KA24E Startup explosion after head gasket replacement.

[Chrisk0]

Hey guys I have a 1990 KA24E that overheated because my radiator hose broke off in the middle of my commute. I realized very quickly that there was some weird feeling to the gas pedal and I saw it rapidly heating up. Pulled over, repaired on the spot. Refilled radiator... drive it 3 more days, radiator cracks, lets out coolant slowly don't notice until it's too late. Car overheats again. Never ran the same since then a week later smoke and head gasket go boom.

Had dissassebled and took to machine shop to get pressure test and resurfaced. Reinstalled head, gasket, torqued down blah blah get the car all put back together and I realize the gasket set I got (Felpro) was very low quality material and the fuel injector o - rings particularly were way worse than oem, but I decided not to reuse oem rings. Long story short, I go to start up, and it cranks great for 3 seconds and then smoke just poofs out of the fuel injectors all at once. I have no idea if its a fuel issue or if the engine is out of time, regardless I'm going to have a mechanic look at it. But I couldn't find the same symptoms anywhere on google. Just curious if you guys know what would cause it?

TL: DR
Headgasket replaced
Everything put back together, trying first start up = explosion of smoke through fuel injectors area after cranking for three seconds... >_<

I'm selling myself short in this post, I really did take the time to look down all the specs and torq, etc. I just think I might have got the timing wrong, or the o-rings/fuel rail is the issue. Thanks for any comments in advance. I feel defeated for messing up a headgasket replacement.. smh

[Kingtal0n]

Usually when an explosion occurs (that you can hear or notice) it is timing related, since the intake valve seemed to be open when the spark occurred. You might have mixed up the injector wires, the spark wires, or the camshaft timing, or all of it.

The thread topic makes me roflcopters. "Stock KA24.... Explosions..." About time somebody put those two words together

[omgosh]

Assuming you got the mechanical timing right (chain) its probably the distributor being installed a bit off, causing backfire.

[Chrisk0]

Mechanical timing was off, and the spark plug wire on cyl #4's receptical (little metal piece) apparently popped off when replacing spark plugs. So theres no contact with wire and plug on that one spark plug.

Got it fixed without taking to shop now I don't feel as retarded. I appreciate the input and yeah... ka24 explosions.. seems like a cliche.