Engine wont fire

spdkilz02 · 05-11-2006

OK, got the weber put on today and tried to fire the motor and it wont start...it cranks over and everything just wont start up...the carb is definately getting enough fuel, and i believe there is spark because it backfired many times...i put that compufire system on it and had to rotate the dizzy 180 degrees...

does anyone have a clue of what i should look at next???

deaner · 05-11-2006

I would go back and check the timing. Firing order. Did the Engine run before you did all this?

spdkilz02 · 05-11-2006

ya it did...the 2 marks are lined up on the flywheel, so then i rotated the dizzy 180 degrees, and i have the dizzy so that when #1 is tdc, it is pointing towards #3 on the dizzy as that is what bob had said to do...

RallyBob · 05-11-2006

Originally Posted by spdkilz02

and i have the dizzy so that when #1 is tdc, it is pointing towards #3 on the dizzy as that is what bob had said to do...

Did you swap the plug wires on the coils too?

spdkilz02 · 05-11-2006

ya, i hooked the plug wires up as u had said in the compufire thread...

spdkilz02 · 05-11-2006

seems like it has to be timing, cuz it backfires out the exhaust..

namba209 · 05-11-2006

I'm not sure what RallyBob said in another post/thread but with the timing marks lined up the rotor should be pointing at #1 or #4, not #3. Maybe that could be your problem

spdkilz02 · 05-11-2006

the reason for it being the way it is, is bc the vw firing order...that is how Bob has his set up...

deaner · 05-12-2006

I would go back to the basic's. Set the Engine to #1 (so # 1 is firing) Trace the firing order down, so the the trigger is firing. Follow the timing around in the order that Bob mentioned. Step by step. The bottom line here is that your timing is off. And it sound's like the firing order is off too.

WannaBOpelOwner · 05-12-2006

what would make the firing order off... i dont know alot about engines but some would it be the position of the crank when installed?

deaner · 05-12-2006

I'm talking about tracing down the real time firing order. When each cylinder should be firing. somehow every cylinder has it's time to fire. Trace each one as when needed. There has to be timing for each cylinder. You need to find out when each one fire's. And trace it to the relevant order.

RallyBob · 05-12-2006

Okay, a quick rundown to make sure you're connected right.

Coil wire #1 goes to spark plug #1
Col wire #4 goes to spark plug #3
Coil wire #3 goes to spark plug #4
Coil wire #2 goes to spark plug #2

The notch on the distributor (under the cap) is cylinder #1. Cylinder #3 is the next one over in a clockwise rotation. With cylinder #1 in the firing position (not just TDC, since #1 and #4 are both at TDC at the same time), align the rotor's mark with cylinder #3 by rotating the distributor. That's it. Final timing is done with the engine running.

deaner · 05-12-2006

Originally Posted by RallyBob

Okay, a quick rundown to make sure you're connected right.

Coil wire #1 goes to spark plug #1
Col wire #4 goes to spark plug #3
Coil wire #3 goes to spark plug #4
Coil wire #2 goes to spark plug #2

The notch on the distributor (under the cap) is cylinder #1. Cylinder #3 is the next one over in a clockwise rotation. With cylinder #1 in the firing position (not just TDC, since #1 and #4 are both at TDC at the same time), align the rotor's mark with cylinder #3 by rotating the distributor. That's it. Final timing is done with the engine running.

That seems simple enough.

spdkilz02 · 05-12-2006

ok the plug wires are definitely in the right order, so im off on the dizzy...

this is what i did to the dizzy...i originally had it set that when the marks on the flywheel were lined up the dizzy was at #1 cyl...i then pulled the dizzy and rotated it 180 degrees, bc the vac adv would be hitting the fan when i turned the dizzy to #3...

but just a quick question, when looking at the dizzy when it is in the original location and not rotated 180 degrees #1 cyl is in the 4-5 oclock location, right? so then #3 i had thought was located in like the 10-11 oclock position...

jordan · 05-12-2006

Originally Posted by WannaBOpelOwner

what would make the firing order off... i dont know alot about engines but some would it be the position of the crank when installed?

