Hi everyone, newbie here and I'm hoping some can help me and my friends get our car started. We have a '91 wagovan (stock D15B2 motor)that we have completely stripped out and have run in the 24 hours of lemons endurance race. We ran the Summit Point race a couple weekends ago and will be running at Stafford Springs in 3 weeks.

The car ran fine at Summit Point for the 1st 4 hours but died on us. We replaced the igniter and coil to get it running again. It ran fine but seemed to be a bit lower on power. Finished the race and drove it home.

We left it sitting for a week, started it up one day and it was fine. Tried starting it the next day and now it won't start. Here is what we have tried:

1. Charged the battery - car cranks but does not start.
2. Checked the main relay - the car is currently jumpered to bypass the main relay. Ran fine like this before and after the race. It is constantly in the ignition II state.
3. Checked the spark plugs - pulled the spark plugs and cranked the engine - all 4 plugs showing spark.
4. Checked the fuel pump - pulled hose from fuel filter - gas shoots out.
5. Checked the top fuel injector - pulled off the throttle body top plate and could see gas shooting in from the top injector hole (it's the dual point). Could not see whether gas was shooting out of the bottom. We could also smell gas coming from the exhaust pipe.
6. Checked the timing belt - ok, a bit worn but in tact. Set it to TDC and checked the distributer rotor - pointed at cylinder 1 plug wire.
7. Checked the ECU - blinks 1 time before we start the car. It was giving code 1 and code 16 on the drive home from the race.

We have not done a compression test. Still need to get a tester. Tried to use starting fluid once and it didn't do anything. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) System Indicated
0 Engine Control Module (ECM)
1 Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S)
3 Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP Sensor)
4 Crankshaft Position (CKP Sensor)
6 Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT Sensor)
7 Throttle Position (TP Sensor)
8 Top Dead Center Position (TDC Sensor)
9 No. 1 Cylinder Position (CYP Sensor)
10 Intake Air Temperature (IAT Sensor)
13 Barometric Pressure (BARO Sensor)
14 Idle Air Control (IAC Valve)
15 Ignition Output Signal
16 Fuel Injector
17 Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS)
20 Electrical Load Detector (ELD)
21 Variable Valve Timing & Valve Lift Electronic Control Solenoid Valve (VTEC Solenoid Valve)
22 Variable Valve Timing & Valve Lift Electronic Control Pressure Switch (VTEC Pressure Switch)
23 Knock Sensor (KS)
30 A/T FI Signal A
31 A/T FI Signal B
41 Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Heater
43 Fuel Supply System


kind of busy, will try to help more later

reset ecu and see if it still shows same codes

 

The ECU gets reset everytime we turn on the car - we have a kill switch attached which deactivates the battery and ignition. So basically it gets reset a lot. I've noticed that it blinks once when the key is put in ignition II. It won't start giving codes until after the engine has been running a bit.

 

ok. Got it started today. The timing belt was off a few teeth. Strange as it was running ok before we parked it, and even started and ran while parked. Then nothing. Might have jumped when shutting off the engine?

 

doubtful unless you have a wrong timing belt on, not enough grooves or to long, if so then yes it could have moved. I use a 3 groove belt on my 4 groove for my alternator. Its tight, not to tight as you can move the alternator around but thats another story.

So you can start it, what code is it throwing once started (You said it'll throw one after a few minutes of running.

If its a 'itch to start just use some starter fluid spray crap and start it and see what it throws.

 

It's run fine for quite a long time, so I doubt it has the wrong timing belt. It is street parked so maybe someone as a practical joke messed with the belt.

Anyways we took it for a test drive and it drives ok until about 4000 rpm it begins to sputter. I'm guessing about 4000 rpm because the tach is disconnected. The only code it is now throwing is 16 - fuel injector. We plan on getting a timing light to adjust the timing now that it is running and checking the fuel injectors for resistance.

Thanks Nooch for following this thread!

 

clean your injectors man !

 

Worked on the car today. The car stumbles and lurches at about 4500 rpm while driving and in neutral.

I put in some fuel injector cleaner in the gas tank. Will see how that goes as we drive it some more, but the initial driving around with the cleaner in tank did not help.

We finally got a timing light and set the car to the correct timing. It was off quite a bit, but setting the timing did not seem to cure our problem.

I checked the resistances across both fuel injectors and they are both to spec.

As a curiosity, I pulled the electrical connector from the secondary injector and revved the engine. It had no effect. Car still stumbled at 4500 rpm. Not that I was expecting it to cure the problem, but it does raise the question of it not doing anything.

Now i'm wondering if the secondary injector is bad. Is it supposed to "kick in" at a particular rpm?

 

It's running well again!

Was driving it to a mechanic for him to diagnose and realized it's revving like it's supposed to. Must have been the fuel injector cleaner and driving it around more. It did the trick!