starting issues na KA24DE! HELP!!

[s13 game-changer]

went to the bank and parked. when i came back to head home my 240 would not start. i have a 1996 ka24de in my 90 240.

for about an hour i tried everything to start my car. my fuses al work. my fuel pump works.

when i decided to disconnect spark plug wire ONE and try and start the car it started. so i immediately plugged it back in and drove home.

again at home my car would not start again unless i disconnect my wire ONE.

is this a distributor problem or a wire problem?

i just recenlty replaced the spark plugs. i did not replace the wires though.
what could the problem be. give me as much feed back as possible. need this car its my dialy.

[brndck]

we need more info.
when you say it wont start, will the engine even turn over or does the starter just click?

[s13 game-changer]

it will not turn over.
sounds like its about to start but as if it is not getting enough fuel. although i checked the fuel pump and thats fine. mass air flow is working. no codes popping up on ecu either.

[Mikester]

So the engine turns over (makes cranking sound when key is turned to start position), but will not fire up, correct?

Did you at least replace the cap & rotor when you did the plugs? Did you ensure they were properly gapped?

[s13 game-changer]

yes the engine turns over but will not fire up.

i did not replace the cap an rotor or the plug wires.

the plugs were bad so i just went and quickly replaced those.

im going to replace the plug wires immediately. should i also replace the cap and rotor?

i did not believe those needed to be changed hardly ever.

[Mikester]

^^Every time you change the plugs, you need to change the cap & rotor lol... If you look inside it, you will see a network of electrodes not entirely dissimilar to spark plug electrodes- they burn out.

Wires on the other hand do not. You can put a meter across them to see if they are ready to be changed out.

Also, you need to ensure the plugs are gapped to factory specs.

[s13 game-changer]

haha learn something new everyday.

so does the issue seem to be with the cap and rotor? or something electrical?

because as of now the engine will not fire up unless i unplug spark plug wire ONE and plug it back in to stay running.

[Mikester]

Yes it seems to be not electrical, but IGNITION-related. Each electrode inside the cap corresponds to one of the wires. The rotor is always electrified and spins inside the cap. Each time it passes an electrode, it transfers the 'fire' signal to one of the electrodes, thru the wire and to the applicable spark plug. Just like the electrodes on a spark plug, the electrodes on the rotor and inside the distributor cap burn out. Do your cap/rotor first, then wires.