So i rebuilt my friends 01 b18c1 after he bent some valves. We got it all together and tried to start it and it sounds good and turns over but doesnt start. (close but doesnt start) When the distributor is more forward it would backfire and when i have it all the way back it just turns over and almost starts... Does this sound like maybe the cams might be a tooth off from the crank because the cams line up perfect. It was what we thought to be top dead center when we took the head off. Im not sure what else it could be. Any help would be appreciated!

Would the car still turn over fine and sound good if the cams were a tooth off from the crank? The cams are on time but you just cant see the crank with that plastic cover in the way. The backfire while the distributor was back and just cranking when its in the middle or forward is leading me to believe this but not sure how much room there is between the valves and pistons to where they could both be a tooth off.

If anyone has had the similar problem or could know what else it could be i would appreciate it.

 

You don't need to see the actual crank. Line up the TDC mark on the harmonic balancer with the notch on the lower timing cover. Then line up the cam gear marks so they form a straight line that is parallel to the top of the upper timing cover.

 

The mark for the crank pulley (harmonic balancer) is behind the plastic cover isnt it. or is there a little plug maybe that you can take off to see the mark on the oil pump? Does it sound like this could be the problem?

 

There's a little tab with a notch in it on the lower plastic timing cover. It's the same notch used when setting the ignition timing. You'll need to take off the valve cover to line up the cam gears but the TDC notch on the balancer will line up with the little tab without taking anything off. There's also a notch on the oil pump behind the balancer to line up the crankshaft timing gear when the balancer is removed.

 

Ok awsome thanks for the reply. I will check that tomorrow to see if its all in time or see if maybe thats the problem. Does that sound like what would happen if the cams were off a tooth from the crank?

 

It sure could be.

 

mess around with the firing order...

you could have a couple mixed up

 

Ya we were thinking that too but we taped them up before we took them off and kept them on the distributor but i will double check that.

 

Ok finally got time to go over and check everything...The timing was off so we went ahead and fixed that so now the timing is perfect.

On another note...The car turns over good still but just wont start. It is getting fuel and i took the spark plug out and left it in the wire and it looks like it is getting a little spark but not really what it should. I am stumped and have no idea what else it could be.

He told me that he put his distributor and stuff in the trunk while it was all off and the trunk leaked water and the distributor was sitting in about an inch of water. Would this mess up the distributor to where it wont start? or make it a weak spark? Cap looks alright but rotor looks a little burnt.

I told him to go ahead and atleast get a new rotor since their cheap and part of a tune-up.

He also already has new plugs and msd wires.

Like i said i am stumped and have no clue what else it could be so any info or advice would be awsome...

 

Try to get the ignition sorted out first, even if there's another problem. Make sure all of the terminals and connections inside the distributor are corrosion-free. If you sand corrosion off of the cap terminals, you may want to bend them inward just a hair with needle nose pliers to make up for the metal removed when sanding. Be very careful. If you bend them too much, they will break. When checking the spark, test all four wires and make sure to disable the injectors. If they are all weak, test one grounded to the battery negative post. If it's a stronger spark then you've got a bad ground. If it's not a bad ground and all wires are weak with the new rotor, have the coil tested. As always, make sure you're not using any old and worn out filters.

 

Great advice. This is the next thing i will check.

 

Ok so the fuel pump is primeing but there is no fuel coming out of the line before the fuel pressure regulator when i disconnect it. Timing still looks perfect. Cranks TDC with the cams up and straight across the head.

Any ideas on the fuel situation. The car is on E but still a little fuel. Maybe try some carb cleaner in the throttle body? or a little fuel.

Thx for any advice

 

First, get some gas in the tank. Keep in mind that raising the front of the car lets fuel flow to the back of the tank, away from the fuel pump. Inspect the lines, making sure everything is connected well and no fuel is leaking after the you prime the system a couple times. Replace the fuel filter if it's old and if that doesn't fix the problem, try a new fuel pump. You should be able to return it if it doesn't fix the problem.

 

Ok so we put some gas in the car and it will come out the pressure regulator when i dsconnected the fuel line to it. I took all the spark plugs out while he cranked it over and we noticed 1 spark plug wasnt sparking. Switched the wires around to make sure it was the wire and not something with the distributor and it is just the wire. Would 1 wire not sparking make it totally not run tho? Would think it would atleast stumble and try to start? Thanks

 

If gas didn't come out of the line until you added some, you might have been out of gas. If everything was working perfectly, the car would still start with one bad wire. One less thing standing in the way of the motor starting.

 

Ok so i have a new problem now. The timing is absolutely perfect to what my alldata says. Cams are straight across the head with the up arrows pointing up and the white dot at tdc and yellow dot (on crank pulley) alligned perfect with the mark on the plastic cover over the oil pump.

All the spark plugs are getting a strong spark and when you pull the plugs out they are covered in gas. All the cylinders are getting 175 psi compression.
It still cranks over but wont quite start.

I took the intake off to spray some starting fluid in the throttle body and antifreeze atarted pouring out... We have no idea where it is coming from but i am thinking that if it is sucking antifreeze in the manifold and covering the plugs that maybe that would cause it not to start?

I was thinking that maybe if i did a coolant bypass on the iacv and plugged the one on the throttle body maybe that will stop all the coolant in the manifold.If anyone else knows how coolant could leak into the intake manifold plz share the info

Also there is a nipple where the upper coolant hose connects to the block that we just cant figure out where it goes too. If anyone knows what hose is suppose to connect to it and where else the hose connects to id appreciate it. Heres the pic off alldata.

 

Bump. Anything useful would help.

 

Ok so i think the antifreeze thing is fixed now. Did te coolant bypass and everything looks good... No antifreeze in the manifold.

Now it still wont start...Its getting spark, getting fuel, Even sprayed a little starting fluid in the throttle body and still no start.

This leads me back to the distributor in water thing. SO anyways he had his distributor in his trunk and didnt know his trunk was leaking water. When he looked in there the distributor was about 1/4 of the way under water so he took it out. My question is Could just sitting in water make it not start? I know the igniter has got to work because it getts great spark and all the terminals and everything looked good when i took the distributor apart...The only thing i could think of is the Crank sensor. This would cause it not to start right? Dont have a spare one and he doesnt hasve the 300 dollars for a new one so we might try to borrow one just to see it thats the problem but notsure yet.

Also im not sure about what gets connected and doesnt on these swaps but the ckf sensor connector by the crankshaft on the timing side isnt connected to anything and there arent any other connectors to connect it to and i wouldnt see that we took that off just to rebuild the head anyways. Im just stumped right now an have no ideas what else to try that doesnt cost so much lol.

Also tried to check and see if any codes would pop up when i jumped the code wire and the cel just stayed on and didnt blink or anything.

Idk what else to check nor what else to try but seems to have to be something electrical that just isnt working to start it. Anything that wold help is appreciated!

 

When you did your coolant bypass that keeps anit-free from getting to a thermo sensor which controls fast idle when cold. I just uplugged mine and give it gas when i start it in the cold.

Anyways, I would check the crank angle sensor..Buy a new dizzy..new plugs...And look at your ecu...I don't think its working....

 

so i cant get this b18c1 started tryes to turn over but no start........ i let it sit for a month and nadda now i got fues but no spark any ideas where to start before i sell it for a 1000

 

if your problem does not have to do with the original post then start your own thread.obviously if you can post a reply to this thread then you have the ability to start your own thread.
dont hijack another post it adds to confusion when diagnosing the op's problem.
adam