YeeHaa, My ZE won't start, sort of

[TsiMiata]

First Before anyone asks-

-I have spark
-I have fuel
-The timing belt is on properly(took two hours
last night taking the engine apart to check)
-The spark plug wires are on the cap/engine
correctly
-I am using the K8 distributor
-No it is not flooded

I can get the engine to almost start if I twist the distibutor as far as it will go clockwise(looking from the drivers side).

I went as far as to move the timing even more by swapping around the plug wires- 1 on to 6, 6 on to 5, 5 on to 4 etc.. Like that with some more ungodly distributor twisting it will start- run like crap but start.

I am positive this is timing related- just not sure what's throwing it off.

I have tried starting it with both a KL31 ecu and the stock one. Both have the same results.

Is there any chance the slot in the cam that aligns the dist is different on some ZE's?

[SimonPK]

I know you said you had fuel but I thought I did for 2 days & it turned out the fuel lines were reversed - it's worth 5 minutes to do that. The slot in the ditributor cam only goes on one way - anyway the distributor position doesn't make any difference as the timing is pretty much automatically adjusted.

Hope you fix it soon

[TsiMiata]

I got to run, but horribly so fuel is not an issue. Just pulled the engine apart for a 2nd time to double check the t-belt and it looks perfect

<small>[ April 11, 2004, 08:05 PM: Message edited by: TsiMiata ]</small>

[curtklze]

doubble check that the wires are installed corectly.

135
246

this is how the cylinders are numbered in the engine, trace back each wire and make sure they go to the proper number on the disty cap.

the timimg belt and marks look perfect.

[TsiMiata]

I found the problem!!!!!!! Car still doesn't run but I know whats wrong.

Pictures are better than words-

<img src="http://www.realperformance.org/cam.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://www.realperformance.org/camgear.jpg" alt=" - " />

Has this happened to anyone else?

The distributor on this motor was way loose when I got it. I wonder if this problem is what got the car junked?? Looks like some one had investigated the timing before, maybe.

I obviously need a new cam at this point. I have two options the way I see it right now.

1. Call noyan and get a new cam or whatever

2. I have a nice set of K8 cams sitting in my old engine. I did some measuring and the exhaust cam on the K8 actually has ~.020" more lift than the ZE cam. Not sure on duration overlap etc.. My eyeball says they are about the same. Would I run into valve clearance issues with the increased lift? BTW the intake cams have the same lift

<small>[ April 11, 2004, 03:45 PM: Message edited by: TsiMiata ]</small>

[Gro Harlem]

wtf is that? looks like someone shot their gun into the camgear...i can't really make out wtf that is in the pics.

[TsiMiata]

That is the pin that aligns the cam gear with the cam. The end of the cam is cracked and the pin bent over. That cam is the one that drives the distributor. My front cam timing was off a ton as well as the timing.

[TsiMiata]

Got the car running. Put in my old K8 exhaust cam. AFter measuring them out of the car there was no difference betweenthe ZE cam and the K8 one.

Havent driven it yet. Was kind of late and I Still need to adjust the timing and TPS. I can say the thing screams like a banshee when I rev it I love aluminum flywheels on these motors!