Geonovast Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 Yeah it's the same motor. I could maybe see the EGR being a problem... if it started and then died right away. But it just cranks and cranks, just doesn't wanna kick and go. I believe I've eliminated everything but the timing. I must've screwed something up. I'm stealing my mom's extra car to get back down to MO to pick up the GF and kiddo, I'll have to deal with this again when I get back. :fs1: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aemsee Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Is there any way that the engine got turned over while the chain was off? How did you line up the marks on the gears? If you think that it is 180 off and just want to check, don't pull the dist, just jump all the wires directly across from each other. Easy to put back if that isn't it. The best way to check for being off a tooth is to use an old dist cap and cut a window in it at the #1 terminal (on the side). With the #1 cyl at TDC, the tail of the rotor terminal should line up with the #1 terminal. You say you have spark and fuel. Seems like a timing issue, OR, if the engine got turned over by hand a few times, I have seen lifters bleed down enough to not fully open up the valves to get a motor to fire. Try pulling all the plugs, and using a good boost charger, or a good jump box, crank it over for a few minutes, in 15 or 20 second bursts, to try and build up oil pressure and get the lifters pumped back up. Worth a shot and only cost is time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 Flipping the wires wouldn't work. If the timing was 180 off, all that would do is cause it to spark when the exhaust valve is closing and the intake is opening. Definitely wouldn't run then. I'll try lobbing the ear off the old dist cap and seeing how much it lines up. That's a pretty good idea, I hadn't thought of trying that. Again, I'm leaving in the morning so this will all have to wait until I get back. Dunno when that will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aemsee Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Crossing the wires 180 is exactly the same as pulling the dist and turning the rotor 180 and reinstalling it. Believe me, I have done it several times to ensure that I messed up the dist installation before pulling it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 There's no way it got 180 off. If it's off, it's off by a tooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aemsee Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Then forget about the wires if you are sure. Usually off a tooth it will still fire. Don't pass off the bleed down lifters though. I have experienced it more than once. If the VC is still off, watch the amount that the valves move when you crank it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 It's been cranked a lot. Enough to run the battery dead almost twice. If the lifters were a little frozen up, I think they'd have gotten loose by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kro10000 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 ive been here before, with my old dak no less... that spark might hurt, but if youve got a spare coil hook it up, my last truck had spark, but wouldnt fire... i changed everything believing that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kro10000 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 since i had spark the coil must be good, finally in a last ditch effort i bought a cheapo coil and it fired right up... what a pain :wall: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 I had two spare Renix coils. Sold them a few weeks ago on CL. Even plugged them into the XJ and they worked fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kro10000 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 bad plugs/cap/wires will burn up a coil... dunno if a bad cps could have adverse effects on it either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 I was getting spark, but I do suppose it could have just been not hot enough. I dunno. I think I'm just getting to the wishing it was simple, but it probably isn't phase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Spark is spark. "weak" or not... :hmm: I would guess that its so weak cause the battery is about dead and thats all she has to work with. I'm thinking your problems lie elsewhere. Were all of the connectors clean when you pushed them back together. Lots of grease and dirt in your car-port to get in them and "open" a connection... Have you tried pouring gas in the TB and then trying to start it yet? Things like this eliminate functions that the engine is supposed to do and if you can get it to at least fire by doing this then you can track whatever it is down easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kro10000 Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Spark is spark. "weak" or not... :hmm: I would guess that its so weak cause the battery is about dead and thats all she has to work with. I'm thinking your problems lie elsewhere. Were all of the connectors clean when you pushed them back together. Lots of grease and dirt in your car-port to get in them and "open" a connection... Have you tried pouring gas in the TB and then trying to start it yet? Things like this eliminate functions that the engine is supposed to do and if you can get it to at least fire by doing this then you can track whatever it is down easier. See thats what I thought, but I proved myself wrong. If you have a renix buddy nearby I'd see if you could "borrow" his coil. If anything it rules out a simple explanation. Definately try pouring fuel down the intake, itll rule out fuel issues. Although by the sound of it, youve got fuel. Anyway good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpdocdave Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 ya, you can have a spark thats too weak to actually fire the engine. a white/blue spark is nice and strong, a yellow spark is on the weak side. or there's a super cheap spark tester that has an adjustable gap and you put it on the wire, set the gap and you can see the spark jump, if it jumps at a smaller gap but not in spec, then the spark could be too weak. it comes with a little spec sheet usually for different vehicles. the gap on the tool is usually anywhere from zero to a little over an inch, its not like trying to look at a spark plug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kro10000 Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 And if its got the battery has enough power to crank the motor, then the coil is getting enough signal strength to fire a motor. So youre not gonna have issues there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 If you have a renix buddy nearby I'd see if you could "borrow" his coil. If anything it rules out a simple explanation. He's already on top of this one. Got ahold of me last night to do just that. I'm looking at heading over his way sometime this weekend to try my hand at it while he is out of town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kro10000 Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 If you have a renix buddy nearby I'd see if you could "borrow" his coil. If anything it rules out a simple explanation. He's already on top of this one. Got ahold of me last night to do just that. I'm looking at heading over his way sometime this weekend to try my hand at it while he is out of town. Cool, let us know what happens :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxRacing282 Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 you may want to try pulling a plug, its probabally dripping in fuel and there for won't start. it may not be your problem, but it may be. and either way, wet plugs won't fire. you can get the plugs glowing red with a propape or map-gas torch that will work fine as long as you burn alll the fuel out of them. i can't remember if the harmonic has a timing mark on it?? your plug wires arent all criss-crossed are they? if they are get them far apart from eachother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Here is my update: He left and didn't leave me the key. :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I had a weak spark issue in the 86 that turned out to be corrosion on the power wire feeding the coil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted September 24, 2009 Author Share Posted September 24, 2009 Here is my update: He left and didn't leave me the key. :dunno: Yeah, I know, I'm brilliant. :nuts: We'll just have to check it when I get back. I'll also try lobbing off one ear of the old dist cap to check the timing. I'm sure if I get one of those little LED worm flashlights I'll be able to make sure the piston is at TDC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kro10000 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Update? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 Just got home an hour ago. Won't really be able to tackle it tomorrow.. something else rather important has come up. Friday I'll jump into it, and I'm really hoping it's something stupid that I somehow overlooked. Brent... if it's not magically running by Sat, could I get you to run out with one of yours so we can sit them side by side and see what I didn't do right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinkrun Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Try checking the wires in the harness that comes out around the middle of the firewall. I just got mine running after many many hours (you have read the post) its was where several grounds come together in that harness near the rear of the engine. This must have happened when I pulled the harness up out of the way I stuffed it under the wiper to hold it up. Good luck hope yours is up and running soon also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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