stone4779

Car runs PERFECT once started. Never ever ever dies, stumbles, hesitates, stalls, or anything at ALL.


Just is a biotch to start. When its been sitting, it starts a lot easier it seems. Im not 100% certain but as far as I can remember, when its been running for a while..it pretty much starts after a few cranks, on the the second or third try(key-turn)

After that Im golden.

So far:

new fuel filter
new plugs
new air filter
new ignition switch
added ground to tranny, on tranny bolt right by crank sensor.
cleaned ground on crank position sensor bolt
cleaned both crank position sensors
clean camshaft position sensor
checked every wire known to man
Repaired a broken wire to alternator harness.
checked alternator
checked battery
new starter(I am returning this since it didnt do jack)

since it starts a lot better when WARM, I ordered a coolant temperature sensor. It should be here any day. Only $10 so I figured it would be worth a try.

Next I think I am going to take off the crank an cam sensors and test them all. Not that I trust the readongs anyways. I could say fine and it still be bad. Or vice versa.

I guess I am at the mercy of buying them, installing them, and returning them as I eliminate them as a possibility.

stone4779

Oh and for what its worth, the timing had jumped on it because the water pump went out and dumped water into the oil, which foamed etc.

anyways so I bought it like that and flushing the oil, water etc
installed a new water pump
new timing chain
new timing chain tensioner
new gaskets
timing set 100% perfect on the mark.

I used the extension in the socket method on #1 cylinder. Once it rose and stopped rising. I set the timing mark on the crank gear to the colored link on the new timine chain. The marks on the cam gears lined up perfectly to the two colored links up top as well.

Is it possible that maybe I made a mistake and set it to TDC on the wrong stroke and its 180 degrees off? Would it run PERFECT once started if it was 180 degrees off? I dont think so lol but you never know?

Or is it more likely that the whole time it was one of the cam or crank sensor(s)?

stone4779

Codes P0505 for IAC

and P0325 for Knock Sensor

tandecycles

Try the ECT sensor first. Sounds like that may be the reason it starts warm. If not do compression test dry and if readings are low do them wet. May have fried rings if it overheated at some point and you have decent compression when warm. If thats the case the motor is toast. Is car automatic or stick? Has the motor or trans ever been out? If so the mating surfaces may need to be cleaned. Since IAC code is coming up remove it and clean it real good and dont forget to replace the metal gasket.

titanbk

iTrader: (3)

out of everything you said this is the one thing that stands out to me......I believe you have the ground thing wrong. You're not supposed to be grounding the transmission you are supposed to ground the 17mm STARTER bolt(closest to the firewall think its 17mm). Try that and report back before you go any further........is this car an auto or 5 spd?

stone4779

Welp I got stranded. The car is at a friends. It was still hot, I had just turned it off and had one Dr. Pepper then left. Thats how quick I was in and out.

just cranked and cranked and cranked. Seems like it fires here and ther efor a fraction of a second ONCE in a while but mostly sounds to me like no spark. I smell fuel.

Already took the IAC apart, everything was clean

stone4779

Already tried that

cars an automatic

stone4779

Im so hating this car right now

I remember I was going places, I went out to a bar and chilled for hours..until 2am closing. Went out, it started after a little struggle but eventually it started.

I used to go run errands and stuff. Now its just getting worse and worse it feels like. Now to the point to where it wouldnt even start(but does crank) at all. Darn.

DBear

I haven't had this problem, but based on hanging around the forum I'd say it's your ECTS.

stone4779

Plugs are black
Compression with almost dead battery was 165 on all six cylinders

New plugs and ECTS tomorrow.


Well at least the motor has compression

Pleeease just start!

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

NGK platinums or copper ONLY on those plugs

stone4779

has NG V-Power Copper plugs. I just put them in about 500 miles ago or even less possibly.

maybe 300

All were all black except for cylinder #2, which was still black, but not entirely. you can still see some white on the center electrode

Cylinder #4 has some oil on the threads, It would still start. The actual electrode etc were dry though. #4 was quite as blac as the other 5.

stone4779

The plugs say that it is really rich:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pOAwN1wb5M..._condition.jpg

Mine all look like the last one in the middle column. Black sooty deposits, all uniform in color and dispersion.

