Yet another "help me" thread!

[PapaBurgundy]

I've been d!ck around with this for a month now and gotten nowhere so I'm going to ask for help now. Driving around one day and the engine just shuts off, doesnt sputter or anything it acts just like the time my CAS plug fell off. So I threw on a spare CAS, ignitor and MAF and checked all wiring and grounds with no changes, I have spark, fuel and compression on my recently rebuilt motor ( got about 40-50 miles on it) but it wont even pop when I crank it. ECU was showing code 34 at which point I realized I didnt even have a knock sensor, so I bought one and wired it up, no codes now but no start either. So I have 38-42 psi at the rail, I can see fuel entering the combustion chamber, I have spark on all cylinders and good compression, the only thing that sounds logical at this point is timing but like I said the CAS is working and it is mechanically in time. What else could make my engine kill out of the blue? Oh and my A/F gauge indicated no problems. It's a stock CA with the normal bolt ons, stock ECU running 7psi boost. Any help might be rewarded with sexual favors as this is my only car and I've had to borrow cars to get to work for over a month now.

[PapaBurgundy]

Oh and I'm going to keep bumping this thread till I get some answers so dont think you can ignore me and I'll go away!

[Nali]

Bump for a truly surprising problem?

Spark and Fuel but no explosion?Strange.

Id guess its really really bad timing. Like the exhaust valves are letting the fuel/air mixture out way before the plug sparks.

Otherwise there would be atleast some plot plot plottering.

[JNM240]

Have you actually check the cam to crank timing since it killed? Is it possible that the timing belt tension popped and now you have no belt? If you have spark and fuel, i would consider pulling the upper timing cover and turn the crank by hand and see if the cams are moving.

[rico05]

I had the same issue when my..um...EPROM fell out of the socket in my ECU. I have a "chipped" ECU and over the years the EPROM actually came loose from the socket and the car just shut off.

Considering that it "seems" to be a total electrical failure, I would crack open the ECU and look for burnt components or damage.

[ca18detgabby]

anyone near you that you can test the CAS on? its isnt uncommon to have a few bad ones........ or that the tooth broke off maybe?

[Nali]

I had the same issue when my..um...EPROM fell out of the socket in my ECU. I have a "chipped" ECU and over the years the EPROM actually came loose from the socket and the car just shut off.

Considering that it "seems" to be a total electrical failure, I would crack open the ECU and look for burnt components or damage.

Wow, thats creepy, im going to keep checking up on my EPROM. Because i doubt i would think about checking it out.

So the car just shuts off and gives up on life. Haha.

[Ca_Silvia]

I would try swapping ECUs and go from there, sounds like you have tried everything else.

Charging system good?

[PapaBurgundy]

Yeah I had the timing cover off and the belt is fine and my timing marks all lone up. The CAS seems to be good, if I turn the ignition and pull the CAS out and turn it by hand with the spark plug out you can see and hear the injector working and the plug sparking. My charging system is good too so I'll try the ECU opening I guess. If it turns out I need one anybody got a spare lying around for a reasonable price? Heres some unrelated info just to rule out some stuff: Rebuilt motor, new gaskets,seals,bearings,water pump, temp sensor, spark plugs,knock sensor, rebuilt SR turbo, FMI with no boost leaks, stock ECU/tuning, KA-e MAF and TB, SS auto mani and three inch all the way back.

[boost_boy]

I've been d!ck around with this for a month now and gotten nowhere so I'm going to ask for help now. Driving around one day and the engine just shuts off, doesnt sputter or anything it acts just like the time my CAS plug fell off. So I threw on a spare CAS, ignitor and MAF and checked all wiring and grounds with no changes, I have spark, fuel and compression on my recently rebuilt motor ( got about 40-50 miles on it) but it wont even pop when I crank it. ECU was showing code 34 at which point I realized I didnt even have a knock sensor, so I bought one and wired it up, no codes now but no start either. So I have 38-42 psi at the rail, I can see fuel entering the combustion chamber, I have spark on all cylinders and good compression, the only thing that sounds logical at this point is timing but like I said the CAS is working and it is mechanically in time. What else could make my engine kill out of the blue? Oh and my A/F gauge indicated no problems. It's a stock CA with the normal bolt ons, stock ECU running 7psi boost. Any help might be rewarded with sexual favors as this is my only car and I've had to borrow cars to get to work for over a month now.

I'll start with the ECU. Just because these engines have spark and fuel, doesn't mean they are going to crank. If you can actually confirm fuel and spark, pay close attention to the ecu.

