First crank of new engine

[S13 Silvia]

Just tried to start it and was trying to turn but didn't have enough charge. Changed the battery and she started crankin.....but not firing. Air, fuel and spark. The fuel is right, as there is pressure and I've changed the fuel inlet and fuel return pipes over to no avail. Air is right as there is nothing blocking the inlet piping and I've tried starting it with full throttle. I'm thinking either fuel injector's or spark plug's/coil's. I got it started when it was sitting in the halfcut so I don't think the actual injector's, plug's or coil's are faulty but perhaps I've missed a ground wire or even a positive wire for it. What are the critical wires to connect for the fuel injectors and/or the spark plug's. Are there any unusual grounds that anyone knows of that I might've looked over?

Any help appreciated.

BTW - It is an r32 rb20det

What are the standard ways of checking that the injectors and spark plugs are getting charge without having to access the coil's?

[blind_elk]

You haven't disconnected the CAS? Igniter pack is connected OK? Igniter pack has an earth - its connected? Cams are in the right position?, particulary the exhaust, since it controls the positioning of the CAS.

Take the CAS out (keep it connected to the loom), take note of its position so you can put it back in the same spot. Put the key to "ON", slowly spin the CAS shaft (anti-clockwise) - you should be able to hear the coils firing.

Crank the engine - you should be able to hear the injectors firing. Use a BIG screwdriver as a stethoscope if necessary.

Maybe you can run a diagnostic from the ECU - presuming you are running factory ECU?

BTW, did you spin the engine over and get oil pressure b4 you tried to actually start it?

[S13 Silvia]

blind_elk,

I established that the injector's are firing so it is the spark.

I haven't disconnected the CAS, I got it started in the halfcut and haven't altered it since. If by igniter pack, u mean the power transistor, I don't know if it is ok but I'm assuming it is as it worked before and all connections are in it. The earth wire which is black with silver dots and goes onto a screw on the igniter pack is connected. Cams haven't been touched. If I do what you said with the CAS, if it does fire, what does this tell me? and vice versa, if it doesn't fire, what does this tell me?

I've run a diag from the stock ecu and it is all clear.

And no, I didn't spin the engine over and get oil pressure before I went to start it.

Any ideas?

[blind_elk]

Its a good idea to make sure you can get oil pressure before you actually start a new engine - don't want to run those nice new bearings without any lubrication, now, do we?

OK, back to the problem at hand. Pull all the coil packs, stick a spark plug in each, and crank the engine - see if each plug is sparking. If it sparking, then its obviously somewhere else. Maybe pull all the injectors and check that they spray fuel while you crank the engine.

Meanwhile, I'll check out the manual tonight and get a list of "My engine won't start" solutions.

[blind_elk]

1. Check fuel pump is working (during cranking).

Should be able to feel the fuel line pulsating during cranking.

2. Injector can be heard during cranking.

3. Ignition

a) tacho needle flickers during cranking?

B) hook up a timing light and check flashes during cranking.

c) as I suggested previously, pull a coil pack and insert a plug, check if it actually sparks.

After that, FIIK.

[S13 Silvia]

Yep, fuel pump is definantly working. I can hear it and the fuel lines are pulsating. My tacho isn't connected so I can't read off that. Where abouts do I connect the timing light?

And it's a bastard to rip out my coil's and spark plug's out of an rb engine compared to my old ca!

[blind_elk]

There should be a loop of wire near the igniter. A conventional timing light will work off that (may not be accurate, but will at least give a signal).

I know its a bastard, but you want the engine to start, don't you? You have to do stuff to track down where the problem is.

You're absolutely sure the fuel lines are connected the right way round. Disconnect the return line and check if fuel comes out when the pump is working.

[dAVE]

I would have checked the plugs 5 days ago if I were you. Only takes an hour or so!

[S13 Silvia]

Just as a final post, I found the problem a while back.

I connected the white/purple wire from the ignition relay (on the rb20det engine loom - little green box) to a blue/red wire (I think) going into the fusebox that connects to the 30amp ignition fuse as per the wiring diagram.

Also, I had connected pin 16 (eccs relay) to the eccs relay on the silvia engine bay loom but I had to also have it connected to the orange wires coming out of the skyline engine loom ignition and eccs relay's. And she started!!! much to the delight of me. Originally I didn't have the ignition and eccs relay's on the skyline engine loom connected because I had connected the wires to the corresponding wires on the silvia engine bay loom and assumed that there were the corresponding relay's in the fusebox.

Thanks to everyone that helped especially blind_elk. Thanks mate.