Engine swap starting problems

[troll's 240sx]

Yes I've looked and there was one close to my situation but not enough explaination. I have an 95 240sx, and I swapped the engine to another one. The new used one is an auto, and it wont start up. I have checked mutiple things. If I crank with WOT then it will start, but idle at 300 to 400 rpm. Giving it throttle will stall it. Fuel pressure is at 43psi when key is turned on, MAF ground is less than 0.02volts, TPS circuit turned out fine, but it is different than my old one, Timing I believe is correct TDC line is 2nd to last indention on pulley, distributor is aligned from dot to line, all ground has good connection, vaccum lines has no cracks or leaks, fuel lines has no leaks, compression is at 170 on all four. Oh and another thing, the engine is turboed. Last engine was running fine until I boosted too much, I figured just swapping it, it will at least start. If my story is too long and you cant answer then just say SORRY so I will know to try something else, and I would have any problem just let me know thanx.

[InsanityInc]

Unplug the TPS and try to start the car. The auto uses a different TPS so that could very well be your problem. Also, verify that your injectors are clicking, and the timing should be at 20deg BTDC, which is the last mark in the clockwise direction on the crank pulley

[troll's 240sx]

Unplugging the TPS it does not start. I was thinking about switching it back to my old one.

[InsanityInc]

I would definitely do that, but if it doesn't start with it unplugged, that isn't your starting problem. Try setting your timing to 20BTDC. Also, pull your plugs and look at them to see if they're wet with fuel or anything.

[NISTECH]

Sounds like your airflow meter isnt registering properly or you have one huge vaccum leak. Is the PCV hos under the intake hooked up?

[troll's 240sx]

Well I replaced the TPS with my old one, plugs are fine, still wont start, and I am not sure but I think all my PCV hoses are hooked up I mean it would go through a great deal to have them unhooked. Should there be any cranking vaccum, because I have zero vaccum during cranking. And setting it at 20 BTDC it does not start but setting it at 0 TDC it will start and idle at 3 to 400 rpm.

[NISTECH]

No vaccum and retarding the timing suggests you may have your chain out of time.

[troll's 240sx]

How would I check to see if my chain is out of wack? I checked the cams at 20BTDC and the dots on the cams are 11 o clock intake and 2 o clock exhaust. At 0BTDC intake is almost at 12 and exhaust is almost at 3. Is this right? And now it will not start up at all.

[NISTECH]

At TDC [ 0BTDC] Look at the cam dowels. They should be at 9:00 intake and 12:00 exhaust. Forget the dots.

[troll's 240sx]

Yes the dowels are at 9 and 12.

[NISTECH]

Have you run a compression check on it yet? Also check your coolant temp connections.

[troll's 240sx]

Yes compression is 170 across all four, and just switched the coolant temp senor.
Modified by troll's 240sx at 4:08 PM 8/24/2005

[NISTECH]

do you have you idle air hose hooked up to your intercooler piping? If that were unhooked or pinched you could have this problem. Also use a volt meter and moniter your airflow meter when cranking, what does it read while cranking engine?. Also very your throtle application while monitering the voltage during cranking. Does it change at all? If you can get it to run at that 300rpms grab a reading then too.

I appoligize for being redundant. I reread the whole thread and caught that you had already mentioned your compression.

[troll's 240sx]

Ok, the idle air hose is hooked up to intercooler pipe no pinching, monitoring the voltage to the MAF at the ECU is 0.5v with key on and 1.2v cranking. TPS is 0.27v key on flucuates on cranking and 3.98v at WOT. And now I cant get it to start like before no more. Call me an Idiot for not telling you this before, but when I connected the battery the first time after the swap, the starter positive wire was grounding out to the manifold and didnt know until the wire started smoking. Immediately pulled the ground and fixed that problem. I checked and no fuses were blown I dont think, maybe a relay may have gone out? Tell me what do you think.

[NISTECH]

Hopefully it didnt fry any of the computers circuits. Check you alt fuse see if it blew. Have you tryed to pull any codes from the computer?

Get a noid light from auto zone or something and check for injector pulse while cranking.

Also make sure the hose coming off the fuel filter is the one feeding the fuel injectors not the one coming off the regulator side.

[troll's 240sx]

Alt fuse is not blown, only code from ECU is 55 which is nothing, I also have a spare ECU and still nothing, Fuel lines are connected correctly, only thing havent tried is noid light. I sprayed starter fluid into the throttle body and that did nothing.

[NISTECH]

Hmm something we havent mentioned yet have your checked for spark at all?

[troll's 240sx]

Yup, there is spark on all four.

[NISTECH]

You have spark and you have good compression. Therefore spraying starting fluid in the cyl should have made it start. unless there is so much fuel in the cyl aready it is to wet to ignite. Do the noid light check and see if the injectors are pulsing.