Car not starting after engine install (NEW video added)
 

Porsche 911 No Start - YouTube

I reinstalled the engine and trans. Turned it by hand a couple times around to get the oil moving. I then turned the key to accessory for about 20 seconds to get the fuel system primed. But as can be seen in the video, the car isn't starting. Hopefully someone can hear something in the video that will shed some light on my problem. How long should it take for fuel to get through the lines, pump, accumulator, filter, CIS, etc. before the car should start? Thanks guys.

CDI sounds good, fuel pump sounds good, starter sounds good. Back to basics though, check one of the spark plugs for a spark. (Pull a lead, plug in a spare spark plug and lay it down on a metal engine surface or body, just make sure its well earthed and you can see the spark gap, crank and look for spark.) Next check for fuel, I understand that you can see down the throttle body and see a cold start squirt fuel on the CIS engine. At least pull a fuel hose somewhere after the fuel pump and check its pumping fuel into a jam jar or something.

CIS needs proper fuel pressure. Got a gauge?

On my 82 after putting the engine back in it took maybe a few moments of cranking and she fired right up.

It doesn't really sound like it's trying, not even sputtering or spurting. Does it smell like gas? If it's flooding or not starting or firing it'll smell badly of gas generally since it's CIS and it'd be spraying constantly.

I know when I put my engine back in it didn't start at first and I realized I had my WUR unplugged by accident along with forgetting to plug in part of the harness. She fired right up after that.

But agreed, check your basics. Spark, etc then fuel.

+1 on Back to Basics. Check spark first and if good, move to fuel delivery.

I see you have a 74 with a 83 engine. Unless you moved the fuel pump, it is a long way from the tank and above the level of the tank outlet so even though the pump will run with the ignition on, it may not be pumping fuel at pressure to the engine. Prime the fuel system by gently lifting the plunger in the intake for a few seconds until you hear the injectors squeal, then try to start the car.

I do this with the key in the ignition, and fuel pump running, correct? There is no smell of gas whatsoever so far, so I am wondering if the fuel is even to the CIS yet. I also still have the jacked up to a slight nose down incline, so the fuel traveling through the lines is working against gravity as well, if that makes a difference. I will lift the plunger and see what that does.

Is there any possibility that you connected the fuel lines incorrectly? I know you had some electrical connection issues.

I didn't really have an electrical issue, just didn't know if a wiring harness was suppose to be attached or not. It seems there was conflicting opinions here on it. But as far as fuel, there's only three hoses: one to the accumulator, one to the fuel filter, and one from the tank, right? And it's impossible to plug one into the other, so far as I could tell. That being said, there is absolutely NO gas smell whatsoever in the engine area. I don't think fuel is reaching the motor.

Porsche 911 not getting fuel - YouTube
So here's a new video of me trying to prime the CIS. It seems like it's still not getting any fuel though. I can hear the whine change pitch every once in a while, but I don't smell any gas and it's just as unresponsive when trying to start. This is getting pretty frustrating...

spray a few spurts of carb cleaner into the throttle body. If it starts/stumbles, you know its a fuel problem. Takes 2 seconds to check.

Ossiblue has a good point. Where is your fuel pump? If it is in the original location for a 74, in the engine compartment instead of next to the fuel tank as on the 83, you need to prime the pump before it will supply fuel to the engine. This may require either pressure, as compressed air, applied to the fuel filler pipe to push fuel to the pump, or vacuum at the pump end to bring fuel to the engine compartment. That was Ossie's point if I dare speak for the great sage.

Pull an injector, they are held in on a rubber O ring, key on, lift the airflow sensor and you should get spray.
Bruce

Fuel pump is on the driver's side, right by the rear wheel well. The first thing I noticed when I turned the key for the first time was the sound of a "dry" fluid pump, like when you turn on a water pump outside of water. My limited knowledge still tells me there is no fuel getting to the pump; and if the 911 fuel pump is like any other fluid pump, having it run dry is not a good thing. I am interested in the compressed air in the fuel filler pipe. I just stick my compressor hose down it and let 'er rip?

Sure that's the fuel pump? CIS pumps are usually up front under the gas tank.

+1 on the squirt of ether, no cough could be spark.

Well, something underneath the driver's side rear wheel well is making a hell of a racket when I turn the key. I filmed it in the first video. If it's not the fuel pump on a 74, than I don't know where the fuel pump is.

Odd place for it.....never worked on a 74 and you never know what previous owners will do.

Have you tried the ether, pulled an injector and/or checked for spark?

It sounds basic, but do you have enough fuel in the tank? Especially if the rear is still in the air, any fuel in the tank may be below the pick up.

I know this is too simple, but when I re-installed the engine back in my Targa, I fogot to attach a bunch of ground wires in the engine compertment. You may want to check this out.

I have pushed fuel through the fuel lines to the pump using a rag tightly wound around the compressed air line to make a seal against the fuel filler pipe. Loosen a fuel fitting next to the fuel pump or beyond it and push fuel through in this way until you detect fuel at the pump. Then tighten everything up and try again. Be careful to catch the fuel so you don't risk a fire. Since you hear the pump struggling it is probably dry. The pump is cooled and lubricated by the fuel flowing through it.

It's funny you ask that, cause I thought the car still being on the jack stands--at an angle--was affecting the fuel moving up through the lines. There's not a lot of gas in it, maybe 6 gallons, but certainly enough I thought to get the car started. If that's the problem I will feel like a moron.