There is no timing to a crank installation, it can only go in one way. There is one rod or main per journal and only one way to go. Firing order can only be set or made wrong by the position distributor or sparkplug cables.

baz · 05-12-2006

Originally Posted by spdkilz02

ok the plug wires are definately in the right order, so im off on the dizzy...

this is what i did to the dizzy...i originally had it set that when the marks on the flywheel were lined up the dizzy was at #1 cyl...i then pulled the dizzy and rotated it 180 degrees, bc the vac adv would be hitting the fan when i turned the dizzy to #3...

but just a quick question, when looking at the dizzy when it is in the original location and not rotated 180 degrees #1 cyl is in the 4-5 oclock location, right? so then #3 i had thought was located in like the 10-11 oclock position...

#3 would be at 7 oclock , #4 is at 10 oclock and #2 is at 2 oclock and #1 is at 4 oclock when in orig positions looks like you have #3 in the wrong place and need to work out where you have the others

spdkilz02 · 05-12-2006

ok that is definitely my problem then, i dont know what i was thinking...ok so now that i have rotated the dizzy 180 #3 is now at 1 or 2 oclock right?

spdkilz02 · 05-12-2006

ok im going to have to pull the fuel pump again so i can rotate the dizzy back the 180 so it is like it was originally...the vac adv hits the head when i try to move it to the 2 oclock location...so once its back then ill set it to the 7 oclock location and it "should" run...

spdkilz02 · 05-12-2006

well the car now runs...the whole problem was i had it at #4 instead of #3 on the dizzy, so i turned it and started right up...just need to put hoses on with coolant and adjust the carb and should be good...

baz · 05-12-2006

congrats on the job

now it starts to get expencive as you think well it runs so i can get this and then that

spdkilz02 · 05-12-2006

well i still got the DSD's, maybe this winter ill do something to the motor that i will be able to use them...

baz · 05-12-2006

see it's starting already

spdkilz02 · 05-13-2006

just was looking at the car some and saw that when its running it reads 5 bars of oil pressure, and below the zero mark for the amp gauge...so im thinking maybe a ground problem that i need to look at, both lights where lit on the gauge...

ConreroGT · 05-13-2006

Do you have a stock alt? Or aftermarket? Sounds like the Alt wires are hooked up wrong or bad. It's not an oil problem issue. Somethings not hooked up right. This is usually a simple fix.

spdkilz02 · 05-13-2006

stock alternator, i have the wires hooked up the same way they were when i got it so maybe the PO had messed them up...

im hoping to upgrade to the GM 1 wire alternator soon...

05-11-2006	#1 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	Engine wont fire OK, got the weber put on today and tried to fire the motor and it wont start...it cranks over and everything just wont start up...the carb is definately getting enough fuel, and i believe there is spark because it backfired many times...i put that compufire system on it and had to rotate the dizzy 180 degrees... does anyone have a clue of what i should look at next??? __________________ Adam

05-11-2006	#2 (permalink)
deaner long time Opeler Join Date: May 2006 Location: Fallbrook, Calif. Posts: 298	I would go back and check the timing. Firing order. Did the Engine run before you did all this? __________________ 75 MANTA A "2.0 Euro stuff! Fun and Fast "Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car and oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how far you take the wall with you."

05-11-2006	#3 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	ya it did...the 2 marks are lined up on the flywheel, so then i rotated the dizzy 180 degrees, and i have the dizzy so that when #1 is tdc, it is pointing towards #3 on the dizzy as that is what bob had said to do... __________________ Adam

05-11-2006	#5 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	ya, i hooked the plug wires up as u had said in the compufire thread... __________________ Adam

05-11-2006	#6 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	seems like it has to be timing, cuz it backfires out the exhaust.. __________________ Adam

05-11-2006	#7 (permalink)
namba209 6,000 Post Club Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Imperial Beach, CA South of San Diego Posts: 6,054	I'm not sure what RallyBob said in another post/thread but with the timing marks lined up the rotor should be pointing at #1 or #4, not #3. Maybe that could be your problem __________________ Ron 72 GT 3.4L V-6/T-5/ZF posi - almost done - Just need AC installed. 75 Chevy monza 5.7L/TH350/Auburn 3.08 posi - Next

05-11-2006	#8 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	the reason for it being the way it is, is bc the vw firing order...that is how Bob has his set up... __________________ Adam

05-12-2006	#9 (permalink)
deaner long time Opeler Join Date: May 2006 Location: Fallbrook, Calif. Posts: 298	I would go back to the basic's. Set the Engine to #1 (so # 1 is firing) Trace the firing order down, so the the trigger is firing. Follow the timing around in the order that Bob mentioned. Step by step. The bottom line here is that your timing is off. And it sound's like the firing order is off too. __________________ 75 MANTA A "2.0 Euro stuff! Fun and Fast "Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car and oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how far you take the wall with you." Last edited by deaner; 05-12-2006 at 12:41 AM.

