Thread: Won't start after cam install

yea sounds like a weak battery. How old is it?

The plug wires are for sure correct. Triple checked them. All the connectors are plugged in. All the ignition fuses are good. The grounds all appear to be connected. I never touched the starter wires when I pulled my motor, I just unbolted it from the block. The battery is reading 12.78 volts without the key in the ignition. I haven't checked for spark yet, as I'm the only one home and I don't have anyone to crank the engine for me.

I did notice something though... The clip holding the camshaft position sensor broke off, but I can't tell if the connector is still pushed in all the way. The grey rubber grommet around it is sticking out a bit, is that normal? Here's a picture:

your back firring sounds like a car thats got a timing problem, like in the old days of a distributer, thats why we've been saying plug wires, (crossed wires sound about the same) so yeah that cam sensor maybe a problem, it may not be talking to the rest of the cars systems. and f ing up the timing.

i couldn't tell you if the plug looks good or not tho. worth looking into tho.

Originally Posted by SnowFlake

Take a picture of your spark plug wires please.

A picture is too hard to see without taking a bunch of **** off and ratcheting my motor forward and all that. Here is my orientation (top to bottom on the coils):

The first coil wire is going to cylinder 6 (rear right).
The second coil wire is going to cylinder 3 (front middle).
The third coil wire is going to cylinder 2 (rear left).
The fourth coil wire is going to cylinder 5 (front right).
The fifth coil wire is going to cylinder 4 (rear middle).
The sixth coil wire is going to cylinder 1 (front left).

Did you take a picture of the timing set when you put it on?

Run the ground wire for the icm right to battery neg and see if it starts then.

Did you swap injectors?

Get the balancer on straight?

Mine has pushed on and was off of the crank key, making the timing way off and it would never run.

Can you spin the engine by using the crank bolt?

did you change springs or push rods or anything like that? what cam did you put in? did the cam spin freely when installed? im so reaching here....


the good news is im sure bill boost will be back tomorrow, he's got all the answers lately, link it to test bill boost maybe.

Sounds to me that the engine is not in time. Cylinder #1 needs to be at TDC first, and the timing dots lined up before you remove the old to install the new. With out moving the crank, install the new, and line it up, and BEFORE installing the lifters, and push rods, you want to rotate the crank around 5 or 6 times making sure each time the dots line up perfect each time around and when #1 meets TDC.

I think your off a tooth with the back fire, meaning your intake valve(s) are probably open when they should be closed.

But before you go tearing back into it, make sure the cam and crank sensor are hooked in. I would seriously fix the cam sensor connector. I would go to a junk yard, and cut one off the engine loom, and cut and splice it in, solder it, and seal it with heat shrink, and then recover it in the loom for protection. You NEED those clips on there to keep the connection.

~F~

You might also want to do a compression check too...that will probably tell you if its in time or not.

~F~

or you can pull the front valve cover , bring cylinder 1 to tdc and check the valves, im pretty sure both should be in the down position and even with each other.