I just saw your priming video and I agree, it doesn't appear fuel is getting to the pump or at least not in large quantities. You are correct to not run your pump too much dry as the fuel is the coolant and yours sounds bone dry in the video. The change in tone sounds like it could be from the decrease in pressure caused by opening the injectors but it still sounds like it's running dry.

If your going to use compressed air, you may wish to disconnect the fuel inlet line from the pump and blow air back into the tank to see if the line is clear--listening for bubbles--and using very low pressure. If you hear bubbles, you may then wish to hold the end of the fuel line below the level of the tank outlet (since your car is jacked up at the rear) and see if fuel flows out by gravity. If you get fuel flow like that, you know the line to the pump is full and you can reconnect and try the prime again.

Trying a squirt of ether or starter fluid is a good idea also.

Let us know what happens.

My 75 has the fuel pump located behind the drivers side wheel well. I also had the same problem when attempting to start my rebuilt engine for the first time. The fuel pump sounded air intrained with intermitten changes in the noise. The fuel pump was not primed and the tank did not have enough fuel in it to gravity feed back to it. I jacked up the front end about 12" off the floor. Switched on the ignition key to start fuel pump, lifted the lever in the air box. When the fuel makes it to the pump the sound will change, when it makes to the injectors you will hear them whine. When you hear the whine of the injectors release the lever and try to crank it. Might take a couple tries to remove all the air , but this worked for me. HTH Jim

Well, I know now that it is a fuel issue, as spraying starter fluid into the CIS internals caused some bucking and snorting, and actually ran briefly. So I need to do exactly what you're describing there--get the angle of the car nose high and engine low to let gravity take the fuel down the lines and hopefully get the pump primed. Frankly, considering all the things I figured was going to go wrong with this reinstall, this is a very acceptable issue that I will gladly deal with.

!http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1323482708.jpg


So I've tried every suggestion offered to me, but I still cannot get fuel to come out of this line. There is at least 7 gallons of fuel in the tank. I changed the angle of the car so it's slanted slightly nose up--obviously thinking gravity will draw fuel into the lines better--but now that I really think about it, where is the fuel pick-up line on the gas tank? Did I just make it worse by tilting the car nose up? <p>I also ran compressed air through the above line until I could see fuel vapor come of the fuel filler neck at the front. I even disconnected the hose to this metal fuel line, turned the fuel pump on and lifted the plunger, daring the fuel to come shooting out. It didn't.<p>For some reason fuel is not getting from the tank to the fuel pump. Anyone have any outside-the-box ideas why that is happening? I thought maybe since the car sat unstarted and undriven for just about 4 months, with very, very little fuel in the tank, is it possible the fuel that was in there got nasty and crudy and something is physical blocking the line out of the tank to the fuel pump? I thought the compressed air would fix that, but maybe not? Thanks. I am desperate over here!

Level the car, put in more fuel, have a fiver full of full and dip the intake line into it....fiver should be higher than the fuel pump.

That may be the return line back to the tank in your picture.
Does your accumulator have 2 lines going in the top?

Why yes, it does. What does that mean for me? And I think you are absolutely right that that isn't the line in I've unattached, but the line back. I am an idiot. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1323489723.jpg

No, you are not an idiot--you're just learning like we all have.

Yes, you disconnected the return line to the tank instead of the fuel inlet line. The line from the pump to the accumulator, in your picture, is the one with the "patina" on the nut and the rubber hose attached. However, I'd suggest you remove the fuel inlet line at the pump (under the car) if you're planning on blowing air back into the tank. That way, there is no obstruction (by the pump itself) to the tank. This is also the line I meant when I suggested you remove it and let the end fall below the level of the tank to see if fuel ran out, my thought being, eliminate the line as a problem before adding the pump itself as an issue.

Let us know what you find, you're doing a good job!

911 fuel injector whine - YouTube

So I went out to assess how I could remove the tank-to-fuel pump hose to see if I was getting fuel at least into that hose. I decided to turn the key to accessory one more time and see if I could finally get the the pump to prime. I again did what was suggested here--turn the pump on and lift the intake plunger until I heard the injectors whine. I got no result the last days couple trying to do that, but for some reason today was different. I lifted the plunger, and I could literally hear the fuel snaking through the system until it got to the injectors, which then literally "whined" under the pressure! The above video was taken after they had primed, but I still wanted anyone else that needed to hear "that sound" have it linkable here on Pelican.<p>So, on to actually trying to start it again. Well, it resisted initially, but damn if it didn't come billowing (literally) alive!! Watch in the video as my girlfriend runs for cover as the smoke comes belching out...

911 finally comes alive - YouTube

I don't know why it finally decided to start today versus yesterday, when I hadn't done anything to it but I am not complaining.<p>
Now I have to figure out if the idle is high (1800rpm) just because it hasn't run in so long, or if something is screwy. Thanks for all the help guys, it's been said on here a thousand times but I'll say again--I really couldn't have done it without you.

Good job.

1800 rpm idle sounds like a vacuum leak. Check all your vacuum line connections and make sure your injectors are fully seated. Try squirting around with carb cleaner if to see if you can find the leak (idle will change slightly when the carb cleaner gets sucked into the intake via the leak.