Mike Kopstain
New Member
Hey guys,
I'm at my wits end here and I am looking for ANY help or insight. To premise the problems you are about to read, here is a little summary of the problem.
We received this car, not running. It is a 3.2 conversion with 0 miles. The owner took it to his local mechanic originally to have the car's loose end's tied up. The mechanic ended up putting the timing belt on wrong, forgot the retaining disc on the crank and frayed some fuel pump wires. From there, we were contracted to finish the car. Thinking this was a simple timing belt replacement, we put everything back on and the car wouldn't fire. What you read below is a detailed account of what we experienced afterwards...
The first thing we did was check the spark plug order. Sure enough, his mechanic reversed cylinder's 5 and 6 on the coil. Still no start.
The two cam sprocket marks were at 12 O' clock, matching the inner timing cover marks, the crank mark was at 5 O' clock, lined up with the mark on the oil pump housing, the belt's writing was facing away from me, the marks were lined up with both cams and the 3.0 mark on the crank. Tension was applied. The car procedes to backfire when turning over.
From there, we pulled the intake and valve covers. The two cams on each bank of cylinders appear to be in time with each other. When lined up, the marks are exactly opposite of each other. So we put everything back on. Still no go.
We think for a second that maybe the cam sensor is bad and we throw on a known good spare. Still, nothing. Here is what the car does have. It has spark. I pulled a couple wires and checked. We know we have that. It has a tach signal and the tach works. We have fuel (we think). When pressing the valve, we get fuel. It doesn't spray out, but it definetly is under pressure. Additionally to that, we have had the car running ONCE, albeit out of time.
As a last ditch effort, we removed the Y pipe thinking perhaps the cats are clogged. (We don't know the history on the Y pipe. It appears to be used) There was no change. The car is in time but it sounds like it's not. As you can see, we are at our wits end. I'm not too keen on being defeated by a car, especially two in one week. (Speaking of which, Paul, Craig's control arms showed know signs of even beginning to move tonight. :>) ) If you can offer ANY help here, even small, it is much appreciated.
Common guys, teach me something here. Point out something obvious that I missed. I'm beginning to think that someone is trying to tell me I shouldn't be working on cars. :>)
If you list something and that ends up being my problem, I will send (or Paypal) you a $25.00 check. Obviously, it would go to the first person to mention the problem. :>) I am an honest guy, or so I like to tell myself.
~ Defeated SHO "Specialist"
I'm at my wits end here and I am looking for ANY help or insight. To premise the problems you are about to read, here is a little summary of the problem.
We received this car, not running. It is a 3.2 conversion with 0 miles. The owner took it to his local mechanic originally to have the car's loose end's tied up. The mechanic ended up putting the timing belt on wrong, forgot the retaining disc on the crank and frayed some fuel pump wires. From there, we were contracted to finish the car. Thinking this was a simple timing belt replacement, we put everything back on and the car wouldn't fire. What you read below is a detailed account of what we experienced afterwards...
The first thing we did was check the spark plug order. Sure enough, his mechanic reversed cylinder's 5 and 6 on the coil. Still no start.
The two cam sprocket marks were at 12 O' clock, matching the inner timing cover marks, the crank mark was at 5 O' clock, lined up with the mark on the oil pump housing, the belt's writing was facing away from me, the marks were lined up with both cams and the 3.0 mark on the crank. Tension was applied. The car procedes to backfire when turning over.
From there, we pulled the intake and valve covers. The two cams on each bank of cylinders appear to be in time with each other. When lined up, the marks are exactly opposite of each other. So we put everything back on. Still no go.
We think for a second that maybe the cam sensor is bad and we throw on a known good spare. Still, nothing. Here is what the car does have. It has spark. I pulled a couple wires and checked. We know we have that. It has a tach signal and the tach works. We have fuel (we think). When pressing the valve, we get fuel. It doesn't spray out, but it definetly is under pressure. Additionally to that, we have had the car running ONCE, albeit out of time.
As a last ditch effort, we removed the Y pipe thinking perhaps the cats are clogged. (We don't know the history on the Y pipe. It appears to be used) There was no change. The car is in time but it sounds like it's not. As you can see, we are at our wits end. I'm not too keen on being defeated by a car, especially two in one week. (Speaking of which, Paul, Craig's control arms showed know signs of even beginning to move tonight. :>) ) If you can offer ANY help here, even small, it is much appreciated.
Common guys, teach me something here. Point out something obvious that I missed. I'm beginning to think that someone is trying to tell me I shouldn't be working on cars. :>)
If you list something and that ends up being my problem, I will send (or Paypal) you a $25.00 check. Obviously, it would go to the first person to mention the problem. :>) I am an honest guy, or so I like to tell myself.
~ Defeated SHO "Specialist"
) correct, where do I look now? I'm not in a position where I have a lot more options to check. 
