75 914/4 2.0 d-jet

I've posted many times for help with injectors, vac hoses, etc. I think I'm past that point now and need help figuring out why I can't start the car.

I managed to get some signs of life, but only when I let the key off of the start position. In other words, while the motor is cranking, no signs of anything... then when I let the key go (back to the on position), it may or may not try to fire... got one decent backfire (smoke out the exhaust) one time.

Battery is tired now, so I'm done until tomorrow.

Car hasn't run in over 10 years, so it may be tired.

Injectors are clean and tested OK out of the car. New starter.

Hoses all connected - best I can tell. The oil breather hose is NOT connected to the air box, and I think there is one other outlet on the top of the air filter box without a hose.

Did test for spark a while ago, seemed OK.

Timing - IDK, I only see one mark on the fan and it's yellow - assume that to be TDC???

Len, review the troubleshooting chart in this document, find it on my website. You hve probably already done some of these things.

Bosch VW-Porsche D-Jet Fuel Injection Manual

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/TechNotebook.htm

Will do and yes I've checked some things.

I'll shoot some starting fluid in the thing tomorrow - see if it will run for a while.

Not sure how to test if the ECU is working.

Maybe the FI is running rich. When you start the car, the ECU puts out longer pulses to the injectors. When you let the key go, the pulses shorten.

Have you checked the CHT sender on cylinder 3? What is the resistance of the sender? Is the wire connected to the ECU?

The CHT, manifold temp sensor, and MPS are primarily responsible for injector pulse width. Check both sensors.

When I bought my 75 2.0. If I sprayed carb cleaner iny the throttle body it would run shortly. So before I knew anything about d-jet I knew it had spark, but wasn't getting g fuel correctly.
So before I went any further, I pulled the gas tank, it sat for a couple years and that tank was a mess. So you will have bad seals , leaky hoses (vac) , etc
Pull your tank
Put in new fuel filter. And new internal sock filter, make sure the lines are hooked up correctly
Change oil
Blow out lines,
Order new vac line kit
Use the charts on pelican to make sure you have all vac hoses hooked up right
check the mps - I did all the Above first then went thru the FI system and tested each component, get pbanders f.I.trouble shooting guide
- my MPS was bad and as soon as I hooked up a good one it fires up!. Then the fine tuning begins!
Good luck!

Tank has been pulled, cleaned and re-lined.
New sock filter.
Fuel lines all new - SS through the tunnel and back, all new soft fuel lines.
Vac hose kit - new.
Oil new, fuel filter new, fuel pump new.
MPS - OHM tested OK, but I'm not sure how to test any further than that.
CHT connected and I think is new - have not tested.
Vac lines - I think are on correctly... I still have two open inlets on the air filter box, but I don't think that would have much of an impact.

I'll get into it a bit later today - will follow up here with results.

Have you verified fuel pressure is at 29-30 psi? If you are getting proper fuel pressure and you say you have spark, has the timing been checked? It kind of sounds like you aren't getting spark at the proper time for the car to start. I'd also double check that you have all your vacuum lines plumbed correctly for your engine. Having unplugged lines on the air intake should not keep the engine from firing but you should still get them all hooked up anyway. Verify that basic fuel, air & spark is good, test the CHT and MPS.
A bad CHT could definitely cause the engine to not start.....but do make sure that all your basics are covered first!

Fuel pressure is fine.

I thought the battery had run down yesterday, so I put it on a trickle charger over night and it's fully charged.

The motor is really tight trying to turn it over. The starter is new, grounds seem ok, but it really doesn't want to crank at all. Maybe one turn and then it just can't turn over any more.

I'm gonna pull the plugs and look them over - try to turn the car over with no plugs, do a compression check while I'm at it.

UGH

Before I break something, tell me what's wrong with this picture.

I removed all the spark plugs. Didn't try to start the car, but I put it in 5th gear and tried to push the car by hand and that motor just doesn't want to turn.

I really don't want to force it, but it is real tight.

From what I know the motor was running 10 years ago. It was cleaned and a leak down test was done - and it tested OK.

Before I tried to really start it, I was able to turn the motor over with plugs in but no fuel lines hooked up.

I can't say it ever turned over quickly, but it would turn over.

Yesterday was the first real attempt to start the car. It turned hard but it did turn. At one point I did get a backfire and I gave up.

Recharged the battery overnight and today the motor seems to not want to do it's thing.

Like I said, I don't want to force it, but with the plugs out and in 5th gear, I really can't push it - not sure how much force I should use, but I've pushed it as much as I'm comfortable with.

What to check?

Motor - to best of my knowledge was not tore down, just cleaned, valves adjusted, new VC covers, minor stuff.

Pulled both valve covers off.

As it sits, one rocker on the left side is movable by hand - front to back - so it's not being bound up.

The right side, I can't move any rockers - just on on the right very slightly moves up and down... very slightly.

Onward through the fog.

If you pull the plugs, jack up one tire off the ground, trans in 5th....you should be able to turn the tire/engine over fairly easily. It would be much more effort with the plugs in......
I'm no expert by any means but if you can't turn the engine like that, perhaps the motor is bound up inside from sitting that long?
Some one with more experience than me will pipe up soon, I'm sure!

I put the rear of car up on wheel stands. Plugs are out.

I loosened all of the valve adjusters to the point that I can easily remove them by hand.

Jacked up left rear, put a jack stand under that side, removed the wheel stand, so that wheel is floating.

I know I should be able to turn the motor with the car in 5th gear by turning that wheel, but I must say it doesn't. I suppose I could if I really used some force, but I think it should turn fairly easily.

This isn't looking well. I can't imagine why it would be so tight. It sat for years, but I'm told it did run.

I had an old BMW motor on a motor stand for about 8 years and it started right up when I put it in service.

Starting to get concerned here.

I found a 2.0 in a broken car that sat under a tree for 5 years. Filled each cylinder with Marvel Mystery oil & let sit a day. Was able to turn it over by hand each day. Did that for 3 days then drained it. Put in fresh oil. Took about 5 minutes of turning over but it started!
2 years later a rod began knocking

I thought you said it was turning over? If it was locked up it wouldn't turn over. So I am a little confused by that . Maybe your tranny is locked up?

Are you sure you have the fuel lines hooked up right. I've had them reversed & they still give pressure. Beat my head against the wall for a while there. Do you have a decent shop close by? Sometimes it's not a bad idea to call it & get some help. Great to figure it out yourself. At the same time actually driving your 914 is KICK ASS. So I have no problem paying for work sometimes. Plenty of things just aren't in my wheelhouse. Troubleshooting FI is probably top of that list