Changed headgasket, car won't start!!

[Luderacer14]

I'm getting spark and fuel. I changed my headgasket and did'int mark everything ( i know, i screwed over). So i put the botton at TDC, i stopped at the second mark on the crank. Than I aligned the cams so that the first lobes are pointing outwards. The second cam points 12 while the one at the left points 10 o clock. The distributer is also aligned. I have 2 electrical plugs that I have no clue goes where. One goes from the cluster of wires of the fuel injectors to the back of the engine where the egr is. The other plug is in between the intake mani around the center. I have no idea, does anyone have any pictures. I can't figure it out, my car won't start!!!! PLZ, I did a search and look in the maual. The cams line up, the only thing that does'int match exactly is the two dents in the cams. They look like they were pointing exactly 45 degress away from each other.

[klattr1]

you are going to need to be more specific explaing the "my car wont start" part.

are your lights turning on?is the motor turning over, just not firing up?is it not turning over whatsover?explain your process for putting in the distributor?is there any gas in the car?battery dead?

BTW, one of the plugs on the back goes to an emissions device of somesort and the other one you are talking about is prolly for the knock sensor maybe.

[Luderacer14]

Yea, all my lights are on, the engine cranks over, i have spark, it just won't start. It's just not firing up. It sounded like it wanted to go once, but just won't start. The battery is charged, i have gas, i put the distributer in at tdc at number 1. i lined up the slit with the endentured mark, with a smaller dent next to that. maybe my timming is still off, i already adjusted it twice.

[Import_Ant]

are you sure you were on the compression stroke when you aligned timing? you can have the crank pulley lined up with everything but be on the decompression stroke and be 180 degrees off as far as timing goes.

[Luderacer14]

Yea, i stuck a bar down the sparkplug hole to check and also had a friend put his finger there to feel the air. Do you guys think my cams are probably lined up? The cam on the right is exactly at 12, i pretty muched lined everything up using that cam. And the cam lobes face outwards.
Modified by Luderacer14 at 6:11 PM 6/8/2005

[klattr1]

check with cam instructions on JWT's tech support part of their website if you think your cams are not installed correctly.

otherwise, try putting the distributor in one tooth difference from what you've been trying so far (both ways). maybe it will fire it up.

[Luderacer14]

Come on, theres gotta be someone that knows. Plus all my shims fell out and I just stuck them in random places. i know I can't adjust the shim untill the engine is warm anyways. PLZ HELP, I WANT MY CAR TO WORK, I ALREADY WAITED 2 MONTHS JUST TO GET THE HEADGASKET REPLACED, and my broken shaft plate and clutch!! Ok thanks, i'll check it out just to make sure again.

[Luderacer14]

I just checked their instructions and it looks like i lined the cams up perfect. I'm gonna try moving the teeth back and forth tomorrow on the distributor and sees whats happens, if it does'int work, than i'm just gonna burn the car or have it towed to a shop.

[klattr1]

shims in random places. lol OMG. u must have good luck.

dude, just get some feeler gauges and keep rotating the motor around and documenting the clearance between cam lobe (facing outwards) and the shim. it would have really helped if you measured the thickness of each shim with a dial caliper before you buttoned everything up so you could have known where to swap out from high to low spots in case something was beyond the factory tolerances.

i think i remember telling you already though. oh well. lol

[p00t]

ok also...

To get TDC properly check the crank pulley and make sure the one off color (yellow) mark is lined up with the marking pin.

then, take the distributor in your hand and note where the #1 plug wire goes on the cap. Remember its position and when you put the distributor in make sure the rotor (under the cap) points toward where the #1 plug wire went in on the cap. if its not right take the dist out and turn the gear to get it right. When that is correct your all set up (it will still need to be timed though).

I hope that wasnt too confusing, just picture at TDC that the distributor needs to be set up to spark that cylinder...

[Jookmasta]

i say take to a shop. Im all for the DIY but sometimes you gotta know when to throw in the towel. Either take it to a shop or have someone thats more experienced than you take a look at it. No disrespect to your mechanical skills but it sounds like frustration is getting the best of you..............................