Alright, I replaced the starter so the motor is spinning now. Stock D15B1 swap, nothing special, just trying to keep the car running. Compression across the cylinders: #1-120psi, #2-110, #3-45, #4-90. The number 3 cylinder is low, but there shouldn't be anything there that will prevent it from starting. I have spark getting to the #1 cylinder, I will check the other 3 to be sure. I can smell gas after cranking it for a while, even with a squirt of starting fluid I'm not getting anything. It will turn over and over, and not even a small catch like its thinking about starting. I've started the car before with only 2 plugs getting spark, so I'm kind of at a loss as to what's holding it back at this point. Any ideas? I'm really reaching at this point.

 

Check the following
Cam timing
Valve clearance
Spark plug in the right firing order
Spark plug gap
That should be a good start.

 

another thing to look at is ignition timing is it popping out the intake if it is your timing is 180 out

 

just did a simmilar swap on friends car..
i solved problem in 10 seconds..
check fuel..
check spark..
if u have both...
distributor is screwed
works 90%of the time...atleast in my experience..
hope this helps!

 

Well, the plugs are in the right order and gapped, I know one of them is getting spark and I can't imagine the other 3 sponatenously failed for no reason all at the same time, but I'm going to check them anyway. I can smell gas coming out the back when I crank it for a while, and can smell gas on the plugs so i'm pretty sure its getting gas. Starter fluid squirted into the TB didn't make a lick of difference. I'm almost positive the cam timing is alright, I was super careful when I changed the timing belt, and it turns fine without any interference...I was under the impression that this has an interference cam, is that correct? Its not like its running rough them stalling, or almost catching but not quite. Its like if you took off the coil wire and sat there trying to start the car. It will crank all day but its never going to start. Thats what it sounds like, except there's spark. grrrrr.

 

replace or clean your spark plugs. They might have so much fuel on them that they arnt able to produce a strong spark. But as said check cam timing since the timing belt was replaced and check the dizzy and make sure its not 180 out. The firing order in case you didnt know 1, 3, 4, 2. Another thing are you kickin any cel's

 

its refusing? ask it nicely

 

I'll take another look at the cam timing to make sure its right. The dizzy cannot be installed 180 degrees off because there is an offset notch that must be lined up. It may be possible with a big hammer...

I haven't checked for error lights or anything, not real sure how to do that.

 

im saying make sure the rotor is tight and still has the screw in it.

 

you swapped a blown motor into your car??
sorry dude i had to ask. that motor won't run well, even if you do start it

 

Well, checked the dizzy, the spark, the timing, all checked out perfectly fine. I made some progress, after squirting some starting fluid into the manifold and cranking it for about 30 sec, it was actually making some effort to turn over on its own. I tried that 3 or 4 more times, and each time it gets slightly closer, but still by no means wanting to run on its own. The motor hasn't been run in probably over a year or more. The only other thing I can think of is that there's some moisture in the cylinders or something thats preventing it from starting? I have no idea where to go with this from here, besides cranking it over and over again til it runs on its own.

 

Alright, well after about half a can of starting fluid and a lot of cranking, I got the car starting upder its own power now. I think it just needed to be cranked over a lot to clean everything out. Now, new problem.

It surges really bad at idle, bad enough to buck the car around if I'm moving and its in gear at idle speed. Probably a little faster than a surge every second. Any ideas as to what would cause this? Bad sensor or something?