red top sr20det... no spark!!

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240driftersr20det
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:43 am
Car: 1992 240sx Hb w/ 1993 red top sr20det

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Ok guys, i got a 1993 redtop sr, swapped in a 1992 240sx. The thing was running great up untill a few weeks ago, i pulled into a gas station to fill up, shut the car off filled it with gas and went to start back up, cranked and cranked and nothing she wouldn't fire... At first i thought it was the fuel pump because i couldn't hear it turn on every time i turned the key to the on position. Luckily i had a new walbro 255 to throw in so after installing the fuel pump turned on the key and the pump still wouldn't turn on, so long story short I ran a positive wire from the battery, installed a switch in the dash to turn power on and off and put an inline 15A fuse, hooked it up to the fuel pump and used the existing ground wire. fianlly i hear the fuel pump turning on! so tried to fire her up, still nothing. :confused: So then i began diagnosing other stuff. I wanted to see if the injectors where firring so i pulled the CAS and spun it with my hands, they are in fact firring, so i tested for spark no spark... so i get my test light out and i have constant positive power, but when i hook it up to the neg and the other end of the test light to the pos battery terminal the light will not turn on, so im thinking its my ground. So my question is, does the ground for the coil packs all hook up to the bolt on the back of the engine? because That bolt looks secure and i have not touched it so i cant see why all of a sudden it would stop providing a good ground... :confused: at this point i am running out of ideas and I am really hoping this isn't an ecu problem...I need some new thoughts and ideas, i really just want to get this thing running again... pls help all info will be really appreciated. Thanks.


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DamonDread
Posts: 422
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2009 6:28 am
Car: 1987 Toyota Supra Turbo
Location: Daytona Beach, FL

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Have you tried cleanin the ground up and rewiring back in its spot? I had a similar issue with a honda one time, and just had to cut the end off the ground and rewire it back in its spot and solved the problem.

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240driftersr20det
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:43 am
Car: 1992 240sx Hb w/ 1993 red top sr20det

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Ok i got the thing running turns out it was infact a bad CAS, as soon as i installed the new cas she fired right up... the car is running good feel like its getting full power, but when the engine is warm its not idling steady, it will idle at around 850 rpm, then dip to 500 and almost stall but never actually stalls, then jump up to 1500 rpms, then settles at 850 again then repeats... Im wondering if i installed the cas a tooth off or something?? I made sure when i installed it the timing chain links were lined up with the cam gear markings, and that the crank pully markings were lined up second from the left, so the motor was infact at tdc, only questionable thing about the installation was the actual cas position, the old cas had two dots on the gear, the new one only had one, so i had to make sure that the one mark was not lined up wit dot oon the shaft so when i slid in the cas they then lined up almost exactly straight up. Is this correct? i can live with how its running i just dont want to do any motor damage... thanks.

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PyR0NiAk
Posts: 3851
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:29 pm
Car: S13 SR W/ T2 GT3071R .86AR, JWT S4 Cams, 810cc Injectors,Z32 MAF, JWT tuned ECU 87mm 9:1 Compression CP pistons, Manley Rods
Location: Ohio
Contact:

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Your CAS install is, indeed, correct. As far as the bad idle, there are numerous things that can cause this. Start with the free stuff first. Check for vacuum leaks.

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240driftersr20det
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:43 am
Car: 1992 240sx Hb w/ 1993 red top sr20det

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Ok, good. only thing i can think of is i had some piping off to get the CAS out of its spot so maybe one of the fittings didn't seal properly when put back together, and i have a small boost leak? but im thinking if this was the case i would have a lose of power? where are the most common vacuum leaks on these cars?

User avatar
PyR0NiAk
Posts: 3851
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:29 pm
Car: S13 SR W/ T2 GT3071R .86AR, JWT S4 Cams, 810cc Injectors,Z32 MAF, JWT tuned ECU 87mm 9:1 Compression CP pistons, Manley Rods
Location: Ohio
Contact:

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Your vacuum leak could be anywhere. They're not vehicle specific. Just trace through your intake and intercooler plumbing. z1motorsports sells a leak tester...

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240driftersr20det
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:43 am
Car: 1992 240sx Hb w/ 1993 red top sr20det

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Ok, car died on me again, well never actually died, I drove the car out of town (2 hour drive) to visit a friend in university drove around in the city for three days with no starting or running problems what so ever, except for the erradic idle, other then that the car pulled hard and seemed to run flawlesly. Well I went to leave and drive home today, and once again the thing wouldn't start! errrgggg!!! This is frustrating! there are obviously some electrical problems with this car! But now i have no tools or a warm shop to work in so im getting the car towed all the way back home. Good thing for CAA!! So when i get home, what are some things i should start testing for, remembering that i had an erratic idle when it was running good. It would idle fine when the motor was cold at a steady 1500 rpms, but when it got too operating temp it would jump around from 500- 1250ish rpms. Could this mean i have a bad MAF, or TPS? and now it wont start because one of those sensors actually totally stopped working? I will be testing for all of this once i get the thing back to my house but im just looking for ideas right now. for a motor with only just over 100,000 kms, alot of electrical sensors are f*** up on it!!

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240driftersr20det
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:43 am
Car: 1992 240sx Hb w/ 1993 red top sr20det

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bump... Im home now going to look at the car this weekend... any ideas ppl???


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