my car won't start

Hectorious

Spectator
ok so i just finished doing my motor swap in my car everything is wired up and connected,ready to go....well it won't start :mad: :eek: the motor keeps turning and turning like it wants to start.it just doesn't if any one has had this prob or has any idea whats going on please HELP!!

i know someone here know what to do.
 
well silly first what motor did u put in the car duh!!! we need more info to help, but lets start with the two basics, check for spark-take the coil pack(sr) or spark plug wire(ka) and stick a spark plug in it lean the plug aganist a ground on the motor. turn the engine over, do u see a spark coming from the plug? yes then you have spark(check all cylinders one at atime) NO! there you go you have no spark(check ecu and cuts in engine harness, coilpack,coil distributor, spark plug wires etc.) Check for fuel-make sure you have gas in your car!!!NOW-turn key to on position know stick your head by the gas tank do you hear the fuel pump turn on (yes then it works) NO then your pump might be fried or there is a fault in the harness you can hard wire the fuel pump by giving the fuel pump a ground and running the power wire to a key on. now we need to check the fuel filter well if you did a motor swap you should of replaced it anyways, replace it if you didn't (MAKE SURE YOU INSTALL IT THE RIGHT WAY ARROW POINTING UP) now check the injectors. take the rail off the intake manifold and make it point upwards (becareful fuel will go everwere) crank the motor over. watch each injector spray in the correct firing order if yes fuel is not your problem if NO-you need to check for injector signal with eithe a test light or a NOIDE LIGHT. no signal bad ecu yes signal bad injectors.(signal/light should go on and off like a strobe, that shows when the injector is suppose to open up)
to do these test make sure you have a good charge battery, new spark plugs, and good,fresh fuel in the car if any of these are bad dont waste your time.
i can help you more but i need more info, plesae i really like to help people out with the knowelege i have.
 
if you know you have spark, and timing is correct, then you can spray some starter fluid into the air filter and see if it starts if it does then that means fuel system is having problems...if it doesnt then...yea

so remember, engine start= spark, fuel, air, timing
 
you probably hooked up the fuel lines backwards, swap them and see if it starts... common mistake most people make when doing a swap
 
i truly appreciate all the help..btw the car is ka with an s14 wiring harness (obd2). :bigthumbu ..again thanks for the help im gonna take all your advice and work on my car.i'll keep you guys updated.
 
dan said:
you probably hooked up the fuel lines backwards, swap them and see if it starts... common mistake most people make when doing a swap



ding ding ding. we have a winner. check the fuel lines. make sure that the line from the fuel filter isnt going into the regulator.
 
ok so i have fuel and i have spark..and i did change the spark plugs and the fuel pump works fine.btw the fuel lines are connected correctly.so now im gonna go buy some starter fluid and put it in the car...asuming the spray works meaning i have 1)timing 2)spark 3)fuel 4)air...what then, does the car shut off ? does it run until i turn it off?do i have to keep spraying that fluid ? :eek:

:confused:
 
you spray in the fluid for 2-3 seconds (instructions will be on the can)

the car should start and run for a couple seconds, until it burns up all the fluid, then shut off. if this happens, then you need to doublecheck everything in your fuel system. if the starter fluid has no effect, then the problem is probably elsewhere.

did you look at your old spark plugs? what did they look like?
 
Update!!!

well i did notice that one of the plugs of the 4 plugs was of a different brand.and they looked used but not to bad but i had the extra plugs so i swapped them.im gonna try the spray right now i'll be back to update.

ok i checked if i had spark and i noticed i don't ...i put i flat head in the spark plug wire and put it to a ground and nothing...when you put in a motor into a car and use the same ecu and wirng harness is it usually nessaciry to move at all the distrubutor ? :bigthumbu

:chair:
 
ummm...it couldnt hurt to check that the camshafts and pulley are lined up..but anyways uhh it wouldnt matter where the distributer is, it should be giving spark. umm so you've found your problem, congrats. so now check all your ignition stuff
 
you distributor could have went bad. It could be the crank angle sensor.I could be thinking of the wrong sensor I don't remember if it is called crank or cam sensor. Sorry guys. I can give my tuner a call and see which one we had the problem with on my car.
 
ok i managed to put the car on time and drove it home...now the car is overheating...i know bad timing can do that how can i fix it ?

:bigthumbu btw i upgraded to headers and a catback exhaust...i have a gap of one foot where the cat should be.so to put it simply the headers and exhaust do not connect...can that cause the motor to overheat ?also how can i tell if my cluster is broken...when the car is off the stick is down and when im driving little by little it goes up passing the center line.but it did this also when the orignal motor was in the car.btw im not that much of noob and i didn't change the motor for nothing there, was lots of oil in the antifreeze (blown headgasket).
 
congrats on the startership...uhh about timing, either check a manual or ask someone on 240sx.com or watever OC's there are out there.
 
s14.5drift said:
ok i managed to put the car on time and drove it home...now the car is overheating...i know bad timing can do that how can i fix it ?

:bigthumbu btw i upgraded to headers and a catback exhaust...i have a gap of one foot where the cat should be.so to put it simply the headers and exhaust do not connect...can that cause the motor to overheat ?also how can i tell if my cluster is broken...when the car is off the stick is down and when im driving little by little it goes up passing the center line.but it did this also when the orignal motor was in the car.btw im not that much of noob and i didn't change the motor for nothing there, was lots of oil in the antifreeze (blown headgasket).



umm.. did you bleed the coolant system after you swapped the new engine in? If you didnt, you are gonna have air pockets until it fills up causing it to overheat when you drive it the first couple of times
 
im gonna check the antufreeze levels im almost 100 percent sure it's that tho..i know of one way to bleed the radiator which would be right around the upper hose where it enters the motor.any one know of any others...let me know thanks......Btw thanks
"Under Control" For the Help... :bigthumbu
 
NOTE: You should never spray anything upstream of the mass airflow sensor. You can damage the hotwire that meters the air flow. Even if the canister says sensor safe its never good practice. Take the idle air control valve hose off the intake and shoot ur spray in there.

When you fill the coolant on a KA, you need to open the bleeder valve and put your a\c controls to HOT. Then fill the radiator up. Start the car, let it warm up, shut it off, then after its cooled off top off the radiator, close bleeder valve and fill coolant over flow.
 
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