89 KAE: Will not start (and stay running): Fuel pump good, spark good,....

[Moon Ill]

Car: 1989 240SX FastbackEngine: KA24E StockReplaced Parts: Spark plugs, and used injectors

Here's what the car does:

*I turn the key foward and hear the fuel pump enage

*I turn the key to start and the car turns, turns, turns, turns, but will not start.

*I spray either throttle body cleaner/ siphon gas / or spray starting fluid into the intake manifold and the car will run for a couple of seconds, and then die.

*If I hit the gas while the car is running it revs but then quickly dies afterwards.

From all this I gather the car is not getting fuel. Below is what I have done today. Ask me questions about what have I check (I don't even car if you ask me if their is gas in the car). And let me know what I should check, where to check, and how to check it.

* I checked the fuel injectors according to the FSM. They harness showed that it was receiving battery voltage.

* Injector Number 1 (the injector closest to the front of the car) had it's wires reversed. I found this after I checked for battery voltage on terminal "A" and got nothing, but terminal "B" showed voltage.

* I cut the wires and reversed them, then reconnected them to the harness. Terminal "A" now shows voltage, while Terminal "B" does not.

*I reconnected the harness connectors to the injectors and attempted to fire the car. It started for a brief few seconds (maybe 2 or 3) then died. I then tried to start it again with no success. I believe it only started this time from the gas I had siphoned into the intake manifold a few days before.

*I sprayed throttle body cleaner into the intake manifold. The car started off this. I pressed the gas and the car revved then died after it burnt up the fumes.

*I siphoned gas into the intake manifold. The car ran for about 3 seconds before it cut off again.

*I still do not believe the car is getting fuel, but the fuel rail & fuel pump are fine. The harness side of the injectors is getting voltage.

ps. Yes there is gas in the car.

[Moon Ill]

I've been searching around on different 240 forums.

Could the fuel filter or FPR be a source of my problem?

[S13DrIfTmEkAnIcS]

try taking out the fuel pump assembly in the back, look at the strainer on the fuel pump and see what it looks like, check the fuel filter (i don't remember if u said u did that already) and if none of that works it may be ur injectors. even if you have power going to them the power does nothing if the injectors are bad. if it comes to that i have another fuel rail with injectors for salleeeee lol. let me know how it goes

[Moon Ill]

I was looking at the strainer before I put the fuel pump in. It's a used fuel pump, so it wasn't the best, but it wasn't completely bad.

I haven't check the fuel filter, it didn't even dawn on me to check that since fuel is getting to the rail.

How much are you asking for you fuel rail and injectors? I might have mine sent to DeatschWerks, but having another set to work with while mine are being serviced would be prime.

[S13DrIfTmEkAnIcS]

if u have the single cam still in there i got the rail and injectors for 20 plus shipping, if its the twin cam 35 plus shipping

[Moon Ill]

it's the single cam. I'll let you know in a week. my AIM is TSM Moon Ill

[Moon Ill]

I changed the fuel filter today. The old filter smelled like the old two year old gas, the fuel didn't look dirty though. Still no go on the engine.

[Kraelic]

Have the fuel lines to the injector rail been removed and reinstalled? I beleive I have read that their orientation matters, in the ka24e to ka24de swap. I think the line from the fuel filter in the engine bay goes into the straight line on the rail, and the kicked line on the rail returns to the fuel line going back to the tank for the SOHC.

Also when it does start and run, on ether or spray or syphon does it take a moment to fire up and lopes about or does it run pretty good till it uses up the charge? I had my distributor off a tooth and it would catch and not keep running.

[Moon Ill]

Once it fires up on the siphoned gas it will run fine untill all the gas is used up. I'm not ruling out that the problem is timing yet, but it should at least try and start if the timing is only a little bit off.

Are main engine harnesses a common problem on 240's?

[halnfl]

go buy a fuel pres. gauge. Or you can do it the redneck way and take the fuel line loose right past the filter and have someone bump the key while you hold the line into a bottle to see if you've got pressure up to the rail. If you do have pressure then you need to see if you fpr to a dump on you. I had a 01 sierra come threw the shop about 2 months ago and some tard told him he needed all this crap. The guy spent $900 on parts and all he needed was a fpr.

[240RB1]

its you fuel pum relay its green theirare many realays by the battery its one of them

[gumby74]

whats up bro? I was in same boat a while back. Take the time to set everything to tdc. dead time the engine and do a full 2 or 3 rotations. Check the cap/rotor and make sure she is on time. In my case I had a crapped out intake hose and cam timing was off by 2 teeth. Spend the money on what you need, dont waste it on what you dont. Hope this helps.

[Moon Ill]

Thank you for the replies guys. I'm going to try what I can, but my funds ran low again.

[PacMan86]

I'm gonna take a stab and say ignition switch only because I've had the same problem with a s12. also if you hit your starter with a hammer and it starts up then it may be just as simple as that being your initial problem.

