Trying to get my new engine running.., cranking but not firing.... Options

[jd66921]

Hi,

This has probably been answered a million times, but I am
trying to get my newe engine running in the car. So far,
not a peep out of it!

It's hard to describe the engine, 1.8 case, 1.7 heads,
claimed to be running when pulled out of the original car
and replaced with a race engine. I have no reason to
doubt that.

I put my L-Jet FI on it, and have verified the following:

1. Fuel pump runs at the appropriate times.

2. New plugs, all gapped to spec.

3. Dizzy is from the original engine, points were not
touched, dwell is at spec.

4. All injectors check out with a noid light. One injector is
spweing fuel when the engine is cranked. I assume the others are too.

5. I static timed the engine to the mark, and adjusted the
dizzy until points just opened at that spot. No idea where
it actually should be. When setting up the engine, the
timing mark felt like it was just before TDC.

6. Valve were adjusted with the engine on the bench. to
1.7 l spec

7. I get spark at the plugs

8. CHT is hooked up.

So far, I cannot get the engine to fire at all. I even
sprayed starting fluid in and nothing.

Atomic Ramble is in two weeks. I could use some ideas!
I'll be researching this as well here and on other forums!

Thanks,

Jeff

(this is cross posted to Pelican as well)

[Bleyseng]

Verify your timing setting again for #1 at TDC.
firing is a event with spark and fuel. No spark at the right time means it won't fire.

[toon1]

Verify your timing setting again for #1 at TDC.
firing is a event with spark and fuel. No spark at the right time means it won't fire.

bring the #1 pist to TDC on the compression stroke, verify that the Dist. rotor is pointing to the #1 plug wire. then verify that the rest of the plug wires are in the correct firing order.

If all these are correct AND you have fuel and spark, you shoud get at least some type of action from the motor.

Fuel, compression and spark are the three things a motor needs to run.

[Brando]

Wires in the right order?

I'm guessing on timing as the main issue.

Do you have the trigger wire for the L-Jet ECU on the correct pin of the coil?

[jd66921]

Verify your timing setting again for #1 at TDC.
firing is a event with spark and fuel. No spark at the right time means it won't fire.

bring the #1 pist to TDC on the compression stroke, verify that the Dist. rotor is pointing to the #1 plug wire. then verify that the rest of the plug wires are in the correct firing order.

If all these are correct AND you have fuel and spark, you shoud get at least some type of action from the motor.

Fuel, compression and spark are the three things a motor needs to run.

That is what is so confusing about this. I have done that and I am getting nothing.
I've verified TDC #1, and the dizzy seems to point in the right place, but even
srating fluid will not get a bang out of it!

I'm going to do this again, and pull the valve cover to verify I am in the right
place, although I did all of this when I adjusted the valves.

It usually is something very stupid that I have dome wrong

Thanks,

Jeff

[jd66921]

Wires in the right order?

I'm guessing on timing as the main issue.

Do you have the trigger wire for the L-Jet ECU on the correct pin of the coil?

Wires are correct. I had forgotten the trigger wire (actually though it was a ground)
at frist, but straightened that out.

[r_towle]

take a pic of the distributor from the passenger side of the car, with the cap on.

Rich

[jd66921]

take a pic of the distributor from the passenger side of the car, with the cap on.

Rich

Okay, here's the pic. No, the clip is NOT on in this pic, but it IS in the right spot!



Not sure what you are looking for. The wires were never removed fromthe cap
when I swapped it over.

Hope you see something I don't, but, then, I am too close to the problem!!

Thanks,

Jeff

[jd66921]

Okay, finally got some life out of it! Thanks to all that replied! It was a timing issue,
but it was not a severe one. Getting the dizzy set in the right(?) place helped a
lot! Compression on the three cylinders I could measure were 70, 100, and 110.
The 70 number is not for sure, I might not have seated the gauge properly! Should
be sufficient to start anyway, then I can do a complete test!

I am also looking for additional vacuum leaks as I do not have much vacuum while
cranking the engine. I am using all the relatively new lines I put on the car last year.

Now, when it fires, the engine almost stops, then turns again. I woould guess that
the timing too advanced? So, which way would retard the timing, clockwise or
counterclockwise rotation of the distributor? I would think clockwise. My neighbor
who was helping me and I were disagreeing on this point, and then I got confused!

Thanks all, including Toast (once I understood what you meant!)...

Jeff

[TheCabinetmaker]

Your comp #'s are way too low. It'll never run properly with one cylinder at 70. That cylinder is just tagging along. You don't need it to run to check compression. Remove all plugs. Remove coil wire. open throttle all the way. Check the #'s. Squirt a little oil in each cylinder and check again. If #'s come up then rings are worn. If they don't, then valves are leaking.

Hope this helps, Curt