I am finishing up my f23 swap, before you ask why f23 I got one for 300, which replaces my 181k motor, and a 5spd conversion. Anyway, my car won't turn over, any ideas on what to check? I am tired and would just like to have my car back

 

Check your timing!

 

If the starter does not engage:

First thing is check the battery connections and connections to the starter for soundness. If all looks OK,

Check for power to the solenoid switch from the ignition switch. If no power, then bad starter relay or bad ignition keyswitch.

good luck

 

Also, check your ground wires for corrosion. If they look bad buy new wires (solved my problem once).

Also, check your battery, and perhaps take your starter to get bench tested. (pep-boys, advance auto and the like do it for free).

Do you hear the solenoid click when you turn the key?

 

Wait...does it crank and not start...or just do nothing at all?

 

Try jumping the terminal on the starter solenoid with the power wire on the starter (from battery, or any 12V source really) with a screwdriver or something and it should crank. If not, then either the battery is dead, connections between battery and starter are bad/loose, or the starter and/or solenoid is bad.

You say you converted from auto to manual, right? Did you jump the terminals in the wiring connector for the P/N switch/gear range selector from the auto shifter? If not, then it won't crank, just as if it were an auto in gear. Check for 12V at the one wire connector going to the starter solenoid, there should be voltage when the key is turned to 'start'. If not, fuse, ignition switch, starter relay, wiring, or P/N switch would be the likely culprits

 

I will clarify for him.

The motor cranks, it just won't start. Starter is fine, alt is fine, battery is fine, grounds are fine, and the wiring is all correct..

I think one of the reasons it isn't turning over is because he has a Viper alarm w/ ignition kill. The shop that installed it did the most ghetto install job I have ever seen in my life. Half of the alarm wires are now hanging loose for one reason or another. I'd remove the box completely, but they did such a hack and tangle job it's hard to tell where the OEM wiring starts and ends. You get what you pay for ..

 

In that case, check the timing.

On a swap me and a friend did on an 88 Jeep, that was the problem. We replaced everything from spark plugs to fuel filter, from distributor rotor button to spraying carb cleaner in the intake tract, still nothing. Would crank and crank all day, but nothing. Check the timing and it started right up after adjustment. Even though it came out of another Jeep correctly timed, it must have jumped and fell out of adjustment.

 

It's not timing. At the most we're 5* either way.

The Viper has a starter kill.

 

Then fix it Patty!

 

The alarm is rewired still nothing, we used a multimeter and tested everything, everything checks out. But we get no spark and no fuel.

 

No spark or fuel? I'm stumped.

 

Well the fp isn't getting power.

After talking to wadzii he suggested the main harness ground (the one which grounds on either the thermostat or intake manifold). I completely forgot about that one, and only had it grounded on the valve cover and tranny. Whoops.

 

Ah Grounds! Totally overlooked those bastards!