ca help

[93s13]

is there anyone in the jersey area who could possibly come take a look at my motor to see whats wrong?

the kid i bought it from said he did a comp test and there was no pistons, but once i took the motor apart i saw that there still was pistons in it. this is my first ca swap and it would be better if there was something wrong with the harness as apposed to the motor.

[XTCshri2222]

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is there anyone in the jersey area who could possibly come take a look at my motor to see whats wrong?

the kid i bought it from said he did a comp test and there was no pistons, but once i took the motor apart i saw that there still was pistons in it. this is my first ca swap and it would be better if there was something wrong with the harness as apposed to the motor.

i'll be moving back to Jersey in Jan 07, but how did he do a compression test w/o cranking the motor?

If you can specify what exactly is wrong might be able to help more.

[93s13]

ok he told me that he bought the motor from some shot down south somewhere, i forget the state, he said he changed all these parts like the starter, alternator, plugs ect....to make sure it would start. he said he went to start the motor and it didnt turn over, but it sounded like it wanted to.

he than told me that he did a comp test and it came up straight zeros and that there were no pistons. i dont care because i bought the motor set for $100 and it came with a bunch of aftermarket stuff also.

well when i took the motor apart to install pistons, i noticed that it had pistons. so now im stuck because im not sure if its a motor problem or just a wiring harness problem.

[Zero260]

what I'm wondering is how he came to the conclusion that there were no pistons AFTER he tried turning it over.

you said it sounded like it wanted to turn over? like the starter enganged but the motor didn't spin, or the motor did spin? if it did spin, and the comp test was zero(somehow), it could be bad piston rings, or a really bad head gasket problem.

[93s13]

i personally didnt hear it. i am relaying what he said to me when i picked up the motor. he said the motor sounded like it wanted to run but didnt fire.

but i was just thinking when he went to put the ka back in it wouldnt start and he said it was a wiring problem, so now im thinking th ca had a wiring problem...help??

[Zero260]

is it in your car now? if it is, what exactly happens when you try to turn it over? if it's not in your car, I don't know if anyone can help online.

[tyrannix]

without actually helping you or this thread in any way, i see that as a perfect opportunity to rebuild the engine, and have everything be perfect when you reassemble

sidenote: if somone told me they did a comp test with no pistons i would call shenanegins right there... HTF can you compress without a piston to do the compressing?

ok.. i guess i should help too: first try another ECU, that failing take out yourharness and cut off all teh looming and electric tape. .. now print out all 3 pages of the ECU diagram from the FSM and tape them together (i covered with clear packing tape.. ghetto lamination)

trace all your wires, make sure nothing is shorted out/missing for the important stuff

this is all if the engine is still in the car.. if not i vote full rebuild and drop your major parts at a reputable machine shop then maybe go forgies for your pistons if you plan on alot of boost or you have money laying around

CJ

[biosehnsucht]

+1 rebuild FTW!

Especially if you got all that for$100, spend some more money to make it last. Installing raw engines without a rebuild when they're this old is asking for fireworks.. you never know what's gone on inside there, what abuses and mistreatments they've suffered.

Rebuild for the peace of mind.

[93s13]

no the motors not in the car, i didnt put it in becasue i was gonna take it apart to replace the pistons until i realized that they were in there. is there anyone local who would like to lend a hand in a rebuild? im not familiar enough with the CA to trust myself completly.

[Kouks]

get a reputable machine shop in your area to help you out with that. Sit down and talk to a couple, see which one is willing to work with you on it. An engine is an engine.

[93s13]

yea but as far as putting it back together and hooking up the wiring harness...im lost on that part because im taking over someone elses project so i have no idea where to pick it back up

[mbmbmb23]

yea but as far as putting it back together and hooking up the wiring harness...im lost on that part because im taking over someone elses project so i have no idea where to pick it back up

Take lots of pictures, put the bolts in ziploc bags and label them with a sharpie permanent marker. Then use the sharpie to write numbers on the many close up photos you took....numbering the bolts in the pictures to correspond with the ones you took off and put in the ziplocs. With the vacuum lines.....put some tape around each end of the line and the nipple you disconnected it from.....give it a unique number (V1A and V1B or something) writing the numbers on the tape .......take the lines off........take them to a parts store.....have them match it for you with a new line....then put tape on the new lines also so you know where to install them next time you need them. Once it's time to reinstall the vacuum lines.....match V1A on the new line to the nipple labeled V1B.

Does that make sense?

-m

[93s13]

i didnt think about the pictures!! thanks though it was a good idea. i do have everything in bags and labled but the picture idea would have been very good!! thanks though