914 2.0 refuses to start Options

[Frank Lolkema]

I have a problem with my ´73 2.0 with the original fuel injection that drives me crazy!
I have completely overhauled the engine. After putting it back in I can not get it to start with the starter motor. The motor crancks but it will not start. When I pull it with another car it will start instantly. Using jumper cables from a car that is running at 3500 rpm does not help. Here is what I have done so far:

Replaced the battery with a new one;
Checked all the wires and connections, everything is set up correctly and the connectors are all oke, I´ve used contactspray on all contacts;
Replaced the spark plugs with new ones, left the new ones in, put the old ones in the caps and crancked the engine, all spark plugs give a good fat spark;
Set the timing;
Replaced the starter motor with a different one;
Checked the ground strap from the gearbox the the chassis;
Attached a starter cable from the gearbox directly onto the negative lead off the battery to elimanate ground strap problems;
Checked the fuel injectors, they all inject fuel when the enige is crancked;
Put in fresh new fuel;
Airfilter is new;

I really don´t know what else to try. When the engine runs, it runs perfectly, very strong, no smoke, no misfires, no strange noises. When I switch it of warm it also refuses to be started in the conventional way. I really don´t know what else to look for, it drives me crazy! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

Anybody have an idea of what I can/should look for?

Frank

[swl]

The motor crancks but it will not start. When I pull it with another car it will start instantly.

I'm struggling with a similar problem. Even when the car is warm starting is difficult. Not impossible - just difficult. It will catch after a bunch of cranking sort of one cylinder at a time. When it catches on all four it then runs great. Fuel is there, spark is there, so the only thing really left is timing? Advance not working right? or perhaps something special about the mix that happens only when cranking? I don't have the answers yet but I'll follow your thread with interest.

[r_towle]

The motor crancks but it will not start. When I pull it with another car it will start instantly.

I'm struggling with a similar problem. Even when the car is warm starting is difficult. Not impossible - just difficult. It will catch after a bunch of cranking sort of one cylinder at a time. When it catches on all four it then runs great. Fuel is there, spark is there, so the only thing really left is timing? Advance not working right? or perhaps something special about the mix that happens only when cranking? I don't have the answers yet but I'll follow your thread with interest.

From what I have experienced, the heat affects these motors in three ways.
First off, the motor is a heat sync...when you drive hard, then just shut it down, it actually gets hotter for about 30 minutes before it starts to get cooler...odd but true.

First thing is the distributor advance plates. These are 35 year old cars and typically the original distributor with the original grease in between the advance plates.
What happens is this keeps the points at full advance once it gets hot, they just sieze in place.
Simple to fix...remove distributor, take it apart, clean everything...re-grease the distributor plates..put it back in...it does wonders for the car and for tuning.

Second is the CHT. Again, car gets hot AFTER you shut it down.
The CHT has three settings really....cold, warmup, and hot.
These three values are a range on the CHT...but that range is matched to three fuel tables...so it uses three basic settings....that is the short version (dont a sk for the long version...go read Anders Djet site)

Simple fix...replace the CHT.

Third is fuel pressure.
Again, 35 year old fuel pressure regulator and pump. Typically the pump was replaced at some point, but the regulator has never been replaced.

Get an inline fuel pressure gauge. Simple cheap one at NAPA will do.
Its temporary.
Check fuel pressure when cold.
Drive car...
Check fuel pressure when hot.
Set fuel pressure when hot...your car spends 98% of its life hot...not cold.

Rich

[swl]

(go read Anders Djet site)

Always good advise. Just reread it - each time I learn more. Guess I'm a slow learner (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

http://members.rennlist.com/pbanders/DJetParts.htm