Won't start - no spark after rebuild

[blkprj80]

Congratulations jcarter! Glad you were able to get her running again!
And thumbs up to all the folks who helped you and didn't give up, and wouldn't let you give up!

 

[FrankTorres]

Very glad for you.
... And kudos to you for your job, 'repair only what's broken'.

 

[jcarter]

Not quite there yet - tranmission

So yesterday after work I let it warm up, backed it down the driveway, and started up to Midas. She wouldn't go. The motor ran well, but when put load on it, she didn't have the torque.

I realized I didn't replace the transmission fluid that leaked out due to replacing the radiator and from trying to start it with a loose hose connection to the radiator that spewed out transmission fluid. Pulled it back in the driveway, put in a quart (all I had), tried it again, same thing.

Tonight I'm going to put more tranny in it. Try to get a measurement and hope that does it. On Sunday, when cold, I did check transmission fluid and there was fluid in it. Maybe not enough, I don't know.

On Sunday after she started and ran so nice, I blew off checking timing, but don't think that's it. After she heated up, I did look under and around the engine to make sure nothing was leaking. Everything looked good.

Hopefully my only issue is not having enough tranmission fluid to properly lock in transmission, so loosing torque between engine and transmission.

Any thoughts?

 

[jcarter]

I've got a little fever this morning, cold or something trying to get me. Instead of infecting the whole office, I'm going to stay home. I'll go ahead and infect the auto shop and get transmission fluid and work on her today after the drugs kick in.

 

[jonheld]

I would start by making sure you have the correct amount of transmission fluid.

Truck should be at normal operating temperature, ENGINE RUNNING and transmission cycled through all gears and back to PARK. On level ground, fluid should be to HOT mark on dipstick.

 

[jcarter]

Did kt. Got level perfect between the 2 notches while hot.

Thing idles GREAT, but has no torque at all. Couldn't get up driveway hill, had to run up the hill in the street to get enough momentum. She shifts okay.

She's throwing a 51 code. FSM says "Switch Condition Signal". No IDL, NSW, or A/C signal to ECU. Also says this won't put CEL on, so must be minor, right?

It's got to be timing. I just don't understand how it can idle so nicely when out of time to the point it has no power when driving? I tried to time it and still can't see s***! I'm going to find the dots with engine off and put some white out in there so it's more visible.

Suggestions appreciated. Almost there, just a little more patience.

 

[jcarter]

Correction: "Did it."

I'm alone and can't get a good reading trying to time it. I spun the distributor trying to locate the 2 small dots and/or big dot, can't see either. May be out of time, but I can't believe it would be since it's idling so nicely.

I tried to find the dots and paint them white so I can see better, but can't get to the dots (go under, turn crank bolt, come up, check for dots, repeated about 8 times).

I'm looking through the FSM now. I just don't know why it has no torque?

 

[jonheld]

Do you have torque in reverse?

 

[jcarter]

Yes, a little better than in forward, but not real good like before all this started.

 

[jonheld]

Does the motor rev freely with no load?

When you're in D at a standstill, does the motor rev high when you step on the accelerator or does it stop revving at about 2K RPM?

 

[jcarter]

Found how to check ohms on TPS, did it. Everything is in spec.

I can't figure what it is. Could I have screwed up the rebuild and not be getting enough compression? What if I did a compression check? Realize 5 cylinders ball-honed with new rings on existing pistons, 1 piston new in ball honed cylinder. Since its not broke in, would it be worth it? I'm going to take out some plugs and look at them. If I had no compression, shouldn't they be oily with oil getting past the rings? Shouldn't they be a little oily anyways since rings not fully seated?

It doesn't "feel" like an electronics thing, feels like something mechanical.

 

[jcarter]

Back to Jon's questions:

I checked that. In park, yes it will rev up, I only revved to about 2000 RPM. In drive it won't get over about 1200 RPM.

 

[SiRaDuDe]

Sorry I'm a bit confused..

When you say you have no torque when going up hill, are you saying that:

1. The trany is slipping but the engine revs up in RPM while gas is applied?
or
2. the engines bogs down, will not rev up when gas is applied ?

I think you just answered this above....



Have you tried low range and/or putting shifter in L manually?

Did you ever check your ACTUAL Fuel Pressure via a guage on the fuel rail?

 

[jcarter]

No, tranny is not slipping, RPM is staying low so I can't get up the hill. Feels like it's "bogged down" and won't rev up when gas is applied.

Yes, I put it in low manually so it wouldn't shift into 2nd gear.

Another thing, my driveway is on a hill but top is level, while messing with it I had backed down a bit, so put it in low and tried going forward, it went forward but barely. I'd bet from a stop, put in low, give it gas, it would barely take off if at all.

It'll start right up and I can back up the hill of my street for momentum to get back up the hill of my driveway, so if you want me to take it out again to check something, I'm pretty confident I can get it back where it belongs.

 

[jcarter]

"Did you ever check your ACTUAL Fuel Pressure via a guage on the fuel rail?"
No.

It'll rev in park, but not as responsive as before. My accelerator cables are loose, but pedal should still do the job, right?

You think low fuel pressure would cause this? If low fuel pressure, would I be able to rev in park?

If fuel pressure is low would injectors not have enough fuel to inject?

 

[jwilber]

You may off a tooth on your distributor mine acted that way when I was off. Especially if you can't get it timed right

 

[jonheld]

My accelerator cables are loose, but pedal should still do the job, right?

Are you referring to the 2 cables mounted on the bracket that is attached to the throttle body? One with a blue or black cap and one with an orange or red cap?

 

[jcarter]

Distributor Again

You may be right. I can't get the distributor right. I just can't believe how well it runs in idle. My kid should be home soon, so hopefully I can paint the dots white so I can see them better and try to time it right.

Darn Distributor:
My problem with "off a tooth" is that each tooth is about 27 degrees. I installed the distributor and had to adjust it fully counter clockwise to get it to look like the FSM (rotor pointed at rear distributor screw hole). Also, the way it is if I take off the adjustment bolt and try to "over-adjust" the screw hole hits the head, so I can't over-adjust in the direction I want to.

Pic shows FSM black marks for distributor, red marks are where mine are. Separation between marks represent "off a tooth". Basically what I'm saying is I'm on the tooth closest, next tooth, either way is way far away!

 

[jcarter]

Throttle cables

"Are you referring to the 2 cables mounted on the bracket that is attached to the throttle body? One with a blue or black cap and one with an orange or red cap?"
YES. Both are pretty loose.

When I went to reinstall the cables on the throttle body, they didn't seem to go in right or run very smoothly. Pedal still does the job, but loose.

 

[jcarter]

Okay, finally got near the 2 small dots on the flywheel. Did my best to get some white paint near them so I could see while timing.

Still can't see SQUAT! With bolt out, rotated distributor counter-clockwise until head stopped progress, it ran a better, tried rotating back, but it sputtered and wanted to die. So, I have it adjusted as far as it will go, and I need to adjust it more in that direction.

I'll pull out the distributor and put back in 1 tooth off. Then I'll adjust the distributor position to get it close to looking like the FSM, start it up, and time it. Bolt will be off and adjustment gap will be toward the PS tire, instead of toward the front.

Maybe I'll get lucky and somehow I'm thinking wrong (nah, not me) and bolt will be right in the middle of the adjustment? Not bloody likely, but worth a try.

Then it's acquiring used distributor.