05-12-2006	#10 (permalink)
WannaBOpelOwner The Great Opel Search Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Casey, Illinois Posts: 411	what would make the firing order off... i dont know alot about engines but some would it be the position of the crank when installed? __________________ 1998 Sunfire "The Great Opel Search Continues" © of Skyler Shelton "The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work" Mark Twain "Tobmstones Dont Talk Back" Smoke Tires, Not Drugs... http://sportcar.net

05-12-2006	#11 (permalink)
deaner long time Opeler Join Date: May 2006 Location: Fallbrook, Calif. Posts: 298	I'm talking about tracing down the real time firing order. When each cylinder should be firing. somehow every cylinder has it's time to fire. Trace each one as when needed. There has to be timing for each cylinder. You need to find out when each one fire's. And trace it to the relevant order. __________________ 75 MANTA A "2.0 Euro stuff! Fun and Fast "Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car and oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how far you take the wall with you."

05-12-2006	#14 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	ok the plug wires are definitely in the right order, so im off on the dizzy... this is what i did to the dizzy...i originally had it set that when the marks on the flywheel were lined up the dizzy was at #1 cyl...i then pulled the dizzy and rotated it 180 degrees, bc the vac adv would be hitting the fan when i turned the dizzy to #3... but just a quick question, when looking at the dizzy when it is in the original location and not rotated 180 degrees #1 cyl is in the 4-5 oclock location, right? so then #3 i had thought was located in like the 10-11 oclock position... __________________ Adam Last edited by tekenaar; 11-12-2007 at 02:35 PM.

05-12-2006	#17 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	ok that is definitely my problem then, i dont know what i was thinking...ok so now that i have rotated the dizzy 180 #3 is now at 1 or 2 oclock right? __________________ Adam Last edited by tekenaar; 11-12-2007 at 02:40 PM. Reason: defi-nite(night)-ly not defin-ate(eight)-ly

05-12-2006	#18 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	ok im going to have to pull the fuel pump again so i can rotate the dizzy back the 180 so it is like it was originally...the vac adv hits the head when i try to move it to the 2 oclock location...so once its back then ill set it to the 7 oclock location and it "should" run... __________________ Adam

05-12-2006	#19 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	well the car now runs...the whole problem was i had it at #4 instead of #3 on the dizzy, so i turned it and started right up...just need to put hoses on with coolant and adjust the carb and should be good... __________________ Adam

05-12-2006	#20 (permalink)
baz opel free after 26 years Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: sunderland england Posts: 4,939 Real Name: barry williams	congrats on the job now it starts to get expencive as you think well it runs so i can get this and then that __________________ Copyright © 2003-2009 barry williams All Rights Reserved save praying to God for sunday today we pray to Nike and run like hell

05-12-2006	#21 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	well i still got the DSD's, maybe this winter ill do something to the motor that i will be able to use them... __________________ Adam

05-12-2006	#22 (permalink)
baz opel free after 26 years Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: sunderland england Posts: 4,939 Real Name: barry williams	see it's starting already __________________ Copyright © 2003-2009 barry williams All Rights Reserved save praying to God for sunday today we pray to Nike and run like hell Last edited by tekenaar; 05-12-2006 at 07:08 PM. Reason: all ready . . . one word: already

05-13-2006	#23 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	just was looking at the car some and saw that when its running it reads 5 bars of oil pressure, and below the zero mark for the amp gauge...so im thinking maybe a ground problem that i need to look at, both lights where lit on the gauge... __________________ Adam

05-13-2006	#24 (permalink)
ConreroGT Senior Contributor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Wa Posts: 659	Do you have a stock alt? Or aftermarket? Sounds like the Alt wires are hooked up wrong or bad. It's not an oil problem issue. Somethings not hooked up right. This is usually a simple fix.

05-13-2006	#25 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	stock alternator, i have the wires hooked up the same way they were when i got it so maybe the PO had messed them up... im hoping to upgrade to the GM 1 wire alternator soon... __________________ Adam

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