Updated at post 28 - Won't start and I'm stumped.

kmead said:
There are a few versions of the distributor cap with different pin outs from the inside to the outside so check that as you are fiddling around.

Please change your oil as it has been notably contaminated with gasoline which breaks the oil down.

Beyond that you have received excellent advice.
Click to expand...
As always!!!
 
I do remember reading somewhere on here that there was a bad batch of caps going around. Poster went thru 3 before I worked.
 
Timing belt and distributor timing are corrected. No start. Pulled the plugs, wire brushed the electrodes and tested each one and they fire fine. No start. Unfortunately I forgot to squirt oil in so I guess that is next. I checked the air intake when it was cranking and it sort of opened and closed in time to the engine cranking. Next I'll go to the 4 injector connectors and test them (double checked that cold is still working perfectly). Then I'll go to the FI trouble shooter manual and see what there is to see.
 
Michael Oxman said:
Success!!! I went back and redid the static timing which did the trick. Now to button everything back up and change the oil. I can't see the access panel to the distributor fitting back on with the upright distributor but we'll see.
Quite the community we have here - thanks to all who lent a hand!!!
Click to expand...
It takes a bit of maneuvering but IIRC it will fit if you have the body of the distributor oriented so that the vacuum capsule is more or less pointing to the wheel well. BTW, such position affords the distributor the most swing arc to adjust timing before the vac capsule collides with other stuff down there.

Congrats! BUT!!!! I am still unclear as to the root of the issue. Was it the engine timing (aka cam timing) or was it an issue with ignition timing? If it was engine timing, I would want to find out why that went kerflooey--perhaps a tensioner issue, belt wear/failure, or other cause (not that there would be many more causes other than those two).
 
Dan Sarandrea (Phila) said:
It takes a bit of maneuvering but IIRC it will fit if you have the body of the distributor oriented so that the vacuum capsule is more or less pointing to the wheel well. BTW, such position affords the distributor the most swing arc to adjust timing before the vac capsule collides with other stuff down there.

Congrats! BUT!!!! I am still unclear as to the root of the issue. Was it the engine timing (aka cam timing) or was it an issue with ignition timing? If it was engine timing, I would want to find out why that went kerflooey--perhaps a tensioner issue, belt wear/failure, or other cause (not that there would be many more causes other than those two).
Click to expand...
So as I discovered the timing went out by a tooth. I removed the belt and inspected it and to me it looked fine. After reinstalling I set the static timing by eye which worked perfectly when I changed the belt two years ago. I went out and set the static timing again last night, this time using a ruler to be more accurate and that did it. As to why it jumped, don't know. When I reinstalled the belt i made sure the tensioner was all the way down. I'll have to keep an eye on it.
 
Michael Oxman said:
So after about two years and 3000 miles one day the X wouldn't start. It sounded like it wanted to so I let it crank and burned out the starter as is detailed in another thread. I also broke and replaced the distributor cap. So now I've confirmed that its getting spark, air and fuel but all I get is one little rhythmic catch as you can hear in the video. I also checked the two fuses marked F.I. in the fuse box. I would do the more intrusive electronic testing as is in the Fuel Injection manual, but over the course of three weeks it has started twice. Once it ran fine but wouldn't restart, and once it ran for a sec and died. I was wondering if the sound was indicative of something. Thanks.

Click to expand...
I replaced the fuel pressure regulator because their clearly wasn't enough pressure in the system.
 
So here we are almost exactly a year later (and another 2,500 trouble free miles) and I start the car, it runs for a second then dies and won't restart. Checked fuel and spark and air, so I went straight back to the timing and it has slipped again, this time a whole bunch as you can see from the pictures. I'm going to install a new belt this time although it only has about 3,500 miles on it, but question - how tight should it be? The tensioner side was nice and firm, but you can hear the "belt slap" on the plastic shroud on the not-as-tight-as-the-left right side. 1986 noninterference engine. Dayco 95069? 94513? I got the first one from Bayless and all they list in the order was the fiat part number (4401261). I should have saved the box.
 

Attachments

  • Timing set top.jpg
    Timing set top.jpg
    162.3 KB · Views: 32
  • way off timing bottom.jpg
    way off timing bottom.jpg
    158 KB · Views: 38
Last edited:
Maybe your spring tensioner is shot and not putting enough pressure on the belt. There should be no belt slap on the cover.
 
Just removed the guard. the tensioner side is nice and firm, but the non-tensioner side seems awfully loose. I ordered a new belt. maybe this one was a dud.

 
Michael Oxman said:
Just removed the guard. the tensioner side is nice and firm, but the non-tensioner side seems awfully loose. I ordered a new belt. maybe this one was a dud.

Click to expand...
Put wheel chocks on front of and behind the left rear wheel. Put the transmission in 5th, hand brake off and jack up the right side of the car. Now rotate the right rear wheel clockwise a revolution or two. This will move any slack on the timing belt to the tensioner side. Check the timing belt slack again.

When you installed the timing belt, did you follow the tensioning procedure in the FSM? As Carl asked, is your tensioner spring OK?
 
ng_randolph said:
Put wheel chocks on front of and behind the left rear wheel. Put the transmission in 5th, hand brake off and jack up the right side of the car. Now rotate the right rear wheel clockwise a revolution or two. This will move any slack on the timing belt to the tensioner side. Check the timing belt slack again.

When you installed the timing belt, did you follow the tensioning procedure in the FSM? As Carl asked, is your tensioner spring OK?
Click to expand...
Tensioner looks good to me and its nice and firm on the tensioner side. there is a good pull on the spring when I move the tension wheel back. I followed the Wiki write-up and runs fine every week until February rolls around. This time it slipped 4 teeth. That seems like a lot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top