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Thread: Car not starting....

  1. #1
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    Default Car not starting....

    I'm running out of ideas guys, and even miataturbo and miata.net haven't given me a solution. I installed a BEGi Shanghai, mspnp, lc-1 wbo2, and installed a new timing belt/waterpump while everything was off.

    1. I smell fuel in the spark plugs when cranking and my fuel pump buzzes when on the 'on' position.
    2. I have bright headlights and my battery says it has 11.56 volts
    3. I have spark on both coils.
    4. No fuses are bad from what I've seen and my wires are in the right order.

    At first the car sounded like this.



    I learned that my timing belt was actually set wrong, and so I repositioned the cam pulleys so the lobes look like this at tdc.

    http://www.rivercityroad.com/garage/pics/cams.jpg

    This is what's happening after I just put everything back together. This was a gradual thing after a few cranks, it ended up like this. I'm hoping my plugs are fouled somehow because now I'm not getting spark! They aren't even wet : /.



    I'm completely out of ideas, because I don't know what else to diagnose. Can a really really misaligned CAS cause a no start, although it shouldn't be off by more than a few degrees. Besides the timing belt job which looks to be right to me, I'm thinking it could be a megasquirt thing also. If anybody have any clue, please help a guy out. If you are running megasquirt/turbo, come take a look at my car and I'll make it worth your while .
    '95R

  2. #2
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    Can a timing belt be in the right position and still be "sheared"? I torqued the cam pulleys a few time using two wrenches (I think), and apparently this could shear the pins/belt itself.
    '95R

  3. #3

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    Sounds like the cam angle sensor may be set 180 out. Or in laymans terms the spark is going to the wrong cylinder at the wrong time.
    05 MX-5 Mazdaspeed #1024 Titanium Gray Mica

  4. #4
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    You see, I've read that many many times, but I've ignored it. I don't really get how someone can put it on 180 degrees off, unless you took it completely out and placed it o the ground somewhere. I disconnected my CAS to change the o-ring, but I couldn't fit it through the firewall to get it off by 180 degrees. Am I wrong here? Also, even in the second video, my belts are moving ever so slightly, so what gives?
    Last edited by popopo; 07-19-2009 at 08:39 AM.
    '95R

  5. #5
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    Well, I just read what it is. At TDC, my notch on the crank pulley is retarded only a few degrees off from the "T" so I'm not 180 degrees out. I read this is an indicator of timing? I also read this,

    "A few mm is not a 'tiny" amount...

    One degree of miss-rotation on the CAS will make two degrees of error for the spark timing...

    You want to be within half a mm or so... (or less than 1/32 inch)"

    If so, then it COULD be my CAS. I'm hoping my car will magically crank better so I can go check the timing.
    '95R

  6. #6

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    The easiest way to explain it is the crankshaft turns 2 complete revolutions for every 1 revolution of the cam. If the crankshaft were to have gotten turned in the process of the timing belt replacement, then the cylinder could possibly be firing while the valves are starting to take in air rather than at the combustion stroke.

    As goes the old saying: Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow
    05 MX-5 Mazdaspeed #1024 Titanium Gray Mica

  7. #7
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    The notch and arrow on my crank alignment are at 12 o'clock while the cams are at tdc. How do I check what you've said?
    '95R

  8. #8

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    Second attempt sounds like a dying battery. Looks like it doesn't have enough power to turn over.

    Ya got a charger on it??

  9. #9
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    That's what I was going to try next, but my voltage (according to megasquirt) is good and the lights/fans work very well.
    '95R

  10. #10

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    12V with no load where does the voltage go when you crank it?

    Sounds like it goes to about 2V.

  11. #11
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    I will hook it up to my truck and try. It sounded like the first video for a few cranks at first though .
    '95R

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by popopo View Post
    I will hook it up to my truck and try. It sounded like the first video for a few cranks at first though .
    But now the timing belt is properly aligned?? Isn't it??

  13. #13
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    After I aligned it too, but give me 5 mins so I can be disappointing again.
    '95R

  14. #14
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    WEGWRE:JHGLWGBIUGNLRGNm, it WAS the battery! The headlights and ac having power does NOT mean your battery is charged! POS Racing, I OWE YOU A TON (although I was about to try it too ). I'll definitely get you back if I ever get my ass to drive to the Wednesday night meet. Ahhh, leave it up to my local forums, I love you guys.
    '95R

  15. #15

    Talking

    Nice job popopo!

  16. #16

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    Congradulations.
    05 MX-5 Mazdaspeed #1024 Titanium Gray Mica

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