Dee

[PapaBurgundy]

The protruding part of the exhaust cam is broken but the splines are fine so if youre careful you can spline the CAS correctly, but its always been broken and it ran fine that way. The engine cranks good with no weird noises or interference. No noises when it pooped on my face either, just stopped running. Is the CAS really the only thing that controls the electrical side of the timing? It sounds timing related if I have spark, fuel and compression with no pop. If the CAS is fine does it narrow it down to the ECU?

[mbmbmb23]

So the CAS alignment pin on the exhaust cam gear is broken off?

[PapaBurgundy]

Affirmative, but I've never had trouble lining it up anyway and running fine without it.

[ca18detgabby]

you need air/spark/fuel.

fuel seems to be pretty much good.

induction isssues? could be timing, could be rediculous vac leak, could be maf related........

spark-issues with a exhaust cam would make me leary, but idk........ seems like a big risk on something super important.

if you are happy with the CAS, then I would start by pulling the clip off the maf to rule that out...... should atleast idle w/o the maf.

then report back if no go.....

[riken1337]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...A1318

I've been very bored tonight so was lounging around ebay

[PapaBurgundy]

No induction issues, had my intake off at the TB to spray starting fluid, didnt even pop then. Tried w/o MAF and tried two spares and checked wiring, no change. Opened up the ECU last night and there was no visible damage but that doesnt really prove its okay.

[float_6969]

Try a new exhaust cam. Sometimes those splines will actually spin in the cam, which moves the timing WAY off.

Try putting a timing light on it and see what your cranking is when you turn it over.

[ca18detgabby]

Try a new exhaust cam. Sometimes those splines will actually spin in the cam, which moves the timing WAY off.

Try putting a timing light on it and see what your cranking is when you turn it over.

what are the odds he has flooded it from cranking too many times w/o firing?

[PapaBurgundy]

I made sure not to wash down the cylinder walls by cranking it for to long and I always made sure to unplug the injectors if whatever diagnostic test I was doing didnt require them, dont worry I'm just a CA newbie, not an engine noob. I thought the cam and the splines were one peice, youre saying that the splines themselves can spin independently of the cam? Thats really annoying, anybody got a spare cam? I just remebered a couple nights before before my car pooped I accidentally got the maf plug wet and the car started a little hard but I made sure to dry it off, but like I said I tried two maf's and checked wiring. Could that fry the ECU without visibly damaging it? The car ran fine for a couple days after that so I dont think its relevant, just thought I'd mention it.
Modified by PapaBurgundy at 6:16 PM 5/1/2009

[ca18detgabby]

pretty clear that cam was already an issue, might as well fix it.........

might want to have a spare ECU(or better yet someone you can borrow one from) and have that as a spare solution.

then again......... a new ECU is much easier to swap than a cam.........

[float_6969]

The spline is pressed into the cam, so yes, it's possible for it to slip.

Have you hit it with a timing light while you're cranking it yet?

[PapaBurgundy]

Yeah I wish there was someone within the illinois/wisconsin/iowa/indiana area with a CA I'm going to go borrow my dads timing light and see whats going on there. Yesterday I tried splining the CAS into every possible position but nothing changed. Meanwhile I'll search for a cam and a ECU, anybody got one for less than ebay?

[PapaBurgundy]

UPDATE: I found my problem awhile ago but just havent posed in awhile. So I bought a exhuast cam to see if that would fix my problem and as I was putting the timing belt back on I realized I could turn the intake cam gear easily by hand. Turns out I had almost dissasembled my motor trying to fix it but never took off the intake valve cover to see my cam snapped in half right after the first lobe, I was so happy to find my problem I wasnt even sad that the cam had destroyed the #1 journal. So now I'm just saving for a new head, my car will finally run again!!!!!!!!!!

[boost_boy]

UPDATE: I found my problem awhile ago but just havent posed in awhile. So I bought a exhuast cam to see if that would fix my problem and as I was putting the timing belt back on I realized I could turn the intake cam gear easily by hand. Turns out I had almost dissasembled my motor trying to fix it but never took off the intake valve cover to see my cam snapped in half right after the first lobe, I was so happy to find my problem I wasnt even sad that the cam had destroyed the #1 journal. So now I'm just saving for a new head, my car will finally run again!!!!!!!!!!

If you snapped a cam, then you more than likely bent a valve or two. When you put in your new cam, you'll find out quickly if you got away with murder or you've been convicted of having some bent valves. I hope for the better for you.

Dee

[morgzy33]

hey just wondering on a rough price for a ca18det??

[float_6969]

hey just wondering on a rough price for a ca18det??

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