ballew

Hey guys, my brother and I worked on my car this weekend to repair multiple things with the main focus being rebuilding the starter solenoid. Upon putting the car back together (with the starter working), it would turnover but not start. We tried putting some starter fluid in the throttle body, which got the engine to start, but it would not keep firing.

At this point it seems like a fuel issue, but the fuel pump was working and fuel was definitely coming out. We started to think that it was the immobilizer, but I am not sure how exactly it prevents the engine from actually starting (whether it is electrical or fuel).

What we did was the following:

• Replaced timing belt and water pump (check for proper timing, which was right)
• Fixed starter solenoid (tested it)
• Replaced valve cover gaskets
• Replaced intake manifold gaskets
• Replaced coolant bypass gaskets
• Replaced crankshaft seal
• Replaced spark plugs
• Front suspension work
• Extensively cleaned years of gunk of anything we could

Thanks in advance for any help or insight.

dicer

You must have either missed an electrical connection or messed one up. Check fuel pressure. Since you said it started on ether.
I guess I should have asked did it run before all the work done? I don't know what the security system cuts out to prevent a start.

YODAONE

Did you disconnect the negative cable from the battery before performing work??

Is crank position sensor connected? Cam position sensor? MAF sensor?

spuds

Extensively cleaned years of gunk of anything we could
--------------------------------------------------------
Hope that doesnt mean you pressure sprayed it.apparently these cars hate water.

ballew

I will check fuel pressure. I'm also going to get a noid light to check the injector signal.

It was running before. The issue I had was the starter having inconsistent results, which seems to be working well now.

I believe we disconnected the negative terminal. I doubt that we wouldn't have, but it's possible. All the sensors are connected. The camshaft position sensor's wire looked iffy, so I was considering getting a new one.

We sprayed it with some cleaner first, then we used water to rinse it off, no high pressure though.

I was also going to get a noid light and a spark checker so I can hopefully see what is happening. I won't be able to get back to it until Saturday because it's on the other side of town.

BiGEZ

iTrader: (24)

Reset the ECU by disconnection the negative battery cable and see what happens then. Sounds like you are not getting spark, check the coils too.

spuds

This is NOT advice,but i want to put in my guess you are going to find it in a wiring connector thats been compromised by the clean up.

dicer

And ???? what did you find out?

ballew

Nothing yet. I will be there tomorrow and might have to go back on Sunday, so I will update tomorrow night and Sunday.

Not having a work area close to work/home sucks...

Edit: Additionally, my brother remembered that we tested the starter in an unconventional way, which could have in turn messed with the ECU and immobilizer. We basically gave it power directly from the battery and got a nice spark show. Don't know if that helps clarify what could have happened for you guys.

fixmiester

If the engine ran a few seconds on ether, you obviously have a FUEL issue, not an ignition problem. Check the throttle linkage at the throttle body; if that was not reinstalled properly, it won't start, or run right.

ballew

​​​​​I was checking the injectors when trying to start it, and I'm not getting a pulse from any of them, so I'm starting to think that I need new cam Cam and crank position sensors.

Otherwise, it seems my starter problem, which was my main intention to fix, came back...

ballew

Starter problem seems resolved for now.

I got a noid light kit and I was getting pulses to the injectors, so I have good signal there. I then took off a spark plug coil, put a screwdriver it, and grounded it. I did NOT get a spark, so now I'm thinking the engine isn't firing. I'm looking into the cam position sensor to see if a bad one would result in no spark, but I'm not sure what else would be causing it.