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6 teeth out ? jeebus ! Pull it all down and check everything, balancer, key damage, bolts, adjusters, cam key to CAS, but most of all cam timing, get it back on track. Then do compression test, if it fails don't panic as it will more than likely be a lot of bent valves. I wouldn't mind betting the original timing belt is still there and has lost a few ribs.

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Well.......I found the problem. I went to pull off the crank pulley and noticed that when i went to pull it off i could turn the pulley by hand and noticed that the crank gear wasnt turning with the pulley. After finally getting the pulley off, its key was intact. However, the crank gear key was almost completely sheared off except for about an 1/8 inch was left, leaving a nice groove in that keyway. If i can figure out how to post pics with my phone i will put them on here.

And if you repair the keyway ? What then, put it back together and find out the valves are bent ? Just because you couldn't turn it all the way with your hand doesn't mean it wasn't turning more than you think with the engine going. An engine at idle will have more strength than your biggest mate with a large set of stillsens. If the collar or keyway is dammaged in any way, sorry to say but it may be a crank out job. Not your fault, but I'd be having words to the previous owner. Did it give any hint on the test drive like, power ok then not as much, revs hard but no low end, then revs normal for a few minutes then not ?

Seeing as I've had it for about a month and a half now and when I picked it up and drove it back from a couple of states away it had excellent power and pickup throughout the rev band. No issues were apparent. It was only until recently that it seemed a little off. But I thought that was due to me rerouting the pcv system to a factory style setup and connecting the idle air control valve seeing as how the previous owner had not plumbed the piping at all and it was a huge vacuum leak from external air past the mass air flow. However the previous owner had had the car tuned around that issue so it was running super rich to account for the vacuum leak. The worst part about it all is that I was going to have the car tuned the same day that it decided to not start due to my original ignition timing issue

If there is any damage at all to the crank keyways then pull the motor and replace it. otherwise if you can get some parts cheap enough it might be worth trying your luck with a new/good condition key and balancer to see if the valves are fine. Don't spend too much fixing it though, as you might be up for a new motor anyway.

I don't think I have any issues with valve or head damage. I think the damage to the keyway only allowed valves to open enough to not be able to see any vacuum on my boost gauge under cranking. I didn't have any engine noise prior to it not starting.

Hoping so. Im going to by a new crank gear and two keyways to be safe and explore some repair options. I like fab and custom work az well as re-engineering things that are broken to work again. We will see..... updates as progress ensues.

  • 1 month later...

Ok, back from the dead. I fixed the keyway problem. New keyways, new crank sprocket, fixed worn spot and checked compression. 125-135 psi across the board. Have fuel, spark and compression on all cylinders. Timing is dead up. The car will crank, start and run for about 2 seconds and then shut off. Any ideas? Commander shows timing advance, injector duty climbs and RPMs reach approx 2,000 and MAF is functioning correctly (i tried a spare and unplugged it for kicks, no change) then it stalls. Boost control kit is turned off also.

Just to give a little run down of events that lead up to my current situation:

I installed dual catch cans properly based on the Mines setup as well as completing the IACV hose setup and replaced O2 sensor, after which the car seemed to idle better initially, as well as increased gas milage, but noticed it needed to be tuned because of the IAC not being hooked up before (it was tuned for not having the IAC hooked up). I drove the car and noticed I had extended start times and occassionaly no start problems for 10 minutes at a time, until the day I was going to have it tuned. I drove the car to work, put new plugs in it and then got gas on lunch. Came back to work and parked it, waiting for my tuner guy to arrive. Once he did I went to start it and it would turn over but not start. After which, down the road, I discovered the crank sprocket issue. After repairing said problem the car now starts and stalls almost immediately. I have made sure there is constant fuel pressure, spark, good compression as stated above, a full tank of gas, all fuses are okay, no vaccum leaks, and the boost control kit is turned off. I also had the tuner, the same day it messed up, save my tune and initalize it three seperate times. Of course it is something simple I am overlooking. Ignition timing and injector duty, as well as AFM readings, climb upon inital startup until it stalls. Throttle input makes it stall quicker. I have adjusted the idle air control valve screw both directinos and experience no change.

(Gun to head)

Anyone care to save a life? LOL

Is everyone else just as stumped as me on this one? I'm going to try and re-initialize the FC tonight as long as I can get the serial-to-usb to connect with datalogit. Any tips on setting up comm ports for it to connect? I have installed the needed usb driver as well, but the computer still won't link with the FC. And the led is lit on the box too. All of this seems to be one big snowball effect.

U need to be sure there is adequate fuel pressure at the rail.

Also try adding fuel in the inj trim and see if it will start. May be too lean.

Have u rechecked ur spark plugs? They may be fouled.

Crank it for a few seconds. Then pull the spark plugs out. Are they wet? are they dry? Let them tell u whats happening.

Post up results

Definitely getting adequate fuel. There is a gauge mounted on the rail and The pressure never drops below starting psi and the plugs are very wet and black from the 1.5 second start and stalls. I finally got a compatible serial to usb adapter (Dynex brand at Best Buy here in the states) and was finally able to initialize the FC but I don't know how/what to input MAF and injector settings. Z32 MAF and 1000cc injectors. Im fine wtih mechanical fixes but not so savvy with tuning. Any info on this?

Set afm as vg30(z32)

Set injectors as 40% which should be a little rich. See if it starts then trim the inj percentage if there is a bit of black smoke from the exhaust. It wont be perfect as the latency is still off.

Then get the car tuned

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