finished timing cover, car wont start

wildchild048

Registered User
Just finished installing timing cover gasket,went to start the car and it just cranks,then once it seemed like it tried to fire.The cam sensor is back where it was when I started (I think).The battery is very week,but will still crank the motor.Will the week battery make it not start? Or is there something I am missing?
 
Give the battery a good over-night charge.....

But, I think your cam sensor might be out of adjustment.....
 
Cam sensor may be back, but did you move the crank? Gotta get #1 at TDC then adjust cam sensor, otherwise where it's pointing doesn't have anything to do with the crankshaft position.
 
crank never moved and cam sensor is where it was.when i tried to start it just cranked, but one time it tryed.so could it be the battery?
 
crank never moved and cam sensor is where it was.when i tried to start it just cranked, but one time it tryed.so could it be the battery?

If it's cranking over it's not the battery. Since changing the timing cover includes removal and reinstall of the crank sensor, I would start there. Check to make sure the sensor is properly spaced around the reluctor/trigger wheel. If the wheel touches the sensor it will damage it and the car won't start. There should be clearance on each side of the sensor about the thickness of a match book cover. Also check to make sure the crank sensor harness was properly plugged back into the main harness.

Having the cam sensor installed wrong will not prevent the car from starting...even with the sensor unplugged it will still run...not very good but it will run. There are three possible positions to start the injector sequence, and the EEC will try guessing at the position if there is no signal...so at most it will take 3 tries to start with the cam sensor unplugged.

David
 
The only way it could be the battery would be if the battery voltage was below 10.5 volts or so. You can check that with a meter, and if you don't have a meter, get one.

But if you can crank the motor over with the battery, I'd be surprised if it's below 10.5v.

Start trouble shooting crank no start. You can unplug the cam sensor, then try and start it, key on, crank, key off, key on crank, key off, key on, crank, key off. Do that up to 6 times and if it doesn't start, it's not the cam sensor. If it does start, it's the cam sensor , wiring, or position of the cam sensor.

Are you sure the crank didn't move even a little, maybe when pulling or installing the balancer?

If it doesn't start after tests, recharge the battery and inspect the crank sensor.
 
Make sure you can get a match book cover between the crank sensor and the ring. Like dave said, make sure its all plugged in tight as well. Things like this happen to the best of us and its the only thing we can think of that might be wrong.;)
 
Thanks for the info.I JUST Went out and unpluged the cam sensor and it fired right up.so do you know what size tamper proof torx bit I need to unbolt my cam sensor?And can i do it with out removing anything?
 
Yes, you can, but you do need a cam senor alignment tool (OTC makes one). Get one. Set the no 1. cylinder at 26 degrees after top dead centre. Remove the synchronizer and oil drive shaft assembly. Put the alignment tool on the synchronizer. Slide the syncronizer assembly back in with the arrow on the alignment tool facing 30 degrees counter clockwise from the front face of the block (note: this should position the connector at the same point it was orginally). Reinstall cam sensor and start.
 
Thanks for the info.I JUST Went out and unpluged the cam sensor and it fired right up.so do you know what size tamper proof torx bit I need to unbolt my cam sensor?And can i do it with out removing anything?

On my 94 the cam sensor is held with two 5mm bolts. I didnt have to take anything but wires off to replace it.
 
On my 94 the cam sensor is held with two 5mm bolts. I didnt have to take anything but wires off to replace it.


I think he is talking about the tamper-proof torx bolt that gholds the synchronizer assmbly to the timing cover, not the cam sensor bolts.
 
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