Hi all. Recently acquired an '86 GXL as my first rotary project. When I first brought it home it was not running but I got it to start consistently and without issues after replacing the connector for the water temp sensor. Previous owner had busted the connector clean off doing an alternator replacement. The previous owner had also done some other questionable things to this car that I wanted to undo/do better, such as straight piping with a 3" no name exhaust (only nice part of this was the racing beat headers) and a poorly done rats nest/emissions delete. I wanted to return both of these to as oem as I can as a starting point. I understand the rats nest delete is pretty common for reliability but the state I live in requires all emissions equipment to be present to pass inspection (even if it doesn't function) and I'd like to be able to daily the car during the summers if I can. So here's what I've done so far:

• Replaced exhaust system with OEM header, Rock Auto cats, and fujitsubo catback
• Installed ACV, air pump, EGR, Split air pipe, solenoid bracket/rats nest, and solenoids with parts sourced from Atkins Rotary when able, ebay when not (most parts). Did a lot of work and research to make sure the parts where for an S4 NA
• Replaced *all* vacuum lines with new silicone lines. Also replaced all fuel lines in the engine bay.
• Installed fresh gaskets on all intake and exhaust components (an previous owner had RTVed all the intake components)

After doing this refresh, the car no longer starts. It cranks at a normal, strong, consistent rate and floods after a few attempts to start. I've deflooded several times, each time sprays fuel out of the spark plug holes. Deflooding doesn't help. I have also checked spark on all plugs with an inline tester. Each plug has strong spark. I've tested the vacuum system and intake for leaks with a cheap amazon smoke machine. There are pretty heavy leaks around the primary injectors but I understand that's normal when there isn't pressure in the fuel lines? I ordered a gasket set for all of the injectors and will be rebuilding those when that arrives either way. I haven't primed the fuel system in about a week so I don't expect their to be pressure. There was also a small leak around the actuator for the TPS and in the vacuum for the oil injectors. I premix and plan to do an OMP delete so I plan to cap off the oil injector vacuum for now. I don't believe it to be a fuel issue since it floods like I'd expect and I strongly believe compression is a-okay as it started previously and I haven't touched the internals of the motor at all. So my questions are:

1. Is the intake leak around the primary injectors a concern, considering I haven't primed the fuel system in a while?
2. Are the other vacuum leaks enough to cause the motor to not start at all (no sputtering or anything)?
3. Is there something I'm missing that could be causing it to not start? Another angle I should look at it or some rotary specific shenanigans that I overlooked?

I really appreciate anyone who's taken the time to read through my long-winded question and appreciate everyone's patience. I've worked on project cars before but this is my first rotary and I'm at a loss. I strongly suspect it has something to do with the intake system since that's what I've done most of the changes to and the fuel, spark, and compression seem to be okay. Any tips or advice from the gurus of this amazing community are also appreciated.
Thanks again!

 

Having fuel squirt out of the spark plug holes is kinda odd from my experience, not sure though.
That on its own will cause issues of it isn't suppose to. Those seals for the injectors are prone to shrinking. Are you sure that you are seeing the primary injectors? Those are under the LIM/UIM, I think. If those seals weren't replaced, do those. Yeah, taking that all apart again is much easier the second time..... ask me how I know. 😆 You will be lucky if air just leaks in the future.

You have fuel, I would verify spark with the front fuse(s) removed. Timing should be good.

If all else fails there and verification of vacuum and lines. I checked all applicable pins by backprobing the ECU. Check for voltage, grounds per the FSM.
When I had a no start, it was the wire harness connectors in the engine bay, drivers side.

If you take apart the LIM/UIM, clean up your main ground and reseat. Some have reported a better running setup with an extra ground to the firewall from the engine. I used 4awg, smaller might work. However, I will say that all gounds need cleaned up if you haven't done so before you just add an extra ground wire. There are write-ups here.

Hopefully someone has an answer for the fuel squirting out the spark plug holes. 🤔

 

Thanks for the reply and tips!

By this I meant the mist of fuel and oil that get ejected from the spark plug holes while deflooding with the plugs out. It's mentioned in several deflooding guides so I believe it to be normal and expected. If it's not normal then I am very concerned.

Good catch, there. I did, in fact, mean that I saw the air leak from the secondary injectors from the UIM. I didn't see smoke coming from the primaries but that doesn't mean it wasn't. There was smoke coming form the oil injector vacuum circuits so it definitely could have gone over looked from the primaries. I'll disconnect and cap off the oil injector vacuum lines and test it again. Might just leave that line capped off since I premix and plan on doing an OMP delete anyway. Regardless, I have an injector seal kit on its way so I will be redoing all of the seal on the all injectors either way. 40 year old rubber is unlikely to be trustworthy.

This is what I'm leaning towards if resealing the injectors and double checking vacuum doesn't help. I suspect a wire to a critical sense may have gotten crushed or busted in the numerous times I uninstalled and reinstalled the UIM. Probably the previously repaired water temp sensor.

Other than all of that, I guess I'll double check spark. Grounding should be good. I did clean and reseat the engine ground but I can double check that while I have the UIM off. Could be the culprit but I'd think it unlikely since I have spark. Doesn't hurt to check, though. I want to avoid adding more grounds erroneously if the stock one should be more than enough.

Thank you again for the reply!