Engine wont Start

4-Cyl. Technical/Performance Discussions
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money_greenmx3
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Engine wont Start

Post by money_greenmx3 »

the other day i took apart the dizzy cap n rotor i didnt even move the position of the dizzy just loosen one screw from the dizzy n then tighten everything back up again and the engine didnt even want to start. It was running fine before, i just wanted to check the rotor make sure everything was clean. As the engine was not starting a buddy was moving the distributor around in almost every position while i was trying to crank it but nothing. I was reading the manual and it says something about a tachometer and timing light but it is not clear, can someone please help it would be greatly appreciated maybe some pictures of the proper dizzy position if available and not too much trouble.
Thanks
mxhooptie
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by mxhooptie »

I have a '95 1.6 DOHC

I did more or less the same thing money_greenmx3 did. The car was fine before I worked on it. I removed the spark plug wires and the distributor cap to investigate an oil leak. I put it back together, replaced the wires. Somehow I put it in the wrong firing order, making engine sound like a lawn mower. I corrected my mistake. Now, the car would not start. It cranks and turns over, but no ignition. I checked the plugs for spark and they are OK. The CEL light is ON and stays on; no codes.

So what's the problem?
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money_greenmx3
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by money_greenmx3 »

I think i moved the position if the distributor and I need to find the position again using a timing light? can some please verify this and tell me how to do it since the manual only shows how to do it when the car is running but mine wont even start :( Also can someone please tell me exactly were the crankshaft pulley is because i need to find the yellow timing mark on it and align it with the timing belt cover.
Thanks
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Ryan
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by Ryan »

Did you remember the coil wire?

Does it spark?

If you can't find the crank pulley, you might want to consider a mechanic.

Its the big pulley attached to the crank, way at the bottom of the motor on the belt side.
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money_greenmx3
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by money_greenmx3 »

yea i check the primary coil winding and the secondary, distributor is fine its just the position I think because it work fine before i moved the position.
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money_greenmx3
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by money_greenmx3 »

I was reading how to adjust distributor timing but all articles say that the engine must be turned on but how can I turn mine on if the position of the distributor if of?? And if anyone knows were the timing mark is located on a 1.6 DOHC i found the index but not the timing mark.
Please help me someone
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Ryan
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by Ryan »

Man, the distributor is more than the coil.

Are you going to listen, or try your own 'diagnostics'?

You can't ask for help and then ignore it and try your own thing.

The position of the distributor is basically irrelevant to the car running or not. Put it in the middle and forget about it for now, that won't be your problem.

I'm not going to post in this thread again.

Make sure you put your rotor back on correctly. There are three possibilities (if you force it), but only one is correct. When you pull off the rotor, the tower that it is on has 3 flat spots. The 'widest' flat spot is the angle that the contact on the rotor should face. The 'widest flat spot' also has the 'thinnest' piece of metal between it and the screw bore down the centre.

Make sure you have your firing order correct.

Looking into the engine bay, the cylinders are

1-2-3-4

And the firing order on the cap is as shown in here:

http://www.mx-3.com/manuals/showimg.php ... _G-029.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do not forget the centre coil wire.

Do not forget the plug on the disty.

Check the fuses.

Pull the codes: http://www.mx-3.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=65390" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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money_greenmx3
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by money_greenmx3 »

Thanks for your help your input is much appreciated and sorry for the confusion but i did try what you told me and still had no luck. I also changed the position of the rotor to your specs and still nothing then I tried to ready the engine lights which never came on, I connected the ten and gnd together and turned the ignition to on the engine light came on for a bit then went off and never came on again and my engine still wont start.
Please help
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Ryan
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by Ryan »

Do you have spark?

Pull the coil wire off the disty, and hold it a few mm away from a ground, and get someone to crank it. Spark should be strong and blue.

Do you have fuel pressure?

Take off the fuel line at the rail side, the hose coming from the filter, and get someone to crank it for a second. Put the hose in a pail so it doesn't spray all over you. It should be a very healthy stream.
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money_greenmx3
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by money_greenmx3 »

Thanks again for your help
I do have spark and the fuel pressure is ok. When I tried to check the codes nothing came up as I mentioned before so does that mean that there are no issues? Also I broke the rubber gasket between the distributor and the cap and also chipped the rotor a little would these things effect the engine not running I dont think so but maybe?
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Ryan
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by Ryan »

neither of those things would kill it, but I suggest getting a new cap and rotor anyway.

If it sparks, and you get fuel, whats left is timing.

Make sure you have to correct firing order.

Does the CEL ever come on?

peel away the timing cover so you can verify the cam is turning. Sometimes these belts don't take a complete hike, they just shear off the teeth around the crank pulley, so it belt remains intact, but does not move.

Does the engine crank at all? spin but no fire?

Check your battery terminals.... make sure you plugged everything in again. airflow meter, make sure the distributor plug is tight.... check for obvious intake leaks.... this shouldn't be a complicated thing if you did what you say you did.
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White GS - Rusty. Parts. Scrapped
1997 BMW M3 - my summer baby
2002 BMW 325Xi - sold
2003 Forester Xti - EJ20K swapped.
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money_greenmx3
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by money_greenmx3 »

The engine cranks and the cam is turning the firing positions are correct
the CEL light comes on wen i put the key in the on position and goes away few seconds later even when I put TEN and GND together to try read the codes no codes lol is this a good or bad thing
gooseberry09
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by gooseberry09 »

what did you originally loosen the distributor cap for anyways jw could help maybe?
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money_greenmx3
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by money_greenmx3 »

I just wanted to clean it it looked oily and I put dielectric grease on the rotor but what is jw?
Dark_Rider2k3
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Re: Engine wont Start

Post by Dark_Rider2k3 »

money_greenmx3 wrote:I just wanted to clean it it looked oily and I put dielectric grease on the rotor but what is jw?
jw = just wondering
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