If you're sure you have no vacuum leaks and nothing disconnected, you need to start with the most basic of troubleshooting.

1.) Spark
2.) Fuel
3.) Air

Not necessarily in that order.

Also when you aligned the CAS, did you make sure it did not jump a tooth when you put it back in? Mine did that and was causing all kinds of problems.

Make sure you're fuel lines are on correctly. Make sure the line coming from the fuel filter is connected to the metal line closest to the front of the motor.

Make sure your plugs are wired correctly.

 

Alright, so I ripped apart the IMs again and found that my fuel hoses are on correct. The line from the filter goes to the dampener then the return line goes to the upper fuel rail's pressure regulator. I found that my feed line has ~40 psi of pressure. Plugs are wired correctly, I took a screwdriver and shoved it into the end of the wire and tried grounding it. Nothing on both leading coils, didn't even try the trailing ones. The wires were last replaced in October, could those be the problem? The only other thing I could think of is the connections to the coil, there is only one right? On to my next problem. My injectors are not firing, I took them out and they weren't spraying. The power to each plug ~12.3 V. on one prong and 0 to the other....totally understandable (power and ground). Anyways, these injectors were rebuilt so I'm wondering if there is a certain order the plugs need to go in? I checked the FSM and made sure that the injectors were wired correctly. I checked the ground for the ECU on top of the IM and sanded it down real well, so that should have an excellent ground.

NOW WHAT!?

 

Oh, also checked compression, I'm not 100% sure but it looks like the front rotor is giving me close to thirty and the rear rotor is giving me around 25? Is that right? I used an interesting gauge and I'm pretty sure those readings are a lot lower than the actual values. This was also after I deflooded the engine so it had no oil.

 

wow, i must have pissed someone off, NO answers? I was also thinking about it, and the injectors have to be firing in order for my engine to flood? yes?

 

If you have no spark and your injectors aren't firing then the problem is in the CAS to ECU system. Remember, the CAS tells the ECU when to fire the injectors and the sparks.

So I'd get the FSM and start with the tests for the CAS. Then if that checks out I'd follow the tests for the ECU related to the CAS which will probably involve taking a DMM and back-probing the ECU plugs. Until you can spin the case and hear the injectors fire and see the spark plugs fires, there is no point in turning over the engine.

btw, I got funky readings on the compression checks too. In Aaron's doc as I recall it said to use a std piston engine compression gauge and remove the one-way check valve. I had no idea what that was as mine had two schader bicycle style valves, one in the bottom and one in the top. Using a valve remove tool (avail at any bike shop) take out the valve in the bottom of the gauge, the one that is in the pretend spark plug.

But no fuel and no spark means compression is irrelevant of course!

Good luck

 

If this were a series four, and you said you had no spark nor were the fuel injectors clicking, I'd say go see if the ENGINE fuse is good or bad and if good then go see if the EGI fuses are good/bad.

EDIT: Well I went back and read the thread a bit. IF you have the fuel pump working then the ENGINE fuse is good and you have 12v at the BLACK/YELLOW wires in the small, white, two socket plug at the Lead coil, then the engine fuse is good. So it's not the engine fuse.

Lay both lead wires on the strut tower near the studs and with a spare CAS out of the engine, key to ON, spin the CAS bottom gear. The lead coil should spark and injector clicking should be heard. No spare CAS? Remove the one in the engine and spin it.

Or since this fix has become a regular, disconnect the AFM's plug and try again. IF the ref voltage in the afm is shorted to gnd, then the engine will get no spark/fuel injection because the ref voltage is also being shot to hell inside the ECU at the same time. Disconnecting the afm plug will undo the short to gnd. Whatever. Just pull afm plug off and give it a try.

It does not take a lot of hard spinning of the cas bottom gear to produce spark. Just a quick flip will produce results if eveything is wired right.

Lead coil must be bolted to the chassis with at least one fastener for it to work.

 

Just a side note, I checked the CAS according to the Haynes manual and it was within specs!

So to make timing on, I lined up the first line on the pulley and lined up the CAS indicator wiht the little "dot" and dropped it in. Does that mean, it is going to spark correctly? I do have an extra CAS, I'll try spinning it and seeing if the injectors fire.

As a side note, I cleaned the grounds yesterday so I think those are ok.

I'll also check the fuses like you said Hailers.

Do you think the spark wires are toast?

 

You are cranking until you get about 30psi of oil pressure? I know you gotta do this and pull the fuse for the fuel pump. I did that and mine fired right up. Sounds like your timing is set right and everything else sounds good. On rotaryresurrection 30psi per face sounds about right for compression.

 

Black, do I unplug the fuse in the dash to cut the fuel pump to build up the oil compression? Do I need the stock sensor in place? I want to put in an aftermarket one that I have already. Oh, also that reminds me the oil pressure gauge is PEAKING. Does that have any effect? Does that mean the ECU will not read 30 psi and therefore not spark to protect the engine?

 

I unplugged the fuse in the engine bay. I also wired up a switch for a kill switch, this is recommended for engines during breakin because of flooding issues. There is a relay under the dash that you can patch into. Also you might get a mechanical oil pressure gauge to make sure your gauge is reading right about 20 bucks at napa. The problem is if you are getting fuel and its trying to fire up before there is oil pressure then you won't have enough compression. I believe the only thing that controls spark firing is the cas, so the ecu won't care what psi your oil is at.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I wanted to avoid the whole kill switch, but it seems as tho I may have to do it.

 

Alright, I installed the kill switch, cranked till I hit 30psi and let her rip. NOTHING!!! I found that my leads are not putting out any spark. I have voltage going up to the plug in but the lead pack will not fire. I swapped it with a known working one and still nothing. WHY? CS suggested ECU???

Hailers, I did you test and nothing happened! No spark and I don't think I heard the injectors firing although I'm pretty sure its an ignition problem now!

 

when i got my rebuild on my car it didnt start either it.turned out to be the dumb ground under the upper intake i had to scrape off the paint on the block just throwing that out there i know your saying you dont have any spark.give that a shot if you havent done that yet

 

Do you still have voltage up (but not further than) the coil?

 

Yea, I already made sure that one was really clean and grounded. Thanks tho.

 

Up to the coil, but no further. I'm thinking ECU problem. I've swapped out the leading coil with one that works and still nothing

 

did you swap out your ecu? did you get any results?
i read this and it felt like i was reading a drama novel. so intense

 

Yup, just did that like 2 hours ago. Nothing happened!

So, we're still on NO SPARK!!!

-the CAS is good but nothing. We have power up to the leading coil and trailing coils, but nothing happens after that! I'm confused. Also my injectors may be wired wrong. If I can't fix it by this week, I'm going to send it to a shop. I start a new job on Tuesday and need a way to get to work for sure.

EDIT:

I'll do a search and see possible reasons for no spark.

 

i know what you did.
you didnt plug in the engine harness to front harness connection or in fsm lingo fem-02 connection

 

so i read this whole thread and i am having the same issues. what was the problem? im starting a fresh rebuild. 6 port turbo, s5. did the swap 3 yrs ago. it ran great till oct last yr. blew an apex seal and rebuilt. changed nothing and it wont run. can get one start out of it and before i can start tuning it will die. then wont start again. just floods. and my leading coil is speratic with power. sometimes spark sometimes no spark. have any suggestions?