'89 wont start after new alternator install

[Justin@Athens]

Ok, I am a newbie in the garage and I'd say that removing and replacing my alternator is my first real project.

I had a local shop rebuild my valeo for $130, and I put it back in today with little trouble.

The car has been sitting for about two weeks w/o being cranked. After the install, the starter turns over, the fan turns, but no start.

Tell me what to examine here guys. Battery is freshly charged.

Thanks in advance, and anybody in the Atlanta/Athens area...please feel free to stop by!

Justin

[jimbauman]

What all did you disconnect aside from the wires going to the alternator?
JB

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Hard to imagine how the starter could be turning and the fan is turning, which means the crankshaft is turning, and there's "no crank."

"No start" I can believe. "No crank" I can't.

[Justin@Athens]

Mr. Wilkerson, im sorry, it does "crank." Per say, It just won't start.

I took apart and reassembled the distributor and spark plug wiring because I thought that I might have knocked them loose. Checked to see that the spark plugs were well seated.

That is it I think. Installed a new air filter....

What am I missing?

[theiceman]

could a dme relay die just sitting there ?

[Justin@Athens]

i dont think its the DME...but switched it out with my spare just to check...not the problem

I smell fuel so I think the pump is working. I don't know anything about the CDI/ ignition system though.

[Justin@Athens]

early morning bump

[rick-l]

Have you got a spare plug you could hold against the engine to see if there is spark?

[Justin@Athens]

I don't have a spare plug...but it looks like i might invest in a whole new set--since im already in there!

[Justin@Athens]

Ok so i took the distributor cap and ignition rotor back off thinking that they must be the culprit--see pics of marginal wear on contacts inside cap and on rotor below.

I adjusted the crankshaft pulley to what I think is Z1 and reassembled it after placing the ignition rotors leading/right edge in line with the notch on the housing. I also cleaned the contacts.

Still no start.

I just ordered new plugs and distributor cap and rotor from Pelican.

Couple questions

Is the engine at Z1 in the pic below? I have no markings only another notch approximately 30 degrees to the right.

Also what is this strap hanging on the passenger side of the car from the chassis?

[Justin@Athens]

bump

[Gogar]

Justin,

Was the car running before the alternator removal?

I'd suggest that you undo the pulley and fan strap and pull the alternator halfway out and snap some pics, then plenty of people can confirm that you've hooked it back up properly.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

I think you're not getting any answers because you're not giving us enough clues. First it was that it's "not cranking," which turned out to not be true--it's cranking fine not starting. Then somebody suggested you check for a spark, but you don't have a spare plug. Well, you don't need a spare plug: pull one of the existing ones out, ground the threads against the head and have somebody crank the engine. Does a spark jump the plug gap? (Best to do this when it's relatively dark.)

Is there any evidence of firing when you crank or is it just totally dead---rrr-rrr-rrr and nothing else? Or do you get the occasional signs of combustion?

Of course you haven't even told us what flavor of 911 you have, among the 40+ years worth of different--some very different--models. The smart guys can figure out some of it from the photos you've posted, but you need to be way more specific than, "Guys, my Porsche won't crank...I mean won't start."

The basic thing is that an internal-combustion engine will run, or at least try desperately to start, if it has air, fuel and spark, even if it's terminally mis-timed. Of course I'm assuming you don't have 16 levels of 21st century computers in between air/fuel/spark and run, but I don't know.

We can, hopefully, assume you have air. You say--as I remember--you can smell fuel, though you can always pull an injector and prove it. But then you may have carburetors, you haven't told us. And finally spark: If nothing else, grab the coil lead and have somebody crank the engine.

NO, don't do that. Kidding, just kidding.

[Flat6pac]

The distributor shaft looks like its too far advanced. If the rotor were at the leading edge of the TDC mark on the dist. you would be more correct.
Bruce

[rick-l]

Where is the pin in the center post of the distributor?

Edit: OK distributor cap?

[rick-l]

Here is what my cell phone thinks my old one looks like.

[rick-l]

Well?

[jrumiano]

It sure looks like the center spring loaded conductor (pin) is missing from the distributor cap. You'll never get spark to any of the plugs with that missing.