A bit more from the brain trust, Still need help with starting at the end of rustoration Options

[worn]

Hi folks. Ok, five years and the piles of parts have actually gone back onto the car. And, I er, ah tightened the head nuts to the proper torque. My problem is that it is hard to keep the motor running long enough to tune it. For example timing light.

The problem is that I want to adjust timing and fuel, but The motor isn’t running smooth enough to get there. The motor is a 2056 with the so-called Raby cam from WebCam. The MPS has been messed with, but it ran when parked. Took the motor out to split the case and address oil leaks. One thing led to another and the rust was replaced with yet to rust sheet metal, and paint etc.

I am looking for a starting condition that allows enough running to improve upon. Ideally, I would like the motor to idle somehow. I have a pretty big hint. If before start, with ign on I blip the throttle a few times, the fuel injectors click, and the motor will start, run and die. From this I think that the sparks are there and the injectors are capable of letting out enough gas to fire. The fuel pressure is constant 29 psi, and the injectors have been cleaned and tested. My problem is the MPS and ECU black boxes that govern fueling. I have an AFR gauge, but it would be more useful if the motor ran long enough to get a number to look at.

I am hoping for:
A magic bullet post that says something like clock the seatbelt bolts and it will start,

Or, basic starting adjustments for each thing that can be adjusted or tested. For example, I can static test the timing and measure MPS inductance vs vacuum. What else has to be in line? Head temp resistance value? Throttle TPS switch position or values? You folks comprise so much wisdom, so please let me get the car on the road now that spring is only months away!

[emerygt350]

How long can you keep it running, and by running do you mean 'good' or on the edge of not running?

I am not a huge fan of worrying about the MPS and such at this point. The CHT and timing are far more impactful than the MPS for this early stuff. You could have a blown diaphragm and a disconnected vacuum hose and that MPS will still let your car run. Pig rich, but running.

Now, cam might be a thing but we have ways of cheating that for troubleshooting. Do you have a vacuum gauge or pump with a gauge you can stick on your plenum?

And you still need to let us know if you have the stock distributor.

[worn]

How long can you keep it running, and by running do you mean 'good' or on the edge of not running?

I am not a huge fan of worrying about the MPS and such at this point. The CHT and timing are far more impactful than the MPS for this early stuff. You could have a blown diaphragm and a disconnected vacuum hose and that MPS will still let your car run. Pig rich, but running.

Now, cam might be a thing but we have ways of cheating that for troubleshooting. Do you have a vacuum gauge or pump with a gauge you can stick on your plenum?

And you still need to let us know if you have the stock distributor.

Update. Checked the CHT sensor by measuring resistance and substitution. In my hands the resistance is about 3-4 Kohl’s (apparently a new spelling version of kilo Ohm) at a cool sixty degrees f. No help there. Resistance looked good and decreased with warmth. New sensor did the same and didn’t help when substituted.

The situation seems to be getting worse. Now I find that most of the time no fuel comes from the injectors. I am looking at #1 and #2. Occasionally the car will cough and that is associated with the injectors firing. Fuel pressure is at 29 psi, and when I hook the injectors up to a cheap little test box they squirt just fine off of residual pressure.

On to the trigger points. Checked the trigger points with an ohm multimeter, and they open and close as the rotor is turned, one side 180 degrees apart from the other. I then connected a different spare distributor to the harness and turned the rotor with the ignition on. As I turn the rotor the fuel pump cycles on and off but the injectors don’t fire.

At this point I am wondering about the CPU. Any other ideas? I am trying now to wade through the wonderful documents compiled by Brad Andre’s to understand the link between ecu and the fuel pump. Also looking into what part of the system drives the injectors. The parts have been kept dry, but they certainly have been heat and cold cycled.