OK, so I just read like a trillion "car won't start posts" and was wondering if anyone has had an experience similar to mine:

Just got car back after new - valves, springs, retainers, sk2 IM, CTR cams, cam gears (+3 intake, -1 exhaust) and timing belt, - were all installed.

Background: The car has been idling a little low in traffic, almost dying. Just got the car back 3 days ago and have been babying it during clutch breakin.

As I was trying to back out of my driveway this morning, the car stuttered and died. Trying to restart it, the car turned over and sounded like it wanted to start, but wouldn't quite make it. grounds are good. Like I said, it ran fine for three days, and even started up today, but died as I was leaving my house.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. I need my car.

 

might want to check your ignition timing and cam timing.

 

It was just yesterday that I set the gears. I will set them back to 0 deg today and see if that does the trick. The ignition is set to 0 also. I am not quite sure how to adjust it, but if it is at 0 deg then that is where it needs to be, right? PS - I have an IH8RICERZ- tuned ECU.

 

Is you fuel pump turning on?

 

Yep, fuel pump is working.

 

Does it keep trying to turn over as long as you have the key turned or does it stop? Maybe your battery is dead?

 

Yep. Keeps turning over. Battery's not dead. In fact, that was just replaced as well. I suspect a fuse, possibly.

 

then check the fuses.

also check the basics, spark, fuel.

 

i have a similar problem. does your idle fluctuate at lights between 1300 and 200 and then sometimes die. mine gets worse if i drive with a heavy foot.

 

What have you checked and can verify isn't the problem?

 

Yes, it does have that idling problem between 1000 and 1500, then after a minute or so, it drops between 200 and 700. Are you running a Skunk 2 intake mani.? The intake mani (a vaccum issue) was the first thing I thought of in regard to the idle. I am pretty sure that the hoses were T'd correctly.

I will check when I return home on the fuse.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Wilky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yes, it does have that idling problem between 1000 and 1500, then after a minute or so, it drops between 200 and 700. Are you running a Skunk 2 intake mani.? The intake mani (a vaccum issue) was the first thing I thought of in regard to the idle. I am pretty sure that the hoses were T'd correctly.

I will check when I return home on the fuse. </TD></TR></TABLE>

weren't the Junk2's known for leaking? That would cause the idle problems.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Wilky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The ignition is set to 0 also. I am not quite sure how to adjust it, but if it is at 0 deg then that is where it needs to be, right?</TD></TR></TABLE>

umm no, the ignition must not be set to 0 deg. It should be around the 16-18 BTDC range. Get a timing light and make sure its set ok. When you adjust the cam gears the ignition timing will be changed.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Wilky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It was just yesterday that I set the gears. I will set them back to 0 deg today and see if that does the trick. The ignition is set to 0 also. I am not quite sure how to adjust it, but if it is at 0 deg then that is where it needs to be, right? PS - I have an IH8RICERZ- tuned ECU. </TD></TR></TABLE>
i think what he is trying to get at when he is saying it is 0 degrees is that it is at
16 dbtc. when the motor is idling around 800 rpm the pointer on the timing belt cover should be in the middle of the 3 lines on the crank pulley. when your cam gears are at TDC the pointer should be lined up with the one single line on the crank pulley.

 

OK, so by adjusting the intake side cam gear, I actually retarded or advanced the ignition timing? Yes, the timing was set at 16 dbtc, but I have never fooled with it myself. How do I adjust it, and will my aftermarket ecu, that I am sure has some advance, cause problems?

 

Spray some starter fluid or carb cleaner into the intake while cranking it (or have a friend do it) if it combusts, you aren't getting fuel and that's where you need to start looking. My problem turned out to be one of the wires from my fuel relay. Vice-versa for spark. GL man.

 

better run a compression check .. also you might want to get your dist. check out also... see if your getting any spark to the plug at all...also be sure your timing is set correctly..see if that helps?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Wilky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">OK, so by adjusting the intake side cam gear, I actually retarded or advanced the ignition timing? Yes, the timing was set at 16 dbtc, but I have never fooled with it myself. How do I adjust it, and will my aftermarket ecu, that I am sure has some advance, cause problems?</TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah when you change the degrees on the intake cam the distributor timing gets changed. So after you make a change to the cam gear you have to re-adjust the ignition timing. You do that by rotating the dist. (make sure you put a jumper on the wires under the dash first)

 

What's up with the jumper on the wires on the dash? Never heard of this.

 

You have to jump the service connector that comes out right by your ECU. It's a little blue plug with 2 holes in it. Jump it with a paper clip or something.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Wilky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What's up with the jumper on the wires on the dash? Never heard of this.</TD></TR></TABLE>

http://www.helminc.com

 

when my car did what you are saying, it wasnt geting spark.

 

Check all of your grounds my friend..... Tranny, Battery, Thermostat, head. make sure you are getting a good connection. this always goes overlooked by many people

 

These were checked and rechecked, but I am going to go back through and check each and every individual one with the diagrams when I get them. Anybody happen to have a link or can e-mail me these?

Like I said though, I don't think the grounds are the problem. The car was running okay for three days, with a low idle, but running. It wouldn't have been runnng if the grounds weren't right.

A mechanic friend seems to think the problem is the ignitor. How would I be able to isolate and test whether or not the ignitor is bad.

Please help. I need my ride. I know someone has had the same exact problem before. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

Bump. Help me.... Please!!!! (Look, now I'm begging).

 

spark plugs?