Replaced Engine and now Nothing

[blackout240]

Ok so I have a 93 240sx KA24DE and I blew my engine, I bought my friends KA that has a port and polished head. I swaped the old engine out with the new one. It started but was running really bad, like the firing order was wrong (and it was), so I fixed that prob and now it wont start! I checked to see if I had spark, and I do. All the vaccuum is in the right place, the battery is brand new, checked some fuses but not all, I am getting fuel. So I dont know what else it would be. Can someone please give me some pointers on what this could be??????

[Florida240sx]

Ever do a compression check on the engine? to make sure it was reassembeled correctly. Cams could be off. Sure the injectors are all firing?

[blackout240]

well it is running now just really poorly, had some fouled plugs . It will only stay running with the dist. advanced all the way so this should mean that the cams are off right? It got up to opporating temp in like 5 min and then my hotshot headers started to glow........ .......My friends said that it is the MAS but I dont think thats right. So in order to check the cam timing I have to take the valve cover off, turn it to TDC and the front lobes should be pointing away from eachother right.

[blackout240]

So i took the valve cover off and lined the timing marks to TDC and the lobes were away from eachother, so thats not the problem. Also took the distibuter out and retrated it a few teeth and nothing happened so i moved it back to TDC and now it wont start at all. Come on now seriously what the F**k is going on?

[Florida240sx]

Do a compression check. Cams look right. So now do compression test. I spent 3months messing with my car. Engine was brand new renuilt and installer messed up. Cams were off. Disconnect your mafs for start-up see if she runs. You know how to set your distributor timing? There is a write up on here. Very simple but it has pics so you can know exactly what i'm talking about.

[blackout240]

ya i know how to time the distributor, i tryed that but it didnt work either. All the timing is correct and i dont know whats wrong. Next im gonna try the compression test and then go from there.

[Neil]

"distributor timing?" it's been a while.. doesn't the KA distributor have marks that line up when installing it at TDC?

double check to make sure the rotor is in good shape. if it's abnormally worn out where it sits on the shaft then ignition timing will never be right.

I'm not sure why you'd intentionally install the distributor clocked improperly and expect anything positive to happen, but w/ever.

Also blinker fluid, muffler bearings, etcetera.

I'm almost positive the distributor isn't in correctly.

[blackout240]

what is your email address and I will send you some pics of everything?

[blackout240]

hey what is you email address and ill send you some pics so maybe you can tell me if its right or not.

[blackout240]

So I checked, checked and rechecked the distributer and had a machanic check it out and it is fine. Then i started spraying carb cleaner around the intake manifold and found that my intake gaskets were bad so i replaced em, but went to start it up and same result. So once again I sprayed around the intake manifold and did the same thing it would smooth out. So does that mean that I have a warped head or is there any major vaccuum hoses down there?

[Neil]

that doesn't make sense.. There's no reason I can think of for why spraying carb cleaner at your intake manifold would temporarily make the car run better. Also how were you able to determine your intake manifold gaskets were bad by doing that?

Is the intake aftermarket, or original? If it's the original plastic intake tube, did you connect it to the surge tank behind the left of the radiator, or at least cap off its bung on the intake? sucking in air after the MAF will also make it not want to run.

Troubleshooting over the internets through text is.. trying, at best. What did your mechanic have to say?

[blackout240]

No dude not the intake, im talking about the intake manifold. by spraying carb cleaner around a vacuum leak acts a boost because of the octane, thus making your car run better. Its like using starting fluid, what do you think starting fluid is????? its all ether based............so before you start talking about something you dont know about ide suggest not saying anything. So go out and look under the hood of your car and that big silver arched tubing that goes from your head to your throttle body which then goes to your AIR INTAKE!!! Thanks for your help!!! BTW your blinker fluid is a lil low.....and are you running summer air or winter air in your tires???

[blackout240]

ya my mechanic was stumped he couldnt figure it out. I think it might be the Idle Air Control Valve but there are two on my car and they are both $200 each, so this leaves a big prob. Anyways is there anyone out there that could think of anything else this could be???

