Engine cranks, but will not start

[krock26]

I just picked up a 1990 efi Festiva on the cheap. The engine sounds like it has low compression when cranking and is getting gas, air, and spark. The VAF moves smoothly, but I found egine oil just sitting in the air intake. The PO said it died on him in the middle of a highway and it could possibly have a valve and piston ring problem. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

[dalebwilson]

I know you say you are getting spark but check this. Remove the oil fill cap and crank the engine. While cranking, look inside the valve cover to make sure your cam shaft is turning. If not, your timing belt is broken. The belt could have jumped a few teeth which can also cause low compression.

Oil in the intake is common on the B3's and is caused by blow-by.

[krock26]

The timing belt moves when cranking, but I will check to see that it hasn't jumped any teeth.

[ryanprins13]

Engine cranks, but will not start

What did you do to test for gas? Fuel pressure or did you actually test the injectors? Could be the injectors not getting proper signal or timing. If it died while the rpms were up going down a highway its more likely sensor or wiring related than compression. Check the wiring plug from the airbox for split or broken wires. Check each injecter.
Did you check for spark at each plug or just at the coil? Could be a bad or just weak distributor.


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[krock26]

First I took the hose the goes to the fuel rail off and cranked and it was pumping gas out, then I unbolted the injector rail and cranked it and they were spraying fuel out. The VAF plug is tight and it looked like all the wires were in good condition.
Also when opening the filler cap there is a hiss so there is definitely pressure in the line.

[ryanprins13]

Ok, and the spark is strong at all plugs?
No huge vaccume leak from a split hose right?
If the intake tubing is split between the airbox and throttle body the vaf signal may be enough off on a low compression engine to not start. Check the underside of that accordian bend.
Does it try to start or catch at all? Or nothing?


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[tooldude]

Check the plugs. If it's pumping oil, they may be totally fouled out.

[krock26]

It sounds like it really wants to start, all plugs have spark and when I took off the intake tube it looked just fine, I couldn't see any cracks or other imperfections that would cause a leak. I took the #1 plug out and sprayed starting fluid in it and then put it back in and tried to crank and still nothing.

[ryanprins13]

Check the plug gap. I left copper plugs in mine for about 80,000km by accident and the gaps got way too big and all the porcelin fell off one... Ran like a new car when i replaced those!
Do you have a compression tester?


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[krock26]

Just pulled the plugs and they are all gapped at .044.
I should have a compression tester either later today or tomorrow, my friend is letting me borrow his.

[ryanprins13]

Ok good.
If its not compression all i can think of right now is a vaccume leak. Brake booster hose is fine? No big internal leak in the brake booster? Maybe pull the hose off it and plug it. That rubber plug over the unused vaccum port is still there?
Its was his daily driver and wouldnt be old gas? If you have someone to help then spray some starting fluid in where the crank breather hose connects to the intake pipe while someone else is turning it over and see what that does.


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[crazyrog17]

Fuel pump? Have someone crank and bang on the gas tank. Sometimes that will wake the pump up and you'll know to replace it.

That or take the hose off of the fuel filter and stick it into an empty 2 liter or Gatorade bottle. Should have a gush of gas within a second of cranking.

[krock26]

I tried spraying starting fluid into the spark plug holes, breather hole, throttle body while manually opening the vane and with just the intake duct on. You can feel suction if you put your hand on the intake duct while it is cranking and no major vacuum leaks that I can detect. The fuel pump pumps fine, the injectors are opening, the spark plugs are sparking and the VAF sensor moves smoothly. It looks like I will be doing the compression test tomorrow so I will update when I do that.

[william]

I had a Similar problem with my b6d and turned out to be the coil.
I had spark. But the spark was orange. I swapped it with a spare and it fired right up. I was so shocked I had to swap back to the other coil to see of it was really the problem or just a Coincidence.

[ryanprins13]

Dont keep us in suspense!what happened?


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