Sigh, SR wont start. New Problems Yay!

[mRodiek]

I had problems with my SR starting in the past, but the issue was that I was losing power along the long line of battery cable, so I moved the battery to the engine bay & wahlah solved. Its been 2 months of awesome-ness and now it wont start again:

-The car will start if I go outside after a few hours or letting it sit overnight, but once I turn it off & start it back up again, the starter will just spin spin.-I can smell fuel being dumped into the cylinder so I know I am getting fuel.-The spark plugs ARE getting power, checked with a test light.-The car will start & run perfect the first time, but after that nothing?-After it wont start if I press on the throttle a little and try to start it will sometimes start but not everytime.-One time I did ^ and white smoke came out of the exhaust which is obviously coolant, but it hasnt done that since.

I am at a loss at this point & very frustrated, I need to drive for work & it involves alot of turning my car off & on and this sucks. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[spooled240]

maybe it's timing? idk

[mRodiek]

Its not timing because I havent touched that. I am 99% sure its my headgasket, since Ive been beating the piss out of it at 12psi with no fuel upgrades other than a walboro

Now comes the real debate, get new headgasket/ARP headstuds& upgrade maf/injectors/tune...or put a oem headgasket in and keep saving for coils

[SxMachine]

Beating the piss out of your daily? Well I guess if you kno your hg is shot its time to get to work. Suck a** job, but you should be done in a day.

If you got no real big power goals i'd say stock everything and just save for wut you want.
Modified by SxMachine at 6:51 PM 4/12/2010

[spooled240]

a stock sr should be able to handle 12 psi as long as it's tuned right. I'd just get an OEM HG w/ some ARP headstuds and call it a day

[mRodiek]

12psi on a S15 turbo with no fuel mods is different than 12psi on a t25, and I was having so much fun at 12psi too lol

I have enough power as it is and if I get a upgraded HG ($250) plus ARP headstuds ($150), Z32 maf ($75), tune ($500), injectors ($500). Thats $1500 I could spend on tires, wheels, body work & possibly coils so Im gonna wait to do all that stuff lol

I started pulling the head a little while ago but my roomate needed a new tire so I went with him real quick to Pep Boys, Ill post pics in my build when Im finished as well as results (I reallyhopethis solves the problem lol)

[nuts510]

The fact that you're smelling fuel makes me wonder if you have some other problem you might check the ECU for codes. I would also check the fuel pressure a fuel pressure regulator will call symptoms like that. I think if you would have had a boost related failure the car would run like crap possibly lose antifreeze smells sweet when it runs and in general not run good so you wouldn't be out raising Hell and beating the piss out of it

[mRodiek]

I am burning coolant on startup, I smell fuel because its being poured into the cylinders when I crank it but there isnt enough compression to start.

Stripped a headstud today .

I think God is trying to send me a sign.

[mRodiek]

Everything hooked back up, and I have what sounds like ticking from my valves.

Could this be from my timing being off? I had it set right, I guess Ill check it again.

[SxMachine]

Ticking? Air in your lifters maybe or bad tensioner. Have u checked those?

[mRodiek]

I didnt touch anything other than the cams in the head, sounds like its coming more-so from the exhaust side [could be because of the injectors being so loud] and its much more quiet now than at first. Im wondering if I am just being paranoid lol because it is real quiet unless I get my hear right up the valve cover.

The turbo makes a different noise when spooling now too, and I started it up: revved to 1500 then up & down between 1500 & 2000rpm for about 20sec then dropped to idle.

This sucks, I want another car.

[OM3GA]

Did you crank it by hand first?

[PhopsonNY]

Have you checked your starter or the starter relay?

When it doesn't start, can you push start it?

[mRodiek]

Did you crank it by hand first?

Taking the risk of sounding ignorant, what do you mean?

Have you checked your starter or the starter relay?

When it doesn't start, can you push start it?

Starter works fine, after 5 of them & 6 batteries, it starts every time lol

[OM3GA]

I just mean did you crank the engine over by hand before trying to key start it. That way you would feel if there was any internal contact IE valve hitting the piston. It seems like you are fine though lol. Maybe you just need to get used to it. Drive it easy for the first 500 miles.