Car is dead
 

Okay so my car is down....it cranks but nothing happens. Does not start :td:

It all started when I went into boost...it basically felt like someone was pulling on the e-break and slowing the car down. Than the car started loosing more and more power. One day I decided to add a bunch of timing and noticed that the car did improve in drivability and pulled quite well. So I was under impression that it had something to do with my timing. I checked the timing belt and its alignment and it was perfect...so I need help in trouble shooting.

So basically what would make the car crank but not start???

What I did:

changed fuel pressure regulator
changed spark plugs...and made sure that there is spark
changed ecu settings
changed air flow meter
changed injectors
checked fuel pump....ok
checked timing...ok
checked fro fuel delivery...ok
checked for fuel pressure.....ok

Any suggestions??

I hate the sun being out and my car being a garage queen.

compression test?

in for answer.


Check connections on the harness.

Maybe you have an air leak that isn't visible -?
Or, how old is you catalytic convertor? Real old? Could be an exhaust restriction. Kinda like a potato stuck in your pipe!

Being a 1990 car - Maybe your crank key is a little fucked up in the groove and making your timing the shits. When was the last time anyone looked at that?

I 2nd lola's suggestion. when you checked timing, did you check your crank bolt? even if its a long nose.

How about the catalytic converter. Our 96 did the same stuff before it deid unbolt the cat a little and see if that helps.

I'm in for: pending results of compression test.

Meow.

well don't feel bad.. braineack just killed his car (motor).

What happened? That's #2 for him isn't it?

Short nose crank failure.
Incorrectly routed PCV system.

One of the above is correct. :)

Classic sign is that he increased timing and it helped for a while, and now it won't start. I don't think loss of compression (unless it was like a hole in the block) would act this way.

That is going to be the next thing....def need to see. Although I have only ran 10psi and I checked my compression 2 years ago...It would not be a bad idea. Ok so that is next.

Have not checked the connections on the harness. Was actually thinking about doing that. Reason I didn't is because the Emanage seemed to be functioning when data logging. It was changing timing and adding fuel. But it could be bad I guess.

That is a good point. I know that I have a short crank. And I do need to replace that seal...it starting to leak some oil. However when I check the timing with a timing gun its good. Can it jump around when driving.

Going to check the crank bolt...good suggestion.


Yes....meow indeed!!!

Okay so yeah I did add timing and it did help out. Than after a couple of days it started dying again and it would not start up.

Also before everything went down the car's EGT was always high like crazy. Regardless of what I was doing and more so when I was trying to boost. And I was getting huge backfires. However when the boost would go up the car seemed to decrease in power.

Yeah although I am still going to do a compression test...I don;t think it is that.

So what does one do to fix this little problem....where do i start. Should I just do a 1.8 swap lol??

Get used 1.6 motor and call it a day.

Cat Cat Cat i went through the same thing and changed the Timming belt, Cas, KAS coils, WP, and the FP relay. And all i needed to do was open the cat and run a hard wire for the FP. The mod is 2 14 mm bolts spray plenty of WD40 etc and then make a inch or so of room to allow it to flow just in case if it works then just beat the hell out of it, and you will have a running car. ;)

possibility...but I would LOVe to see the results of a compression test. if you don't have a compression tester I would be willing to help you out. I live in Gurnee and I work at protege garage in libertyville...check us out sometime!! We have 2 miatas in teh shop right now.

And which harness might that be?

It aint' compression. How bad does the compression have to be accross all 4 cyl for that car not to start?

OP says he checked timing, I'd check it again, bet it is all over the place if you can even get something meaningful.

Might be a plugged cat, but it certainly isn't an issue with compression. How in the hell does advancing the timing help with loss of compression?

Yeah I will PM you my number. I will be working on it this weekend and maybe you can help me out. Thanks bro.

I was assuming that he meant the ecu to emanage harness.

Yeah I doubt is compression too. Its got to be the crank pully. Although when the car did run the timing was set that 10* and it did stay there when I did jump the "ten" and "gnd" terminals in the diagnostic box. Also like I said the egt was really hot.....1600* + just trying to cruise. And no power.

The pully did wobble and there was oil that was leaking out....I guess it was bound to happen. Stupid short nose. Drifting probably did not help either...lol.

If you are lucky maybe the crank pulley (aka harmonic balancer is just giving you lousy readings because it has started to separate). Sure fire (easy) way to tell if your balancer is FBAR, is to stick something longish (dowel) into cylinder #1 and rotate it til it is at TDC - Look at your timing groove and see if the marks are at TDC.