Help! 83 SC won't turn over

[Barenecessity]

Hi Folks
So I took the plunge and started working on my new SC. I did the following things:

1) replaced spark plugs
2) replaced wires with new Clewett wires
3) new cap and rotor
4) new fuel injectors (sleeves were too hard to get out so I left them)
5) new fuel filter and accumulator
6) oil change/filter

when I finished everything I primed the fuel into the lines.

when I turned the ignition the car turned over sputtered to life then stalled. I did that several times and every time the car turned over but then stalled at the end of three or four seconds. It now will not turn over - it just cranks. I don't know where I went wrong. I am at a loss. What should I do to to start trouble shooting the problem? I checked that the wires were properly aligned with the corresponding plugs (I think I did it right).

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thank you Pelicaners

Barenecessity

[rgmrgm]

check spark and fuel first. use a timing light to check ignition and timing. raise the fuel distributor plunger by hand to listen for the injectors to squeal ( only for a very short time). remove one injector and look for some fuel while cranking (place it in a jar) whenever i have had a cis apart and drained of fuel it usually takes several tries to get going and purge the air from the system

[euro911sc]

Sounds like you got the spark plug wires mixed up. Check that the cap and rotor are set correctly. If you hand rotate the engine so #1 is at top dead center (you can tell because the Z1 mark on the pulley will line up with the case line) the rotor should point to #1 wire. If you think you are at top dead center and the rotor is 180 degrees from #1 double check TDC as you may be 360 crank degrees wrong. If you are actually at TDC then the rotor is 180 degrees wrong.

Once rotor and TDC are in sync, check that your plug wires are all correct. Make sure they are all pushed down on the plugs too. Wires are notorious for making you think they are on when they really are not.

get back to us after that is done.

-Michael

[Joe Bob]

SCs turn opposite of other 911s. If you have a Bentley manual they have the rotation wrong.

[euro911sc]

Really? Maybe that's why I could never get mine to play dead!

[Laneco]

All good advice above, especially the plug wires and rotation of the distributor, but don't forget this one;

Look for a gi-normous vacuum leak. Check the airbox first, including flapper valve if installed (if no flapper is in place - put this on the to-do list), don't forget the big hose that runs over to the oil tank. It is entirely conceivable to knock that one off if it was already loose and you are in the area replacing the oil filter.

angela

[tirwin]

All good advice above, especially the plug wires and rotation of the distributor, but don't forget this one;



Look for a gi-normous vacuum leak. Check the airbox first, including flapper valve if installed (if no flapper is in place - put this on the to-do list), don't forget the big hose that runs over to the oil tank. It is entirely conceivable to knock that one off if it was already loose and you are in the area replacing the oil filter.



angela

+1

I was about to say the same thing.

[Barenecessity]

Many thanks for the great advice. I will jump right in this afternoon beginning with the vacuum hose ( because that would be the easiest).

I will then move to the plugs and distributor. FYI - I followed the diagram on the rear of the engine compartment. I set my wires on the distributor cap following the diagram (#6 was at approximately 1 o'clock) when looking at the distributor cap installed. I will definitely check that the wires are all connected to the plugs correctly (some of them were a real pain to get on) .

Question on the rotor: I thought there was only one way for it to click into place. I will get the engine to TDC and check to see if I set it properly. I just looked at the notch in the rotor and the receiving end of the distributor stem and matched them up . . .

[G450X]

after my first valve adjustment & tune-up.

+1 on everything stated so far, check the airbox for a bad seal or blown out pop-off valve - mine was laying inside the airbox....

[Barenecessity]

Ok, so I went to put the engine at TDC and the belt would slip when I turned the fan. I could not get the crank to go around. So I loosened the fan and found that the entire thing only had three shims (three were missing). I ordered the other three shims from our host. Until then, is there another way to put the car in TDC?

I am determined to see this project through to the end but it seems to be throwing obstacles in my way at every turn!

[rgmrgm]

if you have a good fan belt just squeeze it with your hand while turning the fan. the added tension will turn the engine

[Barenecessity]

Guys, I can't thank you enough for the advice. Without you, I probably would have had to tow he car to my mechanic and admit defeat.

I put the fan back on and tightened the belt. I then put the car at TDC, took off the rotor and lined it up with the TDC mark on on the distributor housing. I then went back and took off each wire one at a time and made sure they were seated properly on the plugs. VOILA! The car came to life and purred beautifully. I adjusted the idle a little bit and it ran perfectly. The problem was that the rotor was not at TDC. When I put it on I must have turned it out of sync.

Anyway, many thanks to all of you for your advice. It feels great to see this project through to the end. By the way, could the engine bay be any smaller? I cursed the stars and everything within hearing distance as I got my hands and arms contorted into pretzels to get at some of the parts.

One last little problem to solve . . . Now when I drive it, it stalls when I am slowing down to come to a stop and have the clutch engaged. This was not a problem before so it probably rules out several things off the bat. Could it be the fuel/air mixture?

Barenecessity

[pete3799]

What RPM did you adjust the idle to?

[Barenecessity]

When the engine was cold, I set it to 1000 RPM.

[Barenecessity]

I increased the idle RPMs and the car runs perfectly.

Thanks again to all for the great help on this project. I'll be popping you up for advice every now and then - and providing some myself as I get more experience.

[euro911sc]

After you get the car warm make sure the idle is ~950. If you adjust it here when warm and it dies at other points then you have some more work to do.

Glad to hear it runs now and you have gained knowledge and confidence!

-Michael