Hello everyone.

I just finished a head gasket job on my 92’ miata with a 1.8 swap and megasquirt PNP2. Before the head gasket job it would start up fine, cranking was never a problem, has a new battery, cranked strong. Finished connecting everything and cranked without injectors or spark to build oil pressure, everything’s good, cranked strong. Plugged in spark and fuel for a first attempt at starting and it cranks for a little bit... then dies.... then cranks for a little bit.... then dies. So this only started after i plugged in the injectors and spark. I messed with it a little and with just spark plugged in it does it about 3 times then cranks freely, then with both spark and fuel plugged in it will just keep doing it.
Here’s a link to a video of my most recent attempt to start

start attempt:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XLH...w?usp=drivesdk

I have CAS signal, RPM is registering, composite log looked fine, i tested spark with megasquirt and it works, spark plugs were wet when pulled. I haven’t got a clue what’s going on. I didn’t touch a single thing electrically. I thought the battery was low so i charged it for a little, same thing.

In the video it sputtered like it was going to start, that was the first time that had happened, I haven’t changed anything in attempts to start, and after that attempt it won’t do the weird cranking thing anymore.

Ive got nothing, any suggestions? The car only sat for about a week while doing the head.

Thanks for your help!!!

AJ

YES. Thanks for the suggestion I realized I biffed up the timing belt reassembly. Fixed it and still have the same problem as I displayed in the video. Which is odd because it went away right after i took the video.

AJ

You can’t set timing if it doesn’t run. Chances are the CAS is off a bit. Change your cranking advance by +5 or -5 (try both), I bet one will solve your problem.

BINGO! Thank you Curly!