I really cant wait to charge the battery and pop that ECTS in, and see if it works.

Im also going to redo the compression check but put the pedal WOT and with a fully charged battery. It was pretty much dead. I only did a couple revolutions per cylinder. I was kindof half expecting to see one 30 psi or something



If that doesnt work, I will come back to the coils. If that doesnt work I guess ill begin the "buy and return parts" journey and get the crank and cam sensors tomorrow.

If all that works, Im going to look into the possibility that the timing is 180 degree off? Im pretty sure the extension i stuck int he spark plug hole was at the peak of its lift, and that every single timing mark was lined up exactly with each of their respective colored links. The timing chain could not have been any tighter either lol. Could barely get the dang tensioner on the even with the little pin in there it is tight.

So Im pretty sure the timing is right. It runs so dang perfect once its going

stone4779

OK so I couldnt wait to check the compression again and I went over there with a drop light.

165 on all cylinders without even touching the throttle. Exactly on each. Not a lot of cranks either.

I ended up killing the battery after checking each cylinder only once.

the wierd thing is, I swapped the battery over to my GTO, and it cranked my big cammed out V8 and it started right up with very very little effort. So i guess all this cranking has killed the dang starter.



So now tomorrow I will be
1. charging the battery and replacing black sooty plugs
2. removing the brand new starter and having it checked and replaced if its bad.
3. install the ECTS as well.

4thgentintedhard

Make sure to change that knock sensor.....ive had problems starting my car when it was warm due to a bad knock sensor

stone4779

really? well if i can get one cheap ill get it

4thgentintedhard

theres a guy on ebay thats sells them for 18 bucks new. Ive had mine in for almost month and still no problems with it

stone4779

got it, should be in before too long. wasnt able to go pick up the battery today, will have to wait until tomorrow I guess.

I have the ECTS in hand though

Max_Gator

I'm trying to recall how I grounded my manual. I believe it is:

1. neg battery terminal to trans front bolt.

2. trans front bolt to starter front bolt.

3. and I think neg terminal to engine (where striped ground strap attaches).

You might want to try taking off the additional ground to see what happens or looking around here and grounding properly.

tandecycles

While you're at it remove starter and clean mating surfaces on trans and starter. Clean grounds on UIM....two 10mm bolts. Get heaviest gauge wire and fun grounds to engine, trans, starter.....try to connect them all together and attach to neg battery cable or post. Check grounds at horns also under battery tray.....remove battery and tray....the ground wire attaches there too. Change ECTS and keep battery charged. Check key switch too.

stone4779

ignition switch is brand new

mating surfaces cleaned already

ill check the other grounds mentioned when i go back out there. still need to go pull the starter and get it swapped under warranty

stone4779

im so tired of working on this thing lol. uh i guess ill gooo over therrrre lol :/

I really would rather be chilling resting on my day off

stone4779

OK FINALLY it starts right up!

I swapped the starter, replaced the ECTS(the one for the ECU, not the one for the gauges)

Installed another ground wire straight to the top/smaller starter bolt.

I also moved the crank reference sensor a little bit, it looked a little off.

recharged the battery(which oddly showed 71%...the battery wasnt dead..the starter was just that farked)


So i dont now which is was, but my guess is that the starter was just crap and that sensor wasnt quite close enough to read. Between the two it was doomed for failure.

stone4779

I think i will let the ECU have like half a tank then I will start logging my MPG and see if I get an increase.

I was getting 300-340 miles on a tank. Depending on the amount of HWY usage

I am so glad to be driving this and not my GTO. I hate putting 100 miles a day on that thing.

stone4779

you were right. I had a sneakin suspicion that ECTS was not helping the starting issue

99zx2

iTrader: (3)

recheck the plugs after a few hundred miles to rule out any excessive fuel burn.
your timing was good, since you were on the intake stroke (going up), not exhaust (going down). there are two tdcs though you were on the right one.
i thought compression was tested with throttle wide open? could help your numbers.
keep us posted.