Won't start but has spark/fuel. Help :)

[91redMS13]

Hey guys, I searched for this but my searching skills either suck or there's just not enough info about it.

Here's a quick recap on it. My s13 was smashed by my brother. The whole front end is busted to the point where the radiator support is pushed in. The fan is jammed on the shroud, but the engine is free to crank as long as the fan clutch doesn't solidify, it cranks freely. When it was towed home, I took a look at it and tried to start it. It just cranks, again the only damage is only cosmetic.

Now I noticed that the fan shroud hid the connector on the distributor, however, besides a scratch there is no damage that I can see. I know possibly the timing is off, since the shroud could've pushed it. I then tried to see if I got spark so I pulled the cyl#1 plug wire and hooked up a spark plug tester and got spark there. I then looked for fuel, but before that I pulled the spark plug from cyl#1 and it is dripping of fuel (already fouled) so I figure I got fuel. So I tried setting the base timing which turned out to be a pain since I couldn't see the timing mark cuz of the shroud in the way so I skipped that for a minute. I tried to see if I got spark on all cylinders. To my surprise I can only get cyl#1 to spark. The other 3 don't.

So I have a few questions here

1)To my understanding, it doesn't matter if it's out of timing all 4 should have spark right?

2)How do you know if the cam sensor in the distributor is still ok besides swapping with a known good one?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys.

[s13monkey]

okay here is what i would first take the distributor cap off to see the rotor and the spark plug wire and plug out of cylinder 1 take a long screw driver and place it in cylinder 1 turn the motor over by hand not with the key. when turning the motor by hand you'll see the screw driver go up when you see it start going down stop turning the motor when the rotor is facing cylinder 1. loosen the distributor to align if need after aligning re tightend and reconnect everything back. take out all the spark plugs and clean then reinstall then connect the spark plug wires in correct order. and try to start your car.

[91redMS13]

Thanks for the reply, but I know how to set the timing for the car. I was just wondering why I couldn't get all 4 cylinders to spark.

['90RPS13]

Try to see if you ignitor coil got damaged during impact. Strange, though, if you have spark on one, I dont see the ignitor coil as being a problem. I would try perhaps a known working distrubutor, cap and button.

[TibDrifter]

if your getting spark to #1 and not to the other than check your spark plug wires and your cap and rotor. you are talking about a ka24de right?

[91redMS13]

Yea it's a de. I didn't have enough time when I was at the car's location (in Antioch, I live in Fremont now) to actually take the distributor apart. Again thanks for the reply.

[projekt_s13]

On a totally different subject, do you have Altezza tails stained red and the center piece black? And your S13 is Red with a black hood? If so i was driving next to you a few days ago. lol

Anyways hope you fix this and sorry im not of much help.

[91redMS13]

Sorry man. the car was out of commission 2 weeks ago. And I got a coupe. :)