Seals might have gotten damaged.

Easy way to check for that is to unbolt the fuel rail off the manifold but do not disconnect the fuel line.

Turn your key to "ON" position so that the feed line and the rail is pressurized and see if there are any leaks.

[ILikeMy240sx]

When installing CAS, the pulley and the cams should be in the position you have shown in the pictures.

First line up with the right dot and as you insert, it should line up with the left dot.

[Henry G]

When you replaced the fuel rail... did you swap the injectors from your old rail into your new one?

Seals might have gotten damaged.

Easy way to check for that is to unbolt the fuel rail off the manifold but do not disconnect the fuel line.

Turn your key to "ON" position so that the feed line and the rail is pressurized and see if there are any leaks.

The original rail was bent and must have damaged the seals. I replaced the leaking ones.

[Henry G]

When installing CAS, the pulley and the cams should be in the position you have shown in the pictures.

First line up with the right dot and as you insert, it should line up with the left dot.

After replacing the seals I set the timing correctly and she still didn't fire.

I have good compression, correct timing, good spark, no codes, etc...

I guess I could tear the wiring apart to triple check everything is correct? Maybe it's getting too much fuel?

[turbocarslut]

Hey haveing the same issues. Same exact! Just to be sure which is the CORRECT mark on the crank pulley. Second from the right or the left?

[Henry G]

Hey haveing the same issues. Same exact! Just to be sure which is the CORRECT mark on the crank pulley. Second from the right or the left?

The majority says it's second from left. Should be a yellow colored mark.

[NY S13 SR]

Second mark from the LEFT = ZERO degrees = TDC or 180 degrees off TDC

Second mark from the RIGHT = 15 degrees

CAM position at 10 and 2 o'clock confirms you are at Top Dead Center and not 180 degrees off.

Use ZERO at TDC to install CAS, set final timing to 15.

Jeff HHeavy Throttle Performancehttp://www.heavythrottle.com

[Kenrik]

****... I'm glad I did everything right, fixed my timing and have a nice happy SR.

OOO I love her so!!!