My baby won't start...

[aradapilot]

So I have a 1990 hatchback, KA24E. Was driving a steady 55mph in 4th down the highway, lost throttle response completely (cable still opens the throttle though), took her out of gear so she stalled out and pulled off the road. Try to start her back up, starter cranks but the motor doesn't start.
Got a tow back home, a few miles away, and took a look. Note that it was raining hard at the time this happened and there was some flooding on the roads so consider possible water damage:

-spark is sent to the plugs without fail.

-fuel pressure is fine to the rail, but my guess is it's not being injected due to an ecu issue or grouding failure, likely from the rain (it was raining so hard the cabin was leaking a little, which may have shorted something in the wiring around the ecu).

-I have the ecu sitting in two pieces on a table, there is some light rust and corrosion just from age but no major burns. there is slight water damage on the outside of the case but no evidence it penetrated to the board. the ecu does power up but returns a 55-No Malfunction when checked for codes.

-timing chain is intact, as the camshaft spins and the valves open and shut...it is theoretically possible it jumped a cog, but I'm hoping to rule this out as the engine was under no real stress at the time (cruising at 2500rpm, no accel) so I don't see how it would happen.

Any ideas on what I can test or work on to get her back on the roads where she belongs? I don't have a full garage to work in but I've built this car up from where I found her in a parking lot not running at all so I have plenty of tools and know my way around.

[steve shadows]

try replacing the MAF sensor, or testing it with a volt meter, could be as simple as that.

[MELLO*SOS]

Your distributor crank position sensor might be fucked. If you unplug this it will not start and will kill the engine right away. But if it's unplugged, there's *usually* an error code and you will definitely NOT get spark.

Have you pulled the plug wire boots and tested for spark during cranking at each cylinder?

After you test for spark ^^ and pull the spark plugs, are they wet with fuel?

If YES to both of those tests then look into your spark timing. Your distributor could have rotated and the engine fell out of time. Not likely but worth investigating if u have both spark and fuel... You can easily test for spark at the coil by unplugging the middle boot on the dist cap (from the coil) and holding it near a ground point during cranking. You should get lots of spark...

[aradapilot]

Your distributor crank position sensor might be fucked. If you unplug this it will not start and will kill the engine right away. But if it's unplugged, there's *usually* an error code and you will definitely NOT get spark.

Have you pulled the plug wire boots and tested for spark during cranking at each cylinder?

After you test for spark ^^ and pull the spark plugs, are they wet with fuel?

If YES to both of those tests then look into your spark timing. Your distributor could have rotated and the engine fell out of time. Not likely but worth investigating if u have both spark and fuel... You can easily test for spark at the coil by unplugging the middle boot on the dist cap (from the coil) and holding it near a ground point during cranking. You should get lots of spark...


I pulled the plugs and they spark when cranking...I could check the CAS but no error code was displayed...and how could I correct the timing on the motor? You have to line up the notches on the crank pulley with some mark but I do not know where that mark is...or is there a better way to adjust timing?

[MELLO*SOS]

If you get spark during cranking then the CPS is probably not the issue.

Are the plugs wet when you pull them after trying to crank it?

To adjust the timing look it up in the FSM there is a procedure to it. You'll need a timing light, and yes you line up a pointer to marks on the crank pulley as it spins.

If the problem is no fuel, don't bother with the timing issue it's probably fine. The injectors should have +12v on one side with the key on, and temporarily grounded by the ecu when it's time to fire on the other pin. I believe the CPS is the key sensor telling the ECU when to fire the ignition coil and the injectors. So if you have spark, the CPS is working and the injectors should be firing too.. Unless there are other electrical issues relating to the fuel inj harness or fuel pump harness. GL

[aradapilot]

update: I finally got her to start up and idle at about 500 under her own power for about 30 seconds...tps disconnected, throttle full open (died shortly after releasing it), shaking like crazy as if only one or two cyls were firing...gotta pull all the plugs again when I get home tonight and retest everything. Any new ideas on this?
Still trying to find a 27mm socket. I'm in the middle of moving to a new apartment so all my crap's lost/packed...just trying to find a ride to a store right after work...

[trybal]

blown hg maybe?

[MELLO*SOS]

timing could be way off still or plug wires not in the right order

You're right the shaking is probably from it missing on at least one cylinder.. Get it to idle like that without having WOT and pull each plug wire one at a time until one doesn't make any change in the idle. You can do the same with the injector connectors also to find which cyl is the problem.

[aradapilot]

timing could be way off still or plug wires not in the right order

You're right the shaking is probably from it missing on at least one cylinder.. Get it to idle like that without having WOT and pull each plug wire one at a time until one doesn't make any change in the idle. You can do the same with the injector connectors also to find which cyl is the problem.


plug wires are all on in the right order...1243. can't get her up on her own power today. pulled the plugs again and held them all side by side against a ground and cranked it, they all sparked in the right order.

When I pulled #3 some white gasoline vapor came out of the cylinder, if that's a hint at anything other than that it didnt fire properly and built up a bit from all this testing.

I read voltage on the injectors and they all drop from 12 to about 10 when cranking, im guessing that means they're working and the voltmeter (digital) just cant keep up with the rapid drops to 0.

I need to get a timing light...or find someone in the new jersey area who can let me test their ECU...90 ka24e auto trans. I will provide beer.