Hey guys. Going crazy here trying to get this car to run again. I have scoured this site and others reading almost every post regarding a no start and haven't been able to pin anything down.

Bought a 91 DX Wagon with the D15b2 a few weeks ago running and mostly driving. Trans was basically shot so picked up a new to me trans and put it and a new clutch in. Got everything put back together aaaaaand cranks all day but wont start. I drove this thing home and up into my garage, swapped the trans and now nothing. I've gotten a few little sputters and one backfire.

What I've checked:
I have fuel. I can smell it while cranking, pump primes with key turn etc. Cyl 1 and 2 plugs seem to get soaked with fuel but 3 and 4 don't, not sure if that matters. Though I do think at once point I ran it out or almost did. Added a few gallons
I have spark, albeit a little weak but it's there (orange-ish color)
Replaced dizzy (needed a new one anyway), no change
Checked, re-checked, and triple checked plug wire order
Checked all fuses, under dash and hood
ECU seems to work, flashes once with a key turn then flashes me a code 10
Checked cam timing, I think this is good? 2 marks and the UP mark are parallel with the head with Cyl 1 at tdc
Grounds were a little iffy so added one from battery to body to trans, cleaned up thermostat ground, and added one from valve cover to body

A few other things to note, I got a 'new' identical harness to replace the kind of hacked one that was in there. Thought maybe that would be the problem so switched back to old one, nope. Did the same thing with the dizzy.
Car got a little hot at idle once because the fan is hotwired to a switch that I forgot to flip. Steaming from under hood, it was running maybe 2 minutes tops at this time

Thanks for any help, I'm going insane trying to figure this out. Just wanna get it back together, off jack stands and take it for a ride but with all the gears this time. lol

 

Check for swapped sensor connectors.

Ohm test the distributor coil.

 

Just went out and checked all the sensors against the pictures I took, nothing is mixed up. I'll get a multimeter on Monday and check the coil

 

Checked both coils today. Been inside for 24+ hours at around 70. New coil came back with 0.9-1, and around 11k secondary. Old one same primary and around 12k secondary. Also did a compression test over the weekend:
1- 110
2- 140
3-150
4-170

Thoughts on where to go from here? Guessing I need a new coil based on the results

 

The compression number are not good - 3 bad cylinders.

 

Engine basically junk then? At this rate I'm about ready to get a different one and drop it in. Sick of messing with this junk D15 lol

 

Outline how you did the compression test.

Losing any coolant?

For code 10, check whether the IAT sensor is unplugged.

 

Took all plugs out, screwed hose into each plug hole (finger tight), had wife crank motor until gauge stopped moving. Engine was cold and still had some fuel going into cylinders.

IAT has been verified as plugged in.

Definitely losing coolant. Boiled over and steaming from under hood, because I forgot to turn the hotwired fan on while idling it for a few mins. Seems its pretty quick to overheat but not sure 100% because temp gauge doesn't work. Currently not seeing anything in rad and hoses feel pretty empty

 

The headgasket may be blown. Cylinder leak down tests should be done on cyls 1-3.

If you reset the ECU, does code 10 return?

 

Copy. I'll see if I can get ahold of a leak down tester. Have reset ecu several times now and code 10 is constant. I'm new to obd0 but the ecu flashes once at the turn of the key, then flashes the code correct? I get the one blink, pause, then 10 back to back.

Pretty sure the cam timing is good. At TDC on #1, the two marks seem to line up with the head, as well as the up mark facing up

 

Might be code 1 (O2 sensor) rather code 10.

 

That could be it because o2 currently isn't hooked up. Old harness the connector was cut, new harness has it but there a 4 wire sensor in the manifold instead of a 1 wire

 

Dual point injectors have issues with something in modern fuel mixtures. They start to leak internally, and a few days of sitting around can wash out the rings.
Pull the plugs and let the chambers air out. A few hours above freezing is usually enough. Add some oil to help reseat the rings.

 

I also just noticed that the OP did not mention disabling the fuel injectors and keeping throttle body wide open during the compression tests. If so, the tests should be redone.

 

​​​​​​Interesting. It's been sitting that way for several days now so hopefully that helps.

I did none of that during the compression test, I will redo that tonight. How do I disable the injectors?

 

Unplug distributor or remove hood ECU fuse.

 

Update, scelestus must have been onto something. Went out the other day, put it all back together and it actually fired! Also the trans and clutch work great which is a big weight off my shoulders knowing I installed everything right.

Put my "new" clean wiring harness back in, everything still works and I even have a functioning tach now!

Still a few things to take care of, like the bad IAT sensor and I also have no coolant gauge. Thinking the sending unit is bad? But with it running now I'm one step closer to getting it all back together and back on the road