Got Heep back after getting aftermarket motor replaced under warranty. Do not get and ATK motor. But that's another story.
Was running better than the day I bought it. But dip$hit mechanics had cracked my forward fuel line and idler pulley bearing had failed. So didn't drive it much for a month or so.
Finally was driving over to my shop to get to work when it died. Cranked a couple more times and she tried to turn over but then got the click click click of a dead battery.
Turned out the shop that installed my motor did not connect the alternator ground to the block. I know. I know. Different story, though.
Fast forward: got the battery charged, tested and is good, fuel line replaced, getting 49 psi at the rail, but still no start.
Start investigating ignition.
Test CrankPS for resistance and it reads open and getting spark and the secondary coil cable. So I'm feeling good. Bench test coil and it checks out with the service manual's specified resistances.
Check dizzy cap/rotor. They're totally charred. Change them, plugs and wires.
No start.
Change coil because it is the original, a little cracked, the spark was not completely blue.
No start.
Pulled cap again made sure everything was making good connections, found rotor at the 10-11 o'clock position. Thus I test the CamPS for voltage per service manual, albeit with a digital voltmeter (why does it have to be analog?) and it reads 5.1 volts (5 is the specified).
Reset PCM. Still no start.
Got a code reader and it spits out p1694 - as I've read a bad CrankPS can throw this even though it points to a no bus which is more directly related to the powertrain control module (pcm) and/or wiring harness.
So got an inline spark tester. Connected to two different wires for spark at the plugs and it SEEMS that there is spark. That is, the tester does light up with a solid spark. But, emPHAsis on SEEMS because I've never checked for spark and am not sure what to look for in terms of frequency etc. The spark I am getting at the plugs occurs maybe every "ONE-1000" counts or so. Is that correct when it's trying to start?
So, I'm confident enough in spark at the plugs at that point (unless y'all tell me otherwise). So, that "rules out" the CrankPS even though I know it's the most common.
I should also note that all my gauges are reading correctly. And I'm pretty sure I checked all the right fuses.
Still no start. Checked all grounds. Turns out the previous shop didn't connect the back of the block to the firewall either. A$$hats. Fixed that. Nothing.
Next, pull a plug to see if it's wet. It's not. So, I'm doubting the fuel injectors are spraying. PCM runs that right?
But, I'm still only getting a p1694 so off to pull a part to grab a PCM off a '99.
Swap the brainboxes. Pull codes and it has some old ones. Reset PCM. Pull codes again and get only p1694 (this also verifies my reset procedure). So, it wasn't the PCM. Unless that one was bad too.
So now, I'm debating whether to try a new CrankPS this afternoon or call it and tow it into to this local auto electric guy.
I really don't want to give up. But I also want my Heep back.
Thoughts?
Was running better than the day I bought it. But dip$hit mechanics had cracked my forward fuel line and idler pulley bearing had failed. So didn't drive it much for a month or so.
Finally was driving over to my shop to get to work when it died. Cranked a couple more times and she tried to turn over but then got the click click click of a dead battery.
Turned out the shop that installed my motor did not connect the alternator ground to the block. I know. I know. Different story, though.
Fast forward: got the battery charged, tested and is good, fuel line replaced, getting 49 psi at the rail, but still no start.
Start investigating ignition.
Test CrankPS for resistance and it reads open and getting spark and the secondary coil cable. So I'm feeling good. Bench test coil and it checks out with the service manual's specified resistances.
Check dizzy cap/rotor. They're totally charred. Change them, plugs and wires.
No start.
Change coil because it is the original, a little cracked, the spark was not completely blue.
No start.
Pulled cap again made sure everything was making good connections, found rotor at the 10-11 o'clock position. Thus I test the CamPS for voltage per service manual, albeit with a digital voltmeter (why does it have to be analog?) and it reads 5.1 volts (5 is the specified).
Reset PCM. Still no start.
Got a code reader and it spits out p1694 - as I've read a bad CrankPS can throw this even though it points to a no bus which is more directly related to the powertrain control module (pcm) and/or wiring harness.
So got an inline spark tester. Connected to two different wires for spark at the plugs and it SEEMS that there is spark. That is, the tester does light up with a solid spark. But, emPHAsis on SEEMS because I've never checked for spark and am not sure what to look for in terms of frequency etc. The spark I am getting at the plugs occurs maybe every "ONE-1000" counts or so. Is that correct when it's trying to start?
So, I'm confident enough in spark at the plugs at that point (unless y'all tell me otherwise). So, that "rules out" the CrankPS even though I know it's the most common.
I should also note that all my gauges are reading correctly. And I'm pretty sure I checked all the right fuses.
Still no start. Checked all grounds. Turns out the previous shop didn't connect the back of the block to the firewall either. A$$hats. Fixed that. Nothing.
Next, pull a plug to see if it's wet. It's not. So, I'm doubting the fuel injectors are spraying. PCM runs that right?
But, I'm still only getting a p1694 so off to pull a part to grab a PCM off a '99.
Swap the brainboxes. Pull codes and it has some old ones. Reset PCM. Pull codes again and get only p1694 (this also verifies my reset procedure). So, it wasn't the PCM. Unless that one was bad too.
So now, I'm debating whether to try a new CrankPS this afternoon or call it and tow it into to this local auto electric guy.
I really don't want to give up. But I also want my Heep back.
Thoughts?
