BAN-LS1

iTrader: (16)

I bought a 94 TA A4 with 167K miles. When i got the car they guy i got it from said it had a blown head gasket. He replaced the head gaskets and had the heads milled. I got the car with the engine together except the front cover etc. I spun the engine over and it seemed fine. Since the front cover was off i changed the timing chain by lining the marks up dot to dot and put it back just like it was. Put the whole car together including new plugs and a rebuilt opti.

I tried to start the car and it pops and backfire out the intake and a little out the exhaust but will not crank. I am pretty damn sure the timing chain is correct.

I bought a brand new delphi opti and put it on, same thing.

After i put the new opti on i did not put the water pump and every thing else back on. I have triple checked my wires to make sure they are right, I also check the valves to make sure they are not too loose or too tight.

Please help! I am getting frustrated!

88iroc92rs94formula

iTrader: (1)

hey im in the same boat. dont feel bad, only mine was suppose to run when i got it.

88iroc92rs94formula

iTrader: (1)

check the "little pissed off" thread there are some good timing and fuel walk thurs on there that might help

ss.slp.ls1

iTrader: (36)

Have you tested the opti harness?

Also do this test:
http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#opti_test

What's your fuel pressure at?

lifeisgood

iTrader: (4)

go back to the basics. air, fuel, and spark. check fuel pressure, check the wires...make sure theyre on correctly.
obviously you have spark if the thing pops.
i would go back to the timing make sure its on tdc on a compression stroke and the dots line up.

onephatZ28

iTrader: (8)

check the coil. when the opti take a **** sometimes it will take the coil with it

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

I'd also make sure you don't have your wires crossed or loose. One crossed wire can prevent an engine from starting.

firebirdlt1350

i had the same problem i change the coil pak and you need to put back the water pump my car started up like about 5min after doing that put some starter fliud in the intake just in case u flooded the motor it helps

firebirdlt1350

also it might take a couple of times for you to try and start it

ss.slp.ls1

iTrader: (36)

Why does he need to put the water pump back on? He needs to test fire it first to make sure that the opti is indexed correctly or that the timing gear is on correctly.

To the OP. You said you were sure that the timing marks were lined up dot to dot. Are you sure you put the opti on correctly? I have never put on a splined drive opti, but I know you can put the newer style opti's on incorrectly. They usually not pointing at the right cylinder pin that they are supposed to and the car will crank all day and sputter and pop but it will never fire.

Why so?

BAN-LS1

iTrader: (16)

I have no fuel pressure. I check the relay its good, checked at the wires going from the car to the tank with a test light and the power wire make the test light light up very bright, on the other wire the light is very dim. The pump never turns on. Going to test with volt meter, what should the voltage be on the signal wire?

ss.slp.ls1

iTrader: (36)

You can jump the pump at the pump hot wire located on the passenger side shock tower. That can tell you if your relay or some wiring is bad. The good news is, you found out why it's not starting, lol.

If you would believe it, similar thing happened to me. Both my pump and my opti died at the same time. Had to replace both and I was terrorizing the streets again.

BAN-LS1

iTrader: (16)

Yeh i jumped out that wire by the PCM pump did not run. My main question now is, Is the signal wire supposed to have 12v?

BAN-LS1

iTrader: (16)

Ok put a new pump in and got fuel pressure at the rail. When i turn the enigine over it will crank or do anything. If i spray some starting fluid in the TB it will pop and back fire out the intake and exhaust like the timing is off. I have checked to make sure i am getting spark. I am not really sure what to do now.

How do i check the injectors? The car had been sitting for a couple years, the gas smells bad. Wondering if the injectors and clogged.


The engine has no coolant in it and the waterpump is not on the car. I didnt want put it all back together if i have to take it all back apart again.


Please help! I am getting pissed!!

ss.slp.ls1

iTrader: (36)

If you are worried about the injectors, check your fuses, and you can also pull up the rail and see if the injectors are firing. Be careful not to start a fire, lol.

As for the timing, you could have done a couple of things off (and I think the timing is the more likely of your problem).

1) The timing gears are 180* missaligned, meaning that you didn't have #1 on the right stroke before you brought it to TDC.

2) You indexed the distributor on incorrectly, meaning that the pointer of the distributor is not pointing to the right cylinder.

3) The rotor is detached from the base of the opti, the only way to know for sure is to remove the cap and look at it.

Since you have the front opened up, I would remove the cover, remove and reinstal the chaing making sure that that #1 is at TDC and the you are dot to dot. I would make sure that you have the opti indexed correct, and lastly I would double check to see that the opti anc the coil are properly hooked up, coil wire is seated, and that the coil is grounded.

BAN-LS1

iTrader: (16)

Checked all the fuses.

I lined up the timing marks with the old chain on. Then put the new chain on without spinning the cam or the crank. So the timing is exactly how it was.

The opti will only go on one way.

The opti is a brand new delphi.

ss.slp.ls1

iTrader: (36)

I'm not familiar with the splined drive opti, but I thought that you could still install them out of phase.

BAN-LS1

iTrader: (16)

ITS ALIVE!!!! It was the splined shaft that go into the engine, they were worn out and would go in indexed wrong. Put the new spined shaft in and it fired right off!!!!!

ss.slp.ls1

iTrader: (36)

Nice, I figured it was your opti indexed incorrectly. Glad you got it figured out man.

BAN-LS1

iTrader: (16)

Funny story with this car. I owned it in 2001. Sold it to some guy never saw the car again until lastweek when i saw it on craigslist. I knew it was my old car with saw it. Brings back a lot of memories.