Just completed rebuild - won't start

[KevinG]

and I'm running out of ideas. I would appreciate any and all suggestions for getting the motor running.

Background:
The motor is a 2.4T bottom end with a 2.2S top end, resulting in a 9.7:1 comp ratio 2.4S spec. It is currently using the 2.2S MFI system, which was running well when I last drove the car (with the old 2.2S motor) about a year ago. Distributor is a 2.4 rebuilt by Henry Schmidt and converted to mechanical advance. I replaced the points with a Crane optical system that was used on the old 2.2S motor.

In checking things trying to get the motor to start, I located and corrected 2 stupid mistakes, so I can firmly believe that yet another of the same is causing my problem. So far, I have found and corrected:

Spark plug wires wired in reverse (counter-clockwise rather than clockwise)
MFI pump set 180 degrees out of synch

I am getting spark to all six (checked with a spare plug). I am not particularly happy with the size of the spark from the Bosch platinums, so I am probably going back to the NGK's.

I am 99% sure that the distributor is installed correctly. I will double check when I pull the valve covers to verify that I didn't install one of the cams out of synch with the other.

I can smell gasoline, but it is not intense. I am planning to disconnect the MFI feeds at the injectors and cranking the motor to make sure that fuel delivery to the injectors is ok.

Is it possible that having the injectors sitting for a year in the non-running motor could have locked them up? I am planning to remove the injectors and soak them in lacquer thinner for a bit just in case.

What other trouble shooting steps can I go through? Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for the help

[al lkosmal]

If you're getting fuel and fire, to all 6, I would check your plug wires again. The firing order, clockwise on the distributor, is 1,6,2,4,3,5. (Make sure that your crank pulley indicates that you are positioned at Z1 and that your rotor is pointed to position 1 on the distributor cap) If those all line up, your timing, from a distributor/crank standpoint should be close and you have identified position number 1 on the distributor cap. I always use a sharpie and mark my distributor caps with 1,6,2,4,3,5 on the outside, adjacent to where the cable installs. After that I would check your cam timing.

[KevinG]

Thanks for the reply, Al.

I can assure you that the plug wires are in the correct order now! The injectors are currently soaking in laquer thinner for the day while I check the valve timing.

I sure hope I got the cams right - it was enough of a bit** setting them with the motor out of the car.

[lateapex911]

Have you put a timing light on it to be sure it's firing #1 when it is supposed to be?

[lateapex911]

Oh...one other concern. I don't know for sure, but a red flag went off in my head when i saw the MFI is a 2.2S, but the motor is a 2.4S. I would be curious to look at the part numbers for the 2.2 vs the 2.4S space cam and see if they are the same. It's probably nothing, but after owning a 2.4 MFI motor, they have my respect!

[calling911]

Originally Posted by KevinG

and I'm running out of ideas. I would appreciate any and all suggestions for getting the motor running.

Background:
The motor is a 2.4T bottom end with a 2.2S top end, resulting in a 9.7:1 comp ratio 2.4S spec. It is currently using the 2.2S MFI system, which was running well when I last drove the car (with the old 2.2S motor) about a year ago. Distributor is a 2.4 rebuilt by Henry Schmidt and converted to mechanical advance. I replaced the points with a Crane optical system that was used on the old 2.2S motor.

In checking things trying to get the motor to start, I located and corrected 2 stupid mistakes, so I can firmly believe that yet another of the same is causing my problem. So far, I have found and corrected:

Spark plug wires wired in reverse (counter-clockwise rather than clockwise)
MFI pump set 180 degrees out of synch

I am getting spark to all six (checked with a spare plug). I am not particularly happy with the size of the spark from the Bosch platinums, so I am probably going back to the NGK's.

I am 99% sure that the distributor is installed correctly. I will double check when I pull the valve covers to verify that I didn't install one of the cams out of synch with the other.

I can smell gasoline, but it is not intense. I am planning to disconnect the MFI feeds at the injectors and cranking the motor to make sure that fuel delivery to the injectors is ok.

Is it possible that having the injectors sitting for a year in the non-running motor could have locked them up? I am planning to remove the injectors and soak them in lacquer thinner for a bit just in case.

What other trouble shooting steps can I go through? Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for the help

All I can say after rebuilding a few motors is say to yourself "what could I have installed BACKWARDS".

[Superman]

Perhaps the wrist pin clips are facing the wrong way.

[calling911]

Originally Posted by Superman

Perhaps the wrist pin clips are facing the wrong way.

Perhaps...

[Superman]

Perhaps the wrist pin clips are facing the wrong way.

[calling911]

Originally Posted by Superman

Perhaps the wrist pin clips are facing the wrong way.

Some more..

[KevinG]

Oh Helll - Now I have to tear the heads off to check the wrist pin clips!

Sob!

[Eagledriver]

MFI cars take forever to start after a rebuild. It takes alot of cranking to get the fuel lines full. I poured in a little fuel to each stack to help get it fired the first time.

You need to make sure you have the dizzy in correctly. It's very easy to have it sparking on number 1 TDC when the engine is really at number 4 TDC. Remember that the TDC for the cam timing reading is not on the firing stroke. This has caught me out before.

-Andy

[KevinG]

Thanks, Andy

That got me thinking (not necessarily a good thing) -

Correct me if I'm wrong please!

TDC for valve timing is at the point where both the intake and ehaust valves are open (the overlap), which occurs at the transition between the exhaust stroke and the intake stroke.

TDC for ignition timing is at the top of the compression stroke.

So, TDC for ignition timing is @ Z1 where both valves for #1 are closed, and TDC for valve timing is @Z1 where both valves for #4 are closed.

[burgermeister]

+1 on pouring a wee bit of gas (or even a misting of starting fluid (the horror!)) in the throttle body area just to see if it catches or not. That can quickly isolate the problem.

Since MFI is a variable displacement pump (I think), as opposed to a constant pressure / variable injector time pump, it makes sense that it would take forever and then another 3000 revolutions to fill all the lines as eagledriver says.

[evergreen]

Any luck on getting it running?