Please help

[Laozilvia]

I just did an engine swap. Nothing special, just sohc. The engine crank but does not start. I have checked the following;

compression: Its pretty high cyl 1 - 180 cyl 2 - 180 cyl 3 - 175 cyl 4 - 190

spark - yes fuel pump - yes

The only thing that I want to check is the timing but how do I check the timing without the engine starting. I have a timing light but no use. I didn't check the timing before I drop in the engine and I regret that.

Anyway, if you guys can help and point out any advice that be great.

Thanks in advance.

[benemorius]

Turn the crank by hand to top dead center by the timing marks on the crank pulley. Remember that tdc occurs twice per cycle. You want tdc compression stroke. Since you're uncertain of the ignition timing, you'll have to pull the valve cover to view the valve lifters. Tdc compression will have all the valves closed on cylinder 1. If they aren't closed, you're on tdc exhaust stroke, so rotate the crank 360 degrees. Once you know you've got the crank at tdc, and the cam at tdc compression, you can check the distributor for ignition timing. The rotor should be pointing right at the #1 plug wire. If it's pointing at #4, the distributor is off by 180 degrees. While you're at the distributor, pull it out and turn the key to on. Rotate the distro by hand and listen for injector clicks. They should click in order as you turn it - 1342. That should give you a bit to start with.

EDIT: It should at least start up if the ignition timing is somewhere in the right area. Once it's running you can use the light to set it exactly right.

[Laozilvia]

Sounds like what I've been researching and I am going to try it tonight. Thank you very much for your help and response. I hope that it will work cuz I need the car running.

[Laozilvia]

I check to see if the distributor was timed correctly. I found out that it is 180 deg. off. I did what benemorius said to the point where I have to pull the distributor off, and turn the key on the ignition to "on" BUT I don't quite comprehen the part when I have to turn the distro by hand. If I take the distributor off, the rotor will rotate freely but the mate part in the engine block won't match the distributor. When the rotor is pointing at no.1 plug, I can not put back the distributor into the engine block.I don't know if I am doing it correctly or not but would someone please explain it to me clearer. I gotta admit that sometime, I am pretty slow. Thanks in advance.

[Florida240sx]

As always being that I did this myself. Yes you got fuel pressure...But did you hook them up correctly? I had them abckwards.At least I caught my mistake.

[Florida240sx]

Also check to see if your injectors are opening.

[Laozilvia]

yes, I hooked up the fuel line and the vacuum line correctly. I checked that many times.

[benemorius]

That mate part in the engine is also removable. If the distro is 180 degrees off, then that part in the engine must be 180 degrees off. It's easy to reset. First look down inside and note the exact location of it so that you can put it back in exactly 180 degrees the other way. Next, remove the oil pump which is on the opposite end of that shaft. Either the shaft will fall out through where the pump was, or you'll pull it out. It may take some wiggling, but once you get it out and see the twist in the gear, you'll see why it had to be wiggled and why you'll have to put it in a bit crooked to get it where you want it.

Now, about turning the distro by hand with the key on - the CAS (crank angle sensor) is built in to the distro. This is what the ecu uses to determine when to fire each injector. Thus, as you turn it by hand, you can verify that all the injectors are indeed firing.

[Laozilvia]

Thanks benemorius. I'll try that tonight and see what's the result. I did some in dept research and found out the if it is 180 deg off, I can just put the #1 plug wires in #4 prong and vise versa.

[benemorius]

That would work if your cas were not built in to your distributor, but it is. (I believe they may be separate on the dohc... I'm not entirely sure...)
Modified by benemorius at 3:06 PM 3/16/2006

[Laozilvia]

ok, i did some more testing today and nothing works.I turned the distributor 180 degI checked the fuel pump (again)I check the compression (again)I turned the distro to check for the clicking of the injector but could only verify 2 not all 4. When I turned the distro the mounting bracket hits the block so I can't go 360.After all that, I pulled the fuel rail with injectors attached and crank the engine, there were no fuel shooting out off any injectors. I am pretty sure that that is my problem. Does anybody have any suggestions?

[benemorius]

If the injectors weren't blown out of the fuel rail when you turned the key on, spewing fuel all over the place... that's actually a problem. It sounds like you may have no or little fuel pressure, even though your pump is running. Try to get your hands on a fuel pressure gauge and see what you find. It could be that a fuel line is hooked up wrong... could be a clogged filter... stuff like that.

As for turning the distributor by hand, you need to actually pull it out and turn the shaft all the way around.

[Laozilvia]

There were no fuel coming out of the injectors at all. Thats what I thought when I saw it, no fuel pressure. I don't have a pressure gauge. I know for sure that I hooked up the fuel lines correctly. I hooked everything up exactly the way the previous engine was hooked up. The previous engine started up everytime I turn the key. The fuel filter I have on there is the same fuel filter that the previous engine used. How do I get pressure in the fuel pressure regulator?

[Laozilvia]

Thanks for all your help benemorius. I finally got it started up today after 3 hrs of run down. I don't really know what causes it because I hate to figure one thing out and then I think it is the next. So, I started from scratch; timing, fuel pump, fuel pressure, spark, etc. It started up right after I have finish everything.

BIG PLUS POINT TO YOU

[benemorius]

w00t!