I just did a rebuild on my 1985 GSL-SE 1.3L. I did a S4 intake swap as well. the engine is cranking just fine but it wont start

First thing i did was check for spark. It was a little weak but it was there. tested the coils. it was 1.1 ohms. a little low but i don't think that's the problem.

I looked around some more and noticed one of my fuel injectors were leaking a little fuel. so i took off my intake and reconnected it all with new seals. went to start and nothing.

now when trying to start it it sounds different like it's trying to start but it's not sputtering or anything.

on the intake i did the standard S4 intake upgrade (even tho many people didn't like it) i also removed 5th and 6th port sleeves and actuators.

as a note I did mark everything when i pulled the engine .

does anyone have and idea what my problem is here?

Thanks,
Chase

 

Did you remember to block off the square hole below the intake manifold? SE manifold covers it, S4 does not.

 

yes i did.

 

 

For an engine to start, you need fuel, spark, and compression.

First thing I would do is check your timing.

Secondly, I would pull out a spark plug and see if they are fouled. You may need to replace them are torch them clean. Then I would ensure you have good compression by turning the engine over (fuel/spark disabled), without the plugs in to ensure you have compression.

Let us know what happens.

 

commpression is amazing. I didn't use a tester but it's much luuder than b4 i rebuilt the engine. how can i check my timing if it wont start? just hook up the timing light and crank it? im pretty sure im getting fuel, but just to make sure im going to buy some starting fluid and spary some in as i try to start. if it had no effect i'll know it's a spark issue.

also, when i was putting on the front cover and all that stuff i had a small problem. with the stationary gear (i think that's what it's called, it's the gear the dizzy goes to) I made the mistake of not marking it when i removed it. the FSM said it would already be marked so being a dumbass i didn't think to check. co when it came down to install i didn't know how to put it on. the methoid i used to know how it went was wear marks. on one side it had a solid wear mark, on the other side it had a notched wear mark. do i just lined it up that way.

If i can't figure out the problem i'll pull the engine and flip the gear but i don't think that's my issue here.

 

I would make sure that your distributor is stabbed correctly. But it does sound like you may have a spark problem, if the timing was out you usually will still get some popping noises and backfiring.

I would still pull the plugs out and see if they are wet. I know when I rebuilt my engine I used quite a bit of oil, which fouled the plugs very quickly when trying to start it up for the first time.

 

I thought there was no wrong way to install the distributor gear.

Mix fuel with motor oil 50/50 and squirt no more than a teaspoon into each rotor. You can buy the Racing Beat pulley too, which has the keyway built into it. No way to mess up the timing marks with it.

When the Leading timing is lined up at 0* and the distributor is installed right, there's an arrow on the top of the distributor rotor. That arrow will point straight to the back of the car. There's the easy check.

 

this is how the dizzy should be lined up right?


this is where the leading mark is when dizzy is straight at the fire well


this is where the dizzy is when leading mark is lined up

^ mark lined up



so that's what i got and it's not as you described..... what should i do? my finger is at the points said (arrow on dizzy, leading mark) sorry for bad photo quality only camara i have is my phone

 

I can't see the arrow on the rotor but assuming it's pointing to 3 o'clock then yes the first pic is right. It looks like the pulley is 90* off to the timing mark.

Did you properly line up the mark on the distrubutor gear with the mark on the distributor body before dropping it in? Line it up with the round dot, not the rollpin.

So I'd say reinstall the pulley so leading mark is zero, redo the distributor installation and doublecheck the marks, then try to start it.

 

i did line the mark up. I just turned th engine and lined the pully up. to make sure the #1 rotor was in the correct position i used a long skinny pole and felt it throught the spark plug holes.

It was 90* off. corrected the the dizzy mark and still nothing.

 

what's the voltage at the coils when you crank it. does the battery have juice?

and, take the leading plug wires off the plugs and ground them on the strut tower studs so you can look for spark while cranking. should see bright light and hear it pop,crackle but not snap!

 

not sure of voltage when cranking. at room temp ressisatnce is 1.1 ohms.

I have a tester to see if im getting spark. it's weak but there is spark. Spark is not very bright or very loud.

Brand new battery. when i first tried to start my old battery crapped out on me. and with all the tarying to start i have had it on a charger just to make sure it's good.

I will test voltage when cranking it.

 

tested my dizzy pick up coils. it was not a constant reading. it was between 200 and 330 ohms. it should be 650 + - 50 ohms... this has to be my problem. i will let keep updated when i get a new one

 

Still nothing. i got a new dizzy, new cap and rotor, new wires, and new coils. im still having a problem with spark. i have a tester that you connect to the wire and ground it out. it is still a very weak spark. so what should i look at now? could it be a connection somewhere or a bad wire. could it be the parts i got are bad?

 

Go ahead and put 2 oz of 2 cycle in each rotor leading plug clean plugs well and give it a whirl . dizzy looks fine.

 

Also a very well charged battery

 

have you checked the fusable link on the drivers side fender?

 

List of things to try...

Starting fluid, spray for 2 seconds into carb/trottle body, and then attempt to start... If it starts then dies after a few seconds its a fuel issue.

Check the compression.

Check the coils for proper output.

 

Battery new. and i charge it everytime itry to start it or work on it.
did the starting fuild thing b4 i replaced everything that's what brought me to believe it's spark
i'll need to cheack compression but when i crank it with no spark plugs in it suounds really good..
spark plugs are new and clean. what does the 2oz of 2 cycle when i put it in the engine, or why should i do that?
how do i cheack the fuseable link. the wires are solid and don't look burnt but that doean't mean they are good. and if they were bad i would have any power, right?

 

Well i worked o it some and i got some spark now. i unpluged and tested every wire i could. checked all my grounds and everything. i had weak ground to my engine but thats fixed now. everything else tested good.

I do have some spark now. The reason i say some is cuz it's not bright blue like i know it sould be and it's more of a "pop" instead of a "SNAP". so im wondering what it could the problem be. i have everything lined up as far as i know. all new ignition and "some" spark.

I still haven't checked compression i'll have to do that pay day. im not seeing any reason it souldn't start now, i know i should have more spark than i have but i would think even with a weak spark it would at least sputter or something. i know im getting fuel, i even went as far as removing injectors and checking to make sure.

If anyone has and more ideas as to what could be the issue i would greatly appreciate your help. and all helpfull criticism is welcome

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! spark restored. i have good spark now. I still cant get it to start

just to make sure the #1 rotar is the one by the fire wall... Right?

aslo i notice the spark plug for my #2 rotar(front side) is getting alot more fuel than the #1 rotar. when i remove my spark plug for #2 it's soaked with gas(at least it smells like gas) and the #1 rotar is only slightly damp. they will both light on fire.

What could be the cause of this? all i can think of is...
* #1 rotar not getting enough fuel
* #2 rotar not firing (even though on the strut tower i see spark)
* not enough? commpression in rotar#2
that's all i can think of.

any help at all i would be really nice. and thank you for they help i have gotten already

 

number 1 is to the front...number 2 is the back...also make sure you dont have you leading and trailing ignitor connections switched because that happened to me and it caused me hell trying to start it..

 

ah i feel like an idiot. lol i have my wires on wrong. it's to dark to mess with now but i'llit apart do it first thing in the morning.
I have the leading and trailing setup right im pretty sure. i had them marked when i pulled it apart.