[Moon Ill]

The starter is rotating the engine, the spark plugs are sparking, and the fuel rail is getting fuel. All that mean the car should start in my ignorant opinion. But I know VERY little about cars, so yea

The ignition switch has to be working though right? Sine the spark plugs are sparking and all. Could it have failed and this still happen.

[D_walkinZ31]

I had the same problem, i was driving one day than it died. Got it back to the house tried to crank it, and it crunk right up than the rpms dropped than the motor died again. I checked everything like u did fuel, plugs, battery connections everything. Than i noticed i had a split in one of my vacuum lines, I wanna say it was coming off my pcv. One thing I learned about fuel injection is that a small hole in a vacuum line will throw the motor out of whack.

[Suicide.Veteran]

have you tested the plugs to the injectors with diode lights? WHy did you have to modify the stock harness? have you touched your ecu lately? Te pump works, ignition works, but there is lack of signal to the injectors to spray. how about grounds? like the one by the injectors.

[Moon Ill]

If the diode light is the screw driver type thing with the ground clamp, then yes I tested them with that. Everything worked.

I had to modify the harness at the #1 injector because the wires were backwards due to a it being previously modified (not by me)

I haven't touched the ECU.

The thing is, the injectors should be getting signal since there is voltage at the connectors.

If I hard wire and injector will there be an audible click (without frying my injector)?

[Suicide.Veteran]

good question.

the injector is technically worked by a coil if I am correct. If there is votage at the connector, you have an open somewhere between that and the injector.

The thing you are thinking of is a test light. If you somehow did use a test light and it lit up, then you have an injector problem, liek the coil in int not energizing (spelling). A diode light are pretty much an LED in a clear housing that when plugged in to the injector pllug, will light up as the ECU sends the signal.

[Moon Ill]

Ok, alright. I know what you're talking about now. I was looking for one at Adavance Auto Parts when I bought my test light.

When I was reading the FSM's troubleshooting for the injector I believe it said I had to have the engine running when using the diode light, and the light should flash if the injector is working properly.

[shpaintball]

lol...i think i know what it is...i had same problem ...and got the same answers they are giving...but i have to ask if you tap on the gas petal for a good bit does the car turn over and run for a second...or longer...and then you can rev it ect but it dies short after and wont start...if so i have the answer...lol if you need it post again...ill reply : ) the suspense must be killing you...ill give you a hint its super simple..and took 3 weeks for me to figure it out...lol

[shpaintball]

the part is like 5 bucks to...lol i should get this published in the FSM cuz it happens to lots of sohcers...i love the sohs...and its not exactly the fuel injectors...

[Moon Ill]

hahaha, YOU ******* made me wait and sh** for the response! hahaha

Any, yea. That's about my problem. But it rarely starts, and only when I put gas in manually.

lol...i think i know what it is...i had same problem ...and got the same answers they are giving...but i have to ask if you tap on the gas petal for a good bit does the car turn over and run for a second...or longer...and then you can rev it ect but it dies short after and wont start...if so i have the answer...lol if you need it post again...ill reply : ) the suspense must be killing you...ill give you a hint its super simple..and took 3 weeks for me to figure it out...lol

[shpaintball]

have you checked the pcv valve? that should be the problem it connects the to the intake w/ a little black hose ....from the little i know about it ...can get carbon build up...or the pcv vavle can close thus my /your problem...its like 5$ for a good one at napa...clean out the hose w/ a little throttle body spray and put the new pcv valve in...drive it around close by for like 30min...let it ideal till its warm...should fix it if not your fuel lines are clogged somewhere and thats big $$

[shpaintball]

that should be in the fsm but its not....i happened to stumble across it while lookin for ways to clean fuel lines..never had the problem again

[Moon Ill]

I swung past Autozone last night after I got off work and picked one up.

It took about 1min to figure out where it was, and, at most, 5mins to install. Sadly it didn't fix my problem cause the car just kept turning and turning but would not start.

On the positive side that damn thing did need replacing. The old one was all rusty and had carbon build up.

[shpaintball]

like i said ...did you put some sea foam down the hose? and clean it out good...b/c it will still have hard starts the 1st few times thats y i said drive it close by so that if it kill back over...but i still think that is it...but if not ...take it to express or somewhere and tell them you want your fuel lines and hardlines cleaned out...if that doesnt fix it your car is just gone...

[Moon Ill]

I didn't put any sea foam down the hose, but I sprayed it very liberally with throttle body cleaner.

I'm also going to buy another battery for it (again). Even though I had my car hooked up too it while it was trying to start, I belive my Optima red top is gone.

I bought an engine harness from a guy of carolinanissan, he said he'll be sending it out tuesday, and I'm buying the fuel rail and injectors off S13DrIfTmEkAnIcS so I have something to work with while mine are at Detachworks.

[shpaintball]

hey i do have sohc im parting out and i need the crap gone so if you need something email me ....o and when you put the harness on make sure you insalate it...i put some exhaust wrap crap around it ...helps the wires last longer.. but if you need somethin l m k and i dont understand y that didnt fix it

[sedoken]

check the fuses. if u jump it does it start fine?

if so it's prolly ur alternator