Looking for some in person help

[dkicker10]

Hey everyone. I've been having issues with my car running shitty. It's an s13 with an s14 KADE-T. Long story short, my car started running all wacky on the way to the race track. Limped it there and started looking for obvious malfunctions. Turned my back for literally a minute to take a phone call and my buddy pulled out the whole distributor. And of course he didn't put it back in correctly so the car wouldn't start after that. Also found a crack in the tubular exhaust manifold on cylinder 3.

Took me all winter and spring to actually find the part that initially broke (MSD ignition coil), fix the exhaust manifold and get the car re timed. I did get the car to start but it runs like dog shit.

The car sounds like it's misfiring, but isn't throwing a code for cylinder misfire. It pegs rich (10.0) on my a/f gauge at idle. Doesn't go into boost. Sputters if giving it anything more than a slight throttle increase. And stalls when coming to a stop.

The car is currently throwing two codes
- Ignition Signal Primary
- Knock sensor

I have replaced the following parts (some in an attempt to fix the initial issue, some because i felt they were due to be replaced)

Z32 MAF
MSD coil
NGK spark plugs gapped to .32 or .34 ( i forget)
NGK wires
Cap
Rotor
Igniter chip

I'm thinking it has something to due with the timing being off. But no matter where i move the distributor to, it never runs any better. Could it be a tooth off? I have a timing light and watched a couple videos but like i said, no amount of adjustment on the dizzy seems to make any difference.

Is there anyone in the Lehigh Valley area of PA that would be interested in taking a look at my car? Maybe I've got a wire out of place, or maybe theres something broken that I didn't even know to look for? Maybe you'll be able to tell right a way just by listening to it! I have tried to the best of my ability and am humble enough to know when I've been outmatched. Please, it would be greatly appreciated if anyone was looking to help!

Thank you!!

Derek

[FaLKoN240]

Knock sensor if it's bad can cause the car to go into limp mode IIRC

[Kingtal0n]

doesnt sound far off from running
sounds like it sprang a boost leak,
then someone fucked the timing by pulling dist

all u gota do is re-insert dist proper toothing (not difficult if you understand cyl#1 points to plug #1 etc)
then pressure test for leaks
and make sure everything is plugged in

it goes MAF -> ECU -> INJECTORS

SO if the a/f ratio is ever 'wrong' its obviously which three things you gota check
ecu plug could be loose, ecu can be bad, ecu can misfire 1 cylinder, ECU can do anytning but luckily KA ecu are cheap always keep a spare
MAF can go bad but almost never does. boost leak is a maf problem because maf reads ALL air molecules going in OR out, and includes any air molecules which are destined to leak as well.
injectors get clogged, or mis-wired, .. the fuel pump stops, the regulator sticks, etc... but that doesn't sound likely here unless FP is pegged so always watch fuel pressure to verify

[silviaks2nr]

This sounds obvious, but check the fuel system too. Pull your rail and crank it and watch the spray pattern, put fresh gas in it, fuel with ethanol added will not last more than a few months. turn the engine to TDC and pull off the cap and see where the rotor is pointing- hopefully at cylinder 1. If it's not, pull the distributor and put it back in. The gears are not straight so it does rotate as it goes in and you have to compensate for that rotation. There are dots/marks that you need to line up on the distributor itself to get the proper mechanical timing on it.

[dkicker10]

Thanks for all the feedback! About to go tear into this right now. I will verify all of the items mentioned.

Is it possible to have the car timed correctly, enough to where it starts and runs, but still off a tooth?

Also, is the ECU sophisticated enough to throw the "ignition signal primary" code if the distributor is off a tooth?

EDIT***

I just pulled the cap off and with the engine aligned spot on at TDC (orange mark on crank pully) and the rotor is pointing exactly perfect at the cylinder 1 position of the cap. However, some of the pictures I'm seeing show the rotor pointing slightly above that point. If this were a clock, my rotor is currently pointing at exactly 9 o'clock. But I've see pictures of some rotors that point just past the 9 o'clock mark. Does this mean I'm off a tooth?

Thanks!

[jedi03]

ya can run being off a tooth, also would suggest check compression...

[dkicker10]

Appreciate the feedback!

So I went with my "off a tooth" theory and moved the dizzy to the tooth I thought it should be on, Didn't start. So I moved it back to where I originally had it, didn't start!

Then I redid the timing and the car cranks, and after a few cranks it turns over. But as soon as it starts, it immediately dies! It's got fuel, it's got spark, its got air, and I think the timing is correct since it starts.

What am I missing?!?! Any help is very appreciated!

Thanks,

Derek

[Kingtal0n]

the service manual should say how to re-stab distributor

try that process

wish you were right here it would be so easy, thats the easiest engine in the world practically, to make it run right. Perfect for beginner. So don't discourage the answer is forthcoming...

[champwho]

your to far away for the people I know