My new Mx3 wont start

[d-bledsoe]

Hello, first off my name is Derek, I just bought my first MX3 2 nights ago for 300$. I got a 1992 mx3 v6 5speed. The car is in great condition inside and out. The only issue with it is it wouldn't start.
Here is the back story i got. Previous owner driving home one day had the car over heat. Since then it wouldn't start. The car turns over but wouldn't start.

Fast forward to 2 nights ago. I purchase the car knowing full well that it doesn't start. The car had been sitting stored for about 8 months. I have changed the fluids as a starting point. and got a new battery as the old one wouldn't hold a charge

In the cars current state the car turns over, and sounds like a normal car turning over trying to start but it just wont catch. I have done the following to try and narrow down the problem.

I checked for fuel. Fuel is getting to the plugs as they smell like gas.
Spark: I am not getting any spark out of any of the spark plug lines. I have checked the primary and secondary coil in the distributor and both check out in the ideal range with the primary reading .8ohms and the secondary reading 14ohms.

Nothing is visibly missing or odd looking with any of the motor components.

I was hoping some of you might have some ideas. I have spent the last few hours on hear reading all the searches and trying the tests suggested.

Is there any more tests i can and should to to make sure the distributor is ok?

EDIT:
I forgot to mention my car is stock. No after market parts installed, stock distributor ect.

Any advice would be great.
Thanks
-Derek Bledsoe

[solo_ryder]

Spark: I am not getting any spark out of any of the spark plug lines. I have checked the primary and secondary coil in the distributor and both check out in the ideal range with the primary reading .8ohms and the secondary reading 14ohms.

The v6 engines are notorious for a failing disty. I would start by replacing the cap and rotor on the disty. If that fails to work then go ahead and get a new disty as that is most likely the issue right there. If you are not getting a spark then there is something definitely wrong with the disty.

[d-bledsoe]

I just did the engine code test and got the following errors

4 - NE1 singal crank angle
8 - Airflow meter
10 - Intake air thermosensor

[d-bledsoe]

So i just notice that one of my air filter senors was unplugged. Plugged that in and now i only get the error code 4 No NE1 signal.
I just bought a new cap and rotor and made no difference. Guess the distributor is bad?

[Stablo87]

Sounds like it, search the WTB forums, there are a couple for sale cheap. I commend you on your posting skills

[d-bledsoe]

So i think i have narrowed the problem down to one of two things. Timing belt, or bad distributor. I did another check that didn't accure to me at first which was to take the distributor cap off and turn the car over to see if the rotor would spin. Well the rotor didn't budge at all when the car was turning over.

So thats either the timing belt or distirbutor? Checking the belt now, and will post back

Thanks again for all the help

[d-bledsoe]

Well i just found out what the main cause is (Still dont know if there will be a dizzy issue) The timing belt snapped on the side closes to the front bumper.

The previous owner said it over heated and then wouldn't start so it seems that would be the reason it wouldn't start for him. I am hoping that the belt snapped before any real internal damage was caused, but i guess i will find out. I will start into the car tomorrow and see if i can get that belt replaced. i am not looking forward to doing that.

If it turns out after i replace the belt that more damage was done to the motor then i will just pull the motor out. I bought the car to convert to electric so no loss if the motor is bad. I did want to get it running before tearing it down to get a performance baseline preconversion.

-Derek

[tmac4t4]

converting to electric?
keep us posted for sure

[d-bledsoe]

I just wanted to take a few moments and post and update.
This weekend i set out on the task of changing out the broken timing belt. I had very little knowledge on the whole process with most of my experience limited to head gasket changes, and clutch replacment.

Well i am happy to report after about 20 total hours i got the new belt on as well as a new water pump and the entire car bolted back together minus the splash guard. The car runs smooth so far but i dont want to take it too far from home just yet as i dont know how much i trust my work So far all seems well. No leaks yet, sounds good while running, drives nice and smooth and actually quite quiet. I encountered only a few issues during the change but was able to over come them(i stripped one of the timing belt tensioning pully threads, which i retapped to the next size larger in standard size)

The car has quite a bit of pep and i was quite suprised, get it up passed 5k in first gear and it takes off almost like it has a turbo.

Now that i have completed the task i feel on top of the world as this was defiantly the biggest automotive undertaking i have done so far. Is there anything specifically i should be keeping an eye on over the next few days as i start to run the car in? I will of course keep an eye on the bolts, belts any noises, and any fluid leaks, but anything specific i can look at to make sure the car wont fall apart or the belt wont break again?

Thanks again to everyone who helped share ideas as well as the very helpful post in here about changing the timing belt.

-Derek

[tmac4t4]

just drive it easy, like your doing already, keep a close eye on all fluid levels, keep an eye on the temp guage jus in case too, maybe once a day or so for the first week just check all your bolts...but most of all have faith in your work, alot of guys wouldnt have a clue where to get started on doing a timing belt, and by the sounds of it you've done a pretty good job

[FlyVFR]

Nice job, also did yourself a favor by replacing the water pump!
How many miles on it?

[d-bledsoe]

Thanks for the tips. The car has 266,000miles on it. I replaced everything around the timing belt except the tensioning pullies and auto tensioner. I have now driving the car 60 miles and right when the odometer clicked over to 60 the car shut off while i was coming to a stop sign. Wouldn't start again so i pushed it into a parking lot and sure enough the timing belt slipped off. I was driving it easy this entire time.

I am confident in my work in changing the belt but the one area i skimped on i probly shouldn't have and would have prevented the belt slipping off was the tensioning pullies.

I did NOT change any of the tensioning pullys or the auto tensioner. I noticed that after i had it all back together before final button up that the belt every now and then would feel a little loose. I just figured that was normal and the timing cover would prevent it from slipping off the cam. I was wrong

Oh well, i bought the car to convert to electric so i am not too worried. In the mean time though i will get a tensioning kit and a new auto tensioner and put it all back together again hopefully this weekend.

I will say for those 60 miles i had an absolute blast driving it.

-Derek

[tmac4t4]

at least you know what you did wrong
bet you wont do that again

[FlyVFR]

Look around on the net, I bought a timing belt kit with pulley & tensioner for less than $250 It was at least 3 years ago so I don't remember the site.

G/L

[d-bledsoe]

Yah i know... Since i will be pulling the motor out anyways and replacing it with electric i figured i could get by with out replacing the pulleys. Oh well Well at least for 60 miles i did.
I have found a set of pulleys and tensioner for about 150$ bucks, pulleys were 50$ and new tensioner was 100$

Now that i have done it once it will not take very long to do again.

Anyone know where i can get a pair of timing covers for the v6? i am having a hell of a time finding them and mine are all cracked and broken.

-Derek