No start after engine rebuild

hause · April 5th, 2012, 09:47

OK so just finished a alh rebuild by the book and can't get the car to crank up. Seems the first place to start is fuel. I have gone through all the steps and know the IP is getting fuel but when I crack the injectors I am only getting fuel out of injector 4. The IP was fine before the rebuild, could IP timing be causing this?

Dieselmad · April 5th, 2012, 10:29

Did you check if the fuel came through from the tank? I used compressed air at the tank to push the fuel through to the ip. After that i loosened all 4 injector pipes at the injectors then swinged the motor till i can see squirts of diesel coming out of the pipes.

hause · April 5th, 2012, 14:32

Yes what I did and it seemed to be successful was use a vacuum to pull fuel up from the tank through the filter and into the IP intake line. There is fuel in the line, its just not making it to the injectors. I can hear the IP clicking on as I cycle the ignition as well. I have noticed there is a small single wire connector that I did not get plugged up after installing the engine I can't seem to find the female side, its in the same group of connectors behind the oil filter. Anyone knows where this goes?

Redneck Truck · April 5th, 2012, 15:16

Single wire is oil pressure, I believe. Should be on the oil filter housing. Should not affect startup. Crank position may, but I believe that is a 3-pin connector.

Wonderboy · April 5th, 2012, 15:17

Can you take a picture of it?

hause · April 5th, 2012, 18:06

yes but I'm not sure how to post images on this forum, could someone please explain

Wonderboy · April 6th, 2012, 04:33

You said you got it to the IP Intake line...have you primed the IP using the return line? If the IP isn't fully primed it won't get fuel to the injectors or there will be to much air in the system.

hause · April 6th, 2012, 06:29

I actually cant get the IP to prime, sounds like this could be the source of the problem. I have probably tired this on 3 separate occasions where I make sure there is fuel on the intake and then I go to vacuum the return line and I get nothing. I have been leaving the little curved adapter piece on there and tring to air seal the nipple (that hooks into the injector fuel house) with heat sink tubing.
Is this the wrong way to do it? I also have tried numerous times cracking the injectors and cycling the ignition, would this not do the same thing?

Ski in NC · April 6th, 2012, 06:51

Get an outboard motor squeeze bulb fuel hose and push fuel directly into inlet of fuel filter. Put jug on roof of car so gravity helps you. Fuel moves VERY slowly through machined clearances of lift pump inside IP, so be patient. Verify pump is solid (fuel coming out return) and then crank with injector fuel nuts loose. Once spitting, tighten up and try a start.

hause · April 6th, 2012, 07:15

Ok just went out and tried again. There is fuel sitting in the line going about half way up from IP to the filter. I hook vacuum up using a 5 hp shop vac on IP return. The fuel in the line sucks into IP, after a slight hesitation a soild stream forms in the intake line from the filter but still nothing out of the return. I pull off the fuel line to injectors and I get a very small trickle of fuel out of the vacuumed return line, when I block the injector line nipple back up trickle stops. I continue to let it vacuum at a trickle but dosen't improve.

whitedog · April 6th, 2012, 07:37

I hope that you don't try the vacuum cleaner to siphon gasoline sometime. Things have a tendency to go "BOOM".

Has there been any fuel wetness on the outside of the injection pump before the rebuild?

Have you double checked the base timing? Check the link in my signature for no start troubleshooting.

Ski in NC · April 6th, 2012, 07:56

Vacuum cleaner has nowhere near enough vacuum to prime the pump. Need either mityvac type hand pump, or the squeeze bulb I suggested.

The squeeze bulb works if there is a little leakage in IP, where the mityvac will not.

hause · April 6th, 2012, 08:16

ok I will try to locate one of these squeez bulbs you speak of

hause · April 6th, 2012, 23:15

Picked up a mityvapc at harbor frieght and that did the trick, primed the pump, bled the lines and she fired right up. Felt so good.

The last thing I have to do is install the serpentine belt, right now even with the idle pully pulled back there isn't near enough slack to install. I have the service manual and the route is correct. I am only getting about 1/2" of movement on the idler pully is this right?

runonbeer · April 7th, 2012, 20:14

Make sure the upper alternator bolt is in the correct hole. Sometimes you can miss the hole and still 'sort of' bolt it up but it's kicked forward and causes the belt clearance issue you are describing.