Here are the specifics…

87 Turbo, has new rebuilt engine, started before when I first bought the car. Major stuff I did was:

• Engine harness was swiss-cheese to the say the least but replaced it with an 88 Turbo harness and deleted the resistor pack, also upped the injectors to Hi-Imped. If this is what is wrong, please let me know.
• Clutch replaced and new FMIC.

With everything hooked up, I get the engine to turn but no spark. (big problem) Got GAS and Compression.

Items checked:
*Fuses- all check good
*CAS- checks good
*Igniter- both check good
*Spark Plug and wires- check good
*Main Fuse- checks good
*ECU N332- checks good
*Continuity Check the Engine Harness (took three days!)- Checks good, no opens or shorts.

Now the weird **** I have noticed:
*The engine turns without me pressing down the clutch???
*My interior lights don’t work? (they used to) But the Room Fuse is still good.
*Warning Light/Clock don’t light up like before, the only lights that come on now are the “Cooling Fan” and “Brake Light”

Also, the items I checked were with another 87 Turbo II. My friend let me pop and swap all the questionable parts into his car and verified all parts by starting the car and they worked. So I’m stumped.

Any and all help will be awesome, thank you.

 

I just found this from a search posted back in 2009:


Tried a N333 ECU, No change.

Please HELP!

 

Check grounds. Be VERY sure that your leading coil is bolted down.

Just curious... Is the engine a J-spec?

 

YES.

Why would that matter?

 

Okay, have to admit, my leading coil was not bolted down. Doing it NOW. I'll let you know what happens...

 

Be sure that leading coil makes good contact with the engine bay. (I actually run a thick ground wire from the base of my leading coil to the negative battery terminal.)

JDM fuel lines are connected the opposite of the USDM engines. It's possible that you have them switched. I know that has nothing to do with your spark issue, but will stop the engine from receiving fuel.

 

Bolted down the leading coil, NO CHANGE.

Please help!

 

Also check both the EGI fuses (Engine fuse box) and the 15 amp Engine fuse (interior fuse box). There's a Green Check connector by the leading coil w/three wires. The Black/White wire has to have battery voltage w/key to on. Also, the Black/Yellow wire at the leading coil also must have battery voltage w/key to on. If both these wires check out properly then all the fuses mentioned above are good.

 

Coil assy's need to be bolted down because the internal electronics of the ignitors get their gnd from the coil assys' body making contact with the chassis. Called a chassis gnd. No need for extra gnds on the coil assys as long as at least one of the hold down studs has a nut holding it down and there's no paint under the assy hold down/attach points.

In general..........if the tach makes small bumps upwards as you spin the engine over..........then you DO have spark. Can't happen any other way.

Not all 87 had a clutch interlock switch therefore no need to hold the clutch pedal down to start the engine. I have one of those cars plus another car that had the interlock switch and I bypassed it by jumpering the interlock switches plug. A number of people do this.

Listent to what was said about the fuel lines in a post above.

buy a can of starter fluid and spray for one to two seconds into the air filter. Start car. If it starts momentarily then you have a fuel problem, most likely in the two hoses attached to the engine on the left side of the engine bay.

 

Just woke up, thanks for all the info. I'll be trouble shooting this issue all day so I'll keep posting to what happens. I plan to re-check:
all my grounds and the wires that are suppose to have PWR with key to ON
Tach to see if it bumps when I turn the engine
Fuel hoses: Just to make sure
I'll be back in few...

 

okay, here the latest...

Got PWR on leading and trailing coils with key to ON
Tach does move (very small bumps) when turning car
Fuel hoses are good

Now what?? what's the next step?

 

Pull the plug wires off of the leading coil and rest the plug wire boots against the coil bores and turn the key to start and observe for spark.

 

WTF! Okay, I got SPARK! Now I just need to start this bitch! I have no clue what I did but I'm guessing I moved a wire or wires that are or were loose. I'll let you guys know if i'm able to get her started.

One more thing, my door light stopped working and I noticed my 20A fuse for Audio keep blowing every time I change it out, could this be causing a hard start issue or am I way off base here?

 

The Audio fuse powers the radio and power antenna and nothing else. It has no affect on starting the car,

 

Like the man said...........your fuel lines are crossed up. Uncross them.

And or before doing so,,,,,,,,,,,buy a can of starter fluid. Spray for one to two seconds into the air filter. Then go start the car. IT WILL START AND RUN MOMENTARILY. Your fuel lines are crossed up imho. Uncross the fuel lines. Uncross the fuel lines.

You always HAD spark. The small bumps of the tach prove so. UNCROSS YOUR FUEL LINES.

 

Using starter fluid, the engine starts! Now for some odd reason she won't stay on... Seems I have a fuel issue but stumped yet again.

Checked the injectors by hooking up another CAS and kept the key to ON. Rotating the CAS, I can hear the injector CLICKING, so I know they are working.

Any ideas????

 

Okay, I looking at my Fuel lines, does the fuel coming from the tank come out the Fuel Filter? Or the the Fuel Filter the return for the GAS?

 

jumper the yellow fuel pump test connector at the RF strut tower, if that works then you have either a faulty AFM or vacuum leaks in the intake system. if it still won't start then check the output at the cut off relay to the right of the steering column.

fuel comes from the tank, goes to the fuel filter then on USDM vehicles goes to the FRONT hardline on the fuel rail to the engine. on JDM imported engines with JDM rats nest the line from the fuel filter goes to the REAR hard line.

 

Gas tank to fuel filter to engine.

 

Fuel lines check good.
Fuel pressure when starting is at 35 PSI

How do I check the AFM to see if its Good or Bad. My buddy went back to LA and can't use his car to pop and swap anymore. Will it work with an NA AFM?

 

Did you jumper the fuel check connector?

 

Yes, when I do that my pressure is at 45PSI.

 

The only thing I can think of is that my Injectors are clogged, bought them off someone here on the forum, was told they were clean but now I'm thinking it was BS to get them sold. Anyway, going to remove and get them cleaned and flow tested. I'm at an ALL STOP till I get them pulled and cleaned at a local shop. I figure I'll have them done and stalled by Wednesday. I'll post once I get them in.

Thank you all for the help and quick responses. You guys are awesome!

 

Fuel injectors are an "iffy" item to purchase used. Documentation with a flow chart isn't even always a guarantee that they're in working condition. Check out -> Witch Hunter Performance - (I've always had great experience with Witch Hunter.)

The reason I had mentioned the fuel lines is because I once had a similar issue with my JDM swap. I switched the fuel lines as someone on the forum had told me to do, turned the engine over a few times, and the engine started. It was a pain in the *** getting to the fuel lines to switch them around, but well worth it in the end. I mean... The car never would have started.

 

If you have the connector jumpered and key to on the injectors should not open.