Starts one day, Cranks the next

[TheYoungDSMer]

I recently bought an Eagle Talon Tsi (M/T), Test drove it, Then Got it home, The car set 4 days after arriving at my home. The car came with both a fair share of issues and aftermarket parts, It has an SAFC II, AEM wideband, EVO III Big 16G, 550cc Injectors, along with some other less important parts. The car used to be a stock 7 bolt, but then was swapped to a 6 bolt, with the 7 bolt head. The car ran the day of the purchase, but we had been told it had a bent intake valve on the 4th cylinder. The car made it home fine, no issues at all. A work week passed and I went to go work with the car, then it just cranks and cranks. So then came the test for fuel, spark, and compression. The car has spark, 12.34V on the injectors, havent checked resistance, There is fuel on the fuel rail, and is fuel making it to the engine, because there was fuel on the spark plugs when I checked for spark. I think that the problem may be ECU, but I was reading and people said the 2g ECUs don't usually fail, so as of now I'm at a stand still and can't drive my new vehicle, If anyone has any ideas, how to help or what I can do, Please Help

Thanks in Advanced!

 

[cliffkemp]

If you have no compression, that would be a no start. Sounds like it may have skipped a tooth or 2 when you last shut it down and bent more valves. The only thing to do now is to take the head off and check for slap marks on the pistons and see if you are going to have to do a full rebuild or not. Checking anything else at this point is pointless. Take the head off and see what you have. There are many people on here that know the engine in and out. If you have a FWD, it will be easier to remove the engine if you need a full rebuild. Transfer case is in the way for awd...I just did a rebuild as I had head lift and a bad stud.

 

[mchustle]

No electrical problem will cause no compression. My advice one the next step to take would be to check the mechanical timing to see if it's still lined up. I have a feeling the cams will not line up which would mean you valves are toast, in turn means pulling the head and replacing them which is very expensive. Check vfaq and the is a timing walk through that will show you where all your marks are suppose to line up at.

 

[TheYoungDSMer]

So I have to check my timing, and then if it's off do a complete rebuild? What if my timings right? It seems to by the cams, is there anything else I need to check?

 

[mchustle]

Ok the main things are the cams and crank lining up where they are suppose to. If it has a balance shaft eliminated that's it, if not you also need to line up the oil pump and balance shaft marks. It may take up to 6 Complete revolutions for all of them to line up. Just use a 1/2 inch ratchet on the crank to turn the motor by hand and line the marks up. If its off unfortunately it is a rebuild, but if the valves didn't smake the pistons enough to hurt them you might get away with rebuilding the head and doing just the basic hg, studs, intake and exhaust gaskets, and timing job. The most expensive thing about it would be the machine work/head job, as long as you do the other work yourself it's just parts. That's worst case timing is just the easiest thing to check first to make sure it didn't skip some teeth.

 

[TheYoungDSMer]

Where's the crank supposed to line up? I can't ever see it when I try to check

 

[mchustle]

Timing Belt VFAQ

 

[Tyeler18]

Either you did a compression check wrong or you have some seriously bent valves. If you've got fuel on the plugs you have enough fuel to start to car, it's very possible that it's TOO much fuel which would generally* be caused by a bad ECT, however, the 0 compression test is ruling that out. You need to get that compression tester again and verify that you either do or do not have compression. If you don't then something internally is wrong, which is more than likely timing skipping and bending valves. Check the timing marks listed in the VFaq link posted above and we can go from there, however, I see a head being pulled in the new future.

 

[cliffkemp]

That was my thought from the time he said that the compression turned up 0. Either the shrader valve was missing, defective or, the tester was bad. If that is the case, I would go to another parts store and rent a different one and have someone witness the gauge while starting the car to be sure it is even moving.

It sounds to me like it jumped time when he shut it off or around the time he got it home. If that is the case, he will need to just crack it open and get to work.

To the OP....If you have to do a head job, make sure you take it to a shop and have it milled just in case. A few other things to look for....If it has been milled before, make sure your oil passage has some depth to it...it is a semi oval shape port near one of the stud holes. Second, try to get 3g lifters if possible...replace valve stem seals and guides if necessary and you can afford it. Lastly, check your oil pump if the BS have been removed to be sure it has not been damaged. Would be a good time to have an experienced person check out the engine. If you do not have BS, just pull the engine and reseal and replace worn parts and check bearings. Last thing you want to do is to rebuild and have a spun rod bearing shortly there after. Best of luck to ya and hope it is just a head issue at worst but, not likely.

 

[TheYoungDSMer]

I just got back from a long time doing personal things, but I still can't start the car, no surprise there, and I'm thinking about checking the timing, but I can't take off the wheel due to it being parked on a hill, so i don't know how to get it lined up, does anyone know a way I can check, just a fair reminder, I have a 7 bolt head on a 6 bolt block, so I don't know if that changes anything, but I still dont know how to line up the crankshaft