my car won't start after Hallett?!

I drove my '01 up there, ran around the track(120 miles, wot) without a hitch...

drove all the way back to Mckinney(800miles for the trip).... I pulled into a CVS pharmacy...

the car won't start.


Miatas are easy to tow...

OK, my analysis(?)

the timing belt was loose and therefore replaced, and double checked with regard to TDC and it lines up. turns over, but no run...

fuel pump has been replaced after diagnosis with a jumper wire...pump noise, but no run.

Cam Angle Sensor(CAS) replaced....nothin'

Crank Angle Sensor replaced with JDM.....

help! i've been without my fix for over a week without a single cylinder firing!

jerome.

Swap maf's and check the coils and tps

You need three things to start the engine - fuel, spark and compression (after that comes ignition timing, cam timing, etc., but we're just checking for basics). Check for spark while the engine is cranking by holding the sparkplug end of an ignition wire about ¼" from a cam cover (or other similarly grounded part of the engine block, and use insulated pliers). If that's good, check for fuel pressure in the fuel rail. If that's good, check the engine compression. One of those should point to a problem. It gets tricker after that.

Since it is an OBDII car what codes are you getting?

When my '02 died the first time was the Cam Position Sensor P0340

When I lost one of the coils (It would still run BTW) Code was P0300

i have checked fuel, spark, compression and air.... all are good...

the car is NOT throwing any codes... he doesn't know he's broken...

any other ideas, before i drag it to a shop and pay $$$$.

jerome.

Is the timing belt still intact? Pull the oil filler cap and crank it over....see if it or the gears move.

His timing belt is new and properly adjusted.

Is it doing anything? Is it even trying to start?

It wouldn't be the first time one of us put the Crankshaft position sensor plate back wrong during a timing belt change.

It turns over with the starter but just cranks and cranks. It won't run at all.

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Originally Posted by POS Racing

Is it doing anything? Is it even trying to start?

It wouldn't be the first time one of us put the Crankshaft position sensor plate back wrong during a timing belt change.

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the plate was installed correctly (convex forward)...

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Originally Posted by Nails

His timing belt is new and properly adjusted.

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So someone eyeballed it while the car was cranking over? Just because it's new doesn't mean it can't break.

the timming belt is happy and healthy...

i have arranged to borrow an ECU and the matching immobilizer, I'll swap those and see what happens...

does anybody have a MAF and/or any other sensors to borrow and test? i already have the CAS and CKP... ECU is coming...

Not to be a complete smartass, but does it have gas in the tank?

Since it's cranking and assuming that you've got spark, how bout shooting a little starting fluid in the throttle body and see if it fires?

Fuel Fouled Plugs
If you have fuel and fire then it has to do something.

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Originally Posted by trickyrix

Not to be a complete smartass, but does it have gas in the tank?

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tricky, i love your grasp of the obvious!

lol, I hope to get to drive to kellers this week...

i'll do the loaner PCM and immobilizer in the morning... i have to call Mazda with the numbers on the modules and get the "code word"....


thanks for the responses, keep 'em comin'

If you don't mind me asking how did you check for fuel and spark? If the engine main fuse goes out will it crank and not start?

I held plug 1 to valve cover and saw spark. All plugs looked fine with no oil or gunk. Jerome later pulled a fuel line at the rail I think, and saw it had fuel.

Ok so next I'd put a test light on the injector connector and make sure it getting a signal.

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Originally Posted by Flyin96M

Ok so next I'd put a test light on the injector connector and make sure it getting a signal.

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i put my stethoscope(sp?) on each of the injectors and they all "tick, tick, tick"...

the stealership says they want $99 for the ecu and immobilizer to key matching service... and, it may or may not take, non-refundable....

I'm done.

Sunday it will be towed to a local shop that I've used before and trust. They agreed to diagnose it and let me carry-out the repairs.

You guys and gals(?) have been great, but we haven't gotten anywhere... time to pay the pros!

You have checked the MAF sensor wiring?! At the plug it may appeared to be secure, but for some reason it may not be getting good connection. Last time I had no start, I wiggled the wire at the plug and it fired up. It did that to me more than a couple times. Each time I messed around with the intake I had this problem. Apparently, for the NB that pug is very sensitive if you are not using the OEM airbox.

we (nails and i) did take turns wiggling the wires...

i don't claim to be a wicked mechanic, but, this has got me... two weeks of nothing.... pay the pro's

the shop( no affiliation) Burdick Auto, in Mckinney, will once again come to the rescue when things are over my head... these folks helped me with my '78 Westy and have been good to me....

thanks to all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jdcanadian

we (nails and i) did take turns wiggling the wires...

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Is that what you kids call it these days?

Jerome, the first thing i thought of was the immobilizer. Gary @ TDR has had to deal with this on a handful of 01+ miatas and the immobilizer is THE reason why i'd never own an 01+ car.

It wasn't the immobilizer. Jerome will post soon what it was but his car is finally running again.

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Originally Posted by Nails

It wasn't the immobilizer. Jerome will post soon what it was but his car is finally running again.

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Yea! ::Banana::

ladies and gentlemen, I admit... I am an IDIOT!

so... we had a loose timing belt... cam sensor replaced, crank too... but, I didn't hear the fuel pump... so I replaced it, simple bolt in affair... it fits in just the right way that the wires line right up!.........

the aftermarket pump has no markings, as my well paid mechanic will admit, as to + or -....

long story short, the timing belt was simply luck... the fuel pump happened to die at 193K... so I replaced it...

... and wired it backwards!

the pump was running just fine... the wrong way!

i am an idiot.

i pulled the fuel line off at the first dampener and had leakage, i assumed(moron) i had fuel.... i heard the injectors ticking... i must have gas.... NO!

moral of the story, no matter how simple, pay real close attention to the little things.

injector not dampener.

Glad you figured it out, regardless of the story.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nails

injector not dampener.

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... no, the pulse dampener... it evens out the pulses from the pump... it's a lil' beer barrel shaped thing with the rubber nipple...it's the first thing the fuel line goes into at the engine compartment....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jdcanadian

... no, the pulse dampener... it evens out the pulses from the pump... it's a lil' beer barrel shaped thing with the rubber nipple...it's the first thing the fuel line goes into at the engine compartment....

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Oh. My bad.

it's not your fault, i'm the idiot... lol

Fuel pressure regulator or FPR would be the familiar term. Glad it was something simple. Sorry you had to go to great lengths to figure it out.

A very long time ago, when I worked in a foreign car repair shop, the boss ferquently said "the solution, once found, will be simple". The hard part is getting to the solution. Glad it's fixed.