2.3 not starting July 18, 2014, 12:15:44 AM Just wanted to ask this and some buddy may have already posted something and i just missed it. My son has an 88 turbo. Original 2.3 in it. The valve cover gasket was leaking so he changed it out. On startup it backfired on him because he had crossed his spark plug wires. We have corrected the firing order but she still won't start. Very strong fuel smell when he cranks it. All plugs, They have spark. We checked. I guess my question is is it possible he jumped time on it when it backfired. Seems only reasonable explanation why it won't start. It was only a valve cover gasket. Pretty simple fix. Or it should have been. Cars dead now since then. Any suggestion helpful. I'm NOT a trained mechanic. Just know enough to get me in trouble.Thanks all. Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #1 – July 18, 2014, 12:42:00 AM It's possible the tensioner isn't fully tightened and it can definitely jump a couple teeth See if the 13mm bolt on the tensioner is loose, if so thats your culprit Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #2 – July 18, 2014, 05:43:01 AM Easy enough to check and in my career i have never seen a 2.3 jump time. I have seen belts break and teeth missing but you say you have spark? With that bring the timing mark up to TDC pull thre cam plug on the timing cover and see if the timing marks line up. If at first it does not rotate the engine one more revolution and check it again. If it lines up them pop off the cap and see if the rotor is pointing to number one cylinder. If not you have the firing order incorrect. Having the order in order does not mean you started with number one . You may have it correct but off by one tower. Good luck. Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #3 – July 18, 2014, 07:05:28 PM Is it trying to fire at all?Are you *sure* the firing order is correct? Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #4 – July 19, 2014, 01:37:23 AM Thanks guys for the replies. I don't know what he is working this weekend but maybe we can get her pushed in the garage to check those timing marks and the firing order. We believe anyway that the firing order is correct. But I used to believe I would be rich someday too. I was wrong there so either way it deserves a second look. Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #5 – July 20, 2014, 02:25:15 AM Quote from: TOM Renzo;436065With that bring the timing mark up to TDC pull thre cam plug on the timing cover and see if the timing marks line up. If at first it does not rotate the engine one more revolution and check it again. If it lines up them pop off the cap and see if the rotor is pointing to number one cylinder. If not you have the firing order incorrect. Having the order in order does not mean you started with number one . You may have it correct but off by one tower. Good luck.Turns out the firing order was off, by one tower. Good call there. Not sure I understand why that can be when we looked at my turbo and followed that one as the sample. But yes, we were one tower off thus making the firing order incorrect. Now the car runs but will not stay running. I pulled that plug and really couldn't tell for sure but the timing mark didn't seem in the right spot. I pulled the plastic cover and this is what I see. The timing mark is at TC on the balancer, the rotor is pointing to the tower on the distributor cap and the marks on the cam just don't look right to me. Here is a pic of what I see. Does this mean that the cam is off by 1 tooth? Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #6 – July 20, 2014, 10:52:47 AM Ah my old car, your gonna have to use the string method for knowing where the cam timing mark should be. Run a string from center of cam boot to center of auxiliary shaft bolt. Where the string crosses that edge of the pulley is where the cam mark should be. The original marker for cam timing broke off like they tend to do over time. Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #7 – July 21, 2014, 03:36:48 AM Quote from: Tbird-fanatic;436130Ah my old car, your gonna have to use the string method for knowing where the cam timing mark should be. Run a string from center of cam boot to center of auxiliary shaft bolt. Where the string crosses that edge of the pulley is where the cam mark should be. The original marker for cam timing broke off like they tend to do over time.Thanks Tony, We'll be getting on this soon. I need it to move out of my driveway again and he needs it to save gas money. Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #8 – July 25, 2014, 01:29:41 AM I can tell your cam timing is off Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #9 – July 25, 2014, 02:40:17 AM Quote from: grey88smokin;436355I can tell your cam timing is offIt is off.Quote from: Tbird-fanatic;436130Run a string from center of cam boot to center of auxiliary shaft bolt. Where the string crosses that edge of the pulley is where the cam mark should be. The original marker for cam timing broke off like they tend to do over time.The String theory proved it was off. We plan to align it on his next day off. or we hope to. Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #10 – July 25, 2014, 06:27:41 AM Believe it or not they will run and it will not effect it a lot with it being off a tooth. I used to see them off by a tooth all the time. Good luck be safe and have a great day.From the look it looks like it is advanced one tooth. Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #11 – July 25, 2014, 10:04:50 AM If the cam timing is off and the ignition timing is off, the car may start, but not really run. Cam timing is advanced and the ignition timing is retarded (If it's still set with the rotor point at the #1 tower at TDC). Probably not a good combination for a running engine. Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #12 – July 25, 2014, 08:40:45 PM They will run that way and most people do not realize the belt is installed incorrectly. I have seen belts put on one tooth out either advanced or retarded and the timing set correctly. If the photo above is at TDC crank pulley that cam is advanced one tooth. Sometime in this condition if corrected the loss of bottom end torque will make the owner think something else is wrong. I have gone through this many many times in the past. By being off a tooth only effects cam timing by a few degrees. Naturally correct cam timing is vital just saying i have seen many off and they run for years without the owner noticing a thing. Especially if they are off advanced. Have a great evening guys. Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #13 – July 26, 2014, 04:31:35 PM Well we got the timing back on where it needs to be. it starts but now its acting like theres a fuel issue. we sprayed either and it stayed running that way. We got told to check the fuel pressure in it and see wat its reading at. Does anyone know what the pressure is supposed to be at? Quote Selected
2.3 not starting Reply #14 – July 29, 2014, 11:15:13 PM We have about 40 lbs at the fuel rail. Car runs great with ether spray in it. But will not run otherwise. Starts each time now. Just won't stay running. Any more ideas? ?? Quote Selected
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