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I checked the codes and I've been getting
10 - Intake Air Temp (IAT)

17 - LH02S inversion error

24 - RH02S inversion error

It also appears that when I get the damn thing to start/run (if you want to even call it that) it's only running on the front cylinders. I've checked for spark at all cables and that is okay. The cables are all wired correctly. The timing mark lines up when cylinder #1 is supposed to fire. The spark plugs on the rear bank are all wet with fuel but show no signs of ignition while the front ones are burnt looking. I'm fresh out of ideas. Adjusting the timing on the disty doesn't make any difference since the computer is controlling that. Could it be that I need to use the K8 crank angle sensor. I'm also using the 02 sensors from my K8. Could that also cause such serious problems. HELP!!!

yea igot inversion errors right now too...but my car runs strong as ever. Check out that IAT.

What directly measures the IAT. Isn't that the VAF. I still don't see that causing the car to only fire on 3 cylinders. We are getting compression back there and fuel is getting there. For some reason the spark is just not igniting it. I think I'm going to spend a few more hours looking through the shop manual today. I have to get this running soon or I won't be able to make it to the Annual MX-3 Meet this year.

Well I can't think of anything else and it seems like the rest of you are stumped as well. I'm coming to the conclusion that the spark being put out by the distributor isn't strong enough. I'm sure the spark should be a nice bright blue one, especially with NGK IX Iridium plugs, but I instead have an orange spark. I'm going to have to find a way to cough up some $$$ quick so that I can buy an MSD 6A, Blaster 2 Coil, and 8910EIS Tach Adaptor and utilize the KLZE distributor. I've put the MSD on my old '93 GS and I know that had a good spark. If you guys happen to come accross a new solution in a dream or something, please let me know. I've spent $4000 on buying and rebuilding this engine so far and I'm not looking forward to spending more since I'm completely broke now. I'll try to diagnose that stupid IAT error in the mean time.

I had lots of the same symptoms as you guys.

It ended up being the relay inside of the ecu.

It's worth a try to open it up and have a look.


Will it start if you spray starter fluid in the tb?


Maybe this thread will help a little bit.
http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=42352

Adjusting the timing on the disty doesn't make any difference since the computer is controlling that.

This is true.. but.. if the rotor of the distributor isnt in proper position (or at least close) when your crank & cam timing marks are lined up.. the ECU can only adjust so much. Have you checked the rotor position in relation to the timing marks? I am not sure but if the rotor isnt in the proper location.. maybe adjust it so it is.. then clear the ECU, so that when the ECU gets power again, it will go off of your new starting point for the distributor. Not sure if it will work this way or not to be honest.. but something to check.

Tunes67

The starter fluid helps temporarily for the first firing but then the rear bank stops again. It's not the ECU because the K8 ECU gives the exact same problem when I put it in except that it throws EGR codes as expected. The KLZE injectors put out more fuel than what K8 injectors do on the MX-3. So that's probably why the disty was suffiecent enough on the K8 motor but hasn't got enough balls to ignite the extra fuel load in the KLZE.

I lined up the timing mark on the Crank Pully to the "10" position right on the dot. Then checked the rotor position on the distributor and it was perfectly lined up with #1 output. I've cleaned all the contacts inside the cap and check the continuity and resistance of all the cables. They're all fine. After painful minutes of restarting the car by unpluging the fuel pump and quickly plugging it back in once it starts, I went on to adjust the timing with the timing light. Since it's only firing on 3 cylinders the idle is very sparatic and hard to keep alive. Rotating the disty has very little effect and when the engine keeps surging it's impossible to line up. I have to rev it around 2500rpm just to keep it stumbling along and that moves the timing mark further away from 10 point obviously because the ECU is adjusting for the higher RPM. Either way, the orientation of the disty has had zero effect on the rear cylinder banks. I did notice that the timing light had trouble picking up a signal off of the high tension lead. That's why I'm coming to the conclusion that that spark needs some more power to it. I'll probably have to do the MSD conversion. I'm not wasting my money on a new distributor just so it can crap out a few month later from the engine heat.

Tunes67 wrote:According to Noyanusa.. the TPS sensor is the most commonly damaged sensor during shipping/importing Jspec engines. Not too suprising considering its out there exposed and can bang around all over the place or things can hit against it. Keep us posted on how it goes man

Tunes67

Just to say, mine was broken, as well as the disty, had to reuse the ones from the K8

TPS is fine (both K8 and KLZE ones). The readings are dead on and correct. Calibration is correct too. Currently using the old TPS from the K8 motor. It's gotta be that stupid distributor...

Had a similer problem myself , Had fuel and spark but the engine wouldent run . Found the a cam pulley had been instaled backwards so when checking the timing marks everything lined up fine but it obvoiusley wasent gona start . Turned the cam pulley round and re-allighned the marks guess what happened .... that right .. Fired right up . Hope this helps

I'm 95% sure I did the pulley correctly. I guess I'm just going to have to rip everything appart to check that again to make it 100% sure. What a headache! It's such a pain in the a-- to get that cover off. Maybe I can even find some pics of when I was rebuilding the engine at the point when I finished installing the timing belt. If the belt was off on the rear bank, I shouldn't really even get compression back there or at least back-firing of some sort.

You probably know this already but the pulleys are marked " L " and "R " .. L is the front bank and R is the rear bank ... Also you mention you lined the crank to 10 on the T-belt cover .. try lining up to T instead and then when you have the engine running line up to 10 with it running .

Well, just so we can get around this timing issue, I'm going to attempt ripping everything off the belt side of the engine and remove the timing cover to take pictures of the cam and crank alignment. It could be useful to anyone who needs help with their timing belt alignment. I'm still pretty sure it's the distributor, why else would the engine alow its self to flood so easily? It's got to be the disty not having enough umph to ignite all the fuel in the cylinder. I'll probably have to change the oil in this thing again after I get things running right. All that fuel and no combustion on the one bank can't good. Better dribble some oil into those cylinders too.

It's ALIVE!!!! I finished the MSD ignition with KLZE disty conversion and she runs pretty good. Sounds like crap because I haven't had a chance to stop at an exhaust shop to fix my pipes because of the new headers. I'll have to let the engine break in a little before I really see what it can do. Thanks for all your help guys!