I tried searching, but I think my problem might be a bit specific, and I have to get this running smooth by the end of tomorrow. Hell, if there is anyone near the Spokane area, I’d gladly pay if you were to help me get this going.
Anyway…
I just got done putting this engine in my car, and it’s having quite a problem.
I got it to turn on and run, but it can’t idle, it just dies out. It shakes a lot while trying to start up as well.
It is almost sounding like a Subaru as well.
One thing I know, is that there is what I think is fuel coming out the #2 exhaust port. I know it’s getting spark, because if I pull out the wire, it can hardly run at all. Injector stuck open?
The engine is a B18b with a 90 Head on it. Everything is stock minus the throttle body. It doesn’t have the charcoal canister hooked up either.
When I’m holding the idle up, I don’t get any check engine lights. I haven’t put coolant in it yet, as I can’t even get it to idle as to bleed the system when it’s in.
Put water in the cooling system immediately, you really don’t want to run it w/o any. It serves as cooling, lubrication and is an integral part of your idle control system. It doesn’t need to be bled perfectly, just get some water in there, bleed it quickly with the bleed valve, and then leave the radiator cap off. One it warms up and you can get it to idle then worry about “burping” the system.
Put a header / exhaust manifold on the car.
Now you can really start to try and troubleshoot.
Is your mechanical timing correct?
Are the injectors wired correctly and in the correct location?
Injectors are wired correctly, header is on. The fuel actually makes it past the gasket. Timing was perfectly set at TDC on both the block and the head, and was tensioned properly. Wires are on right also.
What do you mean fuel is getting past the gasket? You mean the gasket is leaking? How sure are you that it’s fuel?
Have you read your plugs?
Have you tried swapping injectors? If you think #2 is stuck open, swap #1 and #2 and see if that changes anything. Or pull the injectors from the engine and keep them attached to the rail, then watch them as you try to start the car, you’ll be able to see them spray and see if the spray pattern is different or the same for all of them.
Even though you aren’t showing a code, have you tried checking for one?
Scratch what I wrote above, I wasn’t doing it right, haha. Anyway…
I switched out the number 2 injector, still get that crap out the exhaust, but I don’t know if it’s fuel or just Gasoline + Air = Carbon Dioxide + Water mixed with black soot, making it black… Dunno.
Anyway, I guess the car had to be running to get the CEL code to read.
And the CEL code is 16. One Long blink, and 6 short ones. That means one of my injectors are bad. Or could it be the resistor box itself?
Did you read your plugs? I wouldn’t jump to too many conclusions based on what’s coming out the tailpipe. but I can’t see it, so it’s hard to say.
Why are you thinking there’s a problem w/ the number 2 injector? I don’t understand how you isolated that cylinder as the problem?
Now that you’ve determined the CEL is #16 all you need to do is follow the procedure in your Helms manual for troubleshooting that problem. It’ll walk you right through it.
Well I tried unplugging that injector, and it ran worse. The cel code is gone now that I ran it some, but I just don’t know. I don’t think the #2 is the problem, it’s just the gasket is bad, and some stuff is coming out from there.
My step brother is a certified mechanic and is bringing over his compression tester after work today, so we’re gonna see what happens. And this isn’t an old motor, it’s a rebuild. Even though it’s running rough, I can tell it’s getting compression, and I know nothing inside is broken.
I just don’t do engine sh*t. I do brakes, suspension, body, etc. I can bolt engine parts together, put engines together… but making them run properly?.. No damn clue.
Well, that’s not much of a surprise that you got a CEL #16 with the injector unplugged… I thought you still had it plugged in, lol.
OK, so now you’re back to square one, it may or may not be a fuel related problem. So, I say AGAIN, did you read your plugs?
You said you tried pulling the spark plug wire. did you pull only one? Or did you try each one individually? You could also try disconnecting each injector one by one. This may (or may not) give you some insight on which cylinder is having the issue.
I pulled all but #1. I just got tired of it really. I mean I’ve heard my friends Civic run without one wire attached, didn’t run like this. His at least would idle. Mine just dies and shakes violently.
Are you absolutely positive that you have the wires on the cap in the right sequence? I know when I first put my motor in, I was tired and put the plug wires on in the wrong order. It ran and did exactly what you’re saying yours is doing. The order should be 1342, #1 will be at 7 o’clock on the cap looking at it from the passenger side. Just triple check this and make sure they’re right.
Ok, new update. Everything I did was perfect. Had the engine I bought been perfect, everything would have been fine. Did a compression test a few hours ago, was 145 roughly all across the board… that is except for the #2 cylinder, which I was calling the culprit all the time, which registered at a whopping 15PSI in the compression test!
Anyway, car is going to sit another winter as I will be in Hesperia, CA for the duration of Winter.
Once I’m back, this engine is getting re-rebuilt, and done right.
This can be closed now, thanks all those who chimed in and tried their best to think of the problem.