[Neil]

Don't be a tool. I know what the difference is between the air intake ducting and the engine's intake manifold.

I'm sorry you weren't able to understand that I was talking about two different things. Before you risk making an *** of yourself next time 'ide' suggest actually trying to be sure you understand what you're talking about.

Also, I didn't know the intake manifold was silver, I was pretty sure it made out of aluminum.

Good luck sorting out your problem.
Modified by Neil at 10:52 PM 6/26/2008

[blackout240]

isnt aluminum silver?? yep sure is. anyways guy i was just effing with ya , we think we found our prob, the collant temp sensor is out and the IACV needs to be cleaned

[blackout240]

So I took off the IACV and cleaned the piss outta the thing, got a new thermostat, and swapped the CTS with the one outta the old engine. Still no response, it idles at 800rpm smooth but as soon as you give it gas chokes itself out, almost like its getting to much fuel or not enough spark. It smells like its running rich.

[Vegascorbin]

Go back to spraying around the intake.

If you spray something on the OUTSIDE of a sealed system and the engine changes (good or bad) then your system is NOT sealed anymore. The carb cleaner got in the intake when it should not have. This is basic stuff. I question the skills of your mechanic. ( for now I will assume he/she was just having an off day)

Find where the carb cleaner is getting into the intake and you will probably fix your problem.

[blackout240]

UHHH we eliminated that prob with a set of new set of gaskets. Now it starts and idles about 800rpm but as soon as you feed it fuel it chokes itself out. Took the IAVC off and cleaned it, changed the CTS, and put a new thermostat in, and still good results. It is getting good spark, fuel, air, so I dont understand what else it could be.

[Neil]

Is your maf good, or even connected? If it's unplugged or bad it will idle fine but the rev limit drops to 1500rpm and it will smell gassy, too.

[blackout240]

Ya the MAF is good cause when its idling and you unplug it, it dies so .... I also had another one lying around so i tryed that one to and it did the same thing. I truthfully dont know what else to think but i know that it has been a week since ive had my car and i would like to get it back soon......

[blackout240]

anyone out there that could point me in the right direction?

[redmonkey_s14]

What year is your new engine?

[blackout240]

1991 KA24DE and mine is a 1993

[blackout240]

the engine that went in was a 91, do I need the ecu for a 91?

[redmonkey_s14]

Everything should plug and work because 91-94 runs the same ecu. Try checking your fuel injectors. Take a screw driver and put the metal part on top of the injector and listen through the other end. You should hear the injectors spray. Recheck all harness plugs that you might have missed or damaged.

[JJ240]

Is your header still glowing when you reach operating temp at idle? If so you need to absolutely 100% make sure your cams are timed correctly, and then redo your distributor timing when they are fixed. Header glowing at idle means you have fuel combusting there instead of in the cylinder where its supposed to be.

[Florida240sx]

So when you give it gas it misses? If you floor it, will it miss then smooth out?TPS, bad gas, grounding for the injectors? You should be able to start the car with no MAFS. Could be your mafs. Disconnect the mafs and see how she idles. Sound sliek a vaccum leak somewhere. Could be the ones between the intake mani's that come form the fuel rail. 4 little small pieces abotu 1" long and are a 8itch to replace

[blackout240]

well we cant find anymore vaccuum leaks with the carb cleaner. Checked all the injectors, plugs and hoses. I think is getting hot so fast because we didnt burp the system yet, so that might be that problem. I think my TPS needs to be adjusted because when we hooked up an ome meeter it reads 13 and its supossed to be at like 10 or somethin. When it starts up it will idle at 800 but as soon as you feed her gas she wants to die, I can hold the peddle to the floor and its not even goin over 1200rpm. The mafs is good cuz when we disconnect it she die's. But this is all effed

[redmonkey_s14]

The engine shouldn't die when you take off mafs. It should idle but you could barely drive it.

[blackout240]

well it idles so low that it just dies......i know it shoulernatdnt but. Would an altinator do this?? I heard that it would cause this problem?