22 years later, How to restart after my own garage find. '73 1.7 Options

[914CLE]

So after 22 years in my garage, I can finally get around to restarting. At this point, drained the gas, replaced all fuel line hoses and most vacuum lines, plugs look good, spark looks good, fuel is spraying from all injectors. Adjusted lifters. Car won't start. Any suggestions as to trouble shoot? I've ohm'd out coil (it's fine), voltage to coil is 10V (I think it's enough) as it main supply sparks, all cylinders has sparks. Turns over, no firing. Changed points to Petronix II. Still nothing even with staring fluid ( I would think if it was fuel delivery, it would at least fire for a few seconds with starting fluid).

It ran before I garaged it.

Any suggestions, check lists to follow??

Do I need to hook up air filter and vacuum lines to get it to even start at a rough idle?

[ClayPerrine]

I use the FAST method.

F = Fuel
A = Air (compression)
S = Spark
T = Timing.

Here is how I would do it....



1. Run a compression test on each cylinder. If the compression is low on any cylinder, I would consider a teardown to rebuild.

2. Verify the spark. Simplest method is to pull the distributor out and put in a set of points and a condenser. Make sure the points are gapped right. Then reinstall the distributor.

3. Verify the timing is correct. Turn the engine with the starter and thumb check the #1 cylinder. When it spits air from compression, manually turn the engine until the TDC mark is aligned with the notch in the fan housing. Then set the distributor rotor to point at the little line on the distributor housing. That is the #1 mark for the distributor. Install the plug wires and new plugs. Right side wires are connected front distributor tower to front plug, rear distributor tower to rear plug. The ones on the left connect front distributor tower to rear plug, rear distributor tower to front plug. The left plug wires should cross.

4. Open the throttle body and spray some carb cleaner in there. Then try to start the engine. If the ignition is working, the car should fire and die at this point. If you get a backfire after that, you have a problem with either the distributor drive gear in the engine or you put a plug wire on wrong. I would bet on the plug wire.

5. Now that you know the ignition works, concentrate on the FI. Verify the fuel pump cycles when you turn the key on. Check the fuel pressure. In a quiet garage, turn the key on and slowly open the throttle with your hand and listen for the injectors to click (that is the D-Jet "accelerator pump" function). Make sure all the ground leads are hooked up and not broken. Check the CHT wiring and the wiring to the Manifold pressure sensor.

If all that is correct, it should run.

Clay