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New motor installed, cant get it started.

spat70

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Orlando, FL
Hey all. I just picked up a 98 sport with a blown motor for 400 bucks. Then I picked up a 92 4.0 off craigs list for 200 (The guy is doung a v8 swap) the motor ran great. So I tore it all down and just replaced the longblock. EVERYTHING was swapped over but the dipstick and timing chain.

So its all together, looks pretty...cranks, wont start. I get a couple of puffs here and there. Im working by myself so its hard to test spark and fuel injector pulse..

I have never swapped a motor by myself but it all went well to this point.I need to know how to rig a switch to the relay so I can start trouble shooting. I just dont want to fry anything. IS there a easy way to do this?

Once that is done I need to figure out how to make sure I have the dist in right, I swapped it 180 and still no fire.

Where do I start? Thanks
 
I had the same problem when I swapped a 98 into my 96.I had the distributor 180 out.Pull the distributor and turn it 180 degrees and reinstall it and presto ,it ran great.
 
Thats what I did. I thought I was right on but not firing. I swapped 180 same thing.

I know it sounds simple but how do I rig up a remote starter so I can see if I have spark, and listen for the injector tick. working by myself makes it pretty hard to troubleshoot.

I might of damaged something but without the ability to turn it over with my head under the hood it makes it hard.

Can I just shove a wire in the relay connector and tap the battery? If so what slot?

Here is a list of everythig I have done so far.

*Cleaned every connector with electronic spray and put dielectric grease in the connectors
*Took off every ground and cleaned everything with a wire wheel, dielectric grease.
*Flipped the dist 180 about 6 times!
*Double checked every plug wire also used dielectric grease
*I tried a small spray of starting fluid and no go.
*Replaced cps with the one from my other running 98 XJ
 
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with the key "on" it will crank and start (fire plugs and injectors) if you bypass everything in the start circuit and send 12V+ to the small terminal of the starter solenoid. I'd run a momentary contact switch between the battery and that terminal and use it to crank and check.

You can also check spark (alone) by pulling the longest plug wire, inserting a spare plug, and positioning them so you can see them from inside the cab (make sure the plug is resting on metal so it's grounded).

You can check injector signal (alone) with a diode placed in the injector socket (remember the socket is live during crank and pulse-grounded through the ECU)
 
Thanks shorty, I need to wait a while till it gets darker, I tried checking for spark like that the sun is so damn bright here in FL.

Im going to rig the starter relay thing while I still have light.

Thanks..I will be checking back shortly
 
Damn, that starter jumper is simple. Ok bright blue spark with a loud crack.

The injectors are ticking away, i depressed the fuel valve and gas shot out like a water hose. So Im guessing pressure is ok.

I did get a intake backfire....So I need to make sure that dist in correctly.
 
If you are not sure about the distributor / crank/ cam relationship, you need to find TDC on the compression stroke ( pull valve cover to view valve activity) for cyl #1 (or any, just ref that tower plug wire tower out of the distributor). Then re-install the distributor, allowing for the slant in the gears by starting a little before things are lined up, then drop it in. :thumbup:

Sounds like you are knowledgeable, just pointing out getting back to basics, heard of the quickie 180 degree swap that doesn't give the peace of mind knowing your timing is mechanically correct, unless the timing chain is jumped ........ etc.
 
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Sounds like you are knowledgeable, just pointing out getting back to basics, heard of the quickie 180 degree swap that doesn't give the peace of mind knowing your timing is mechanically correct, unless the timing chain is jumped ........ etc.

LOL...dude Im clueless, this is all new to me.LOL Im a dirtbike guy. I do know the basics, compress air and fuel add a little spark and there is a boom. I just need to learn as much as possible so I feel better out on the trail.

OK I used a compression tester on #1 bumped it until i saw the needle building pressure. went to 0 degrees on the timing mark.

Dropped in the dist with a drill bit in the little alignment hole. Now I could not drop it in to line up with the hole perfectly, one tooth was too much one back not enough. I went with the closest. about a half hole off.

Funny, if I pull the #4 plug wire off and turn it over (Had it off checking spark) I got a little chug out of it. when I put it back on nothing.


Getting spark, smelling fuel, almost there.
 
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I just put the compression tester on #1 and put the plug next to it and turned it over.

I was expecting to see the spark at the same time or just a little sooner than the pressure spiked. It looks a little late. I know its a crude test but it just does not look right.

Oh... is 80psi bad on #1 it goes 60 on the first rotation up to 70 on the second and holds at 80 psi if you keep cranking.
 
That sucks...But it should still fire. When I take the #3 plug wire off and crank it I get a chugging 3 or4 cyl firing. Put it back on...nothing.

Now the motor I pulled out has many loose and broken parts in it and a hole in the block @ #1. and I can turn it over by hand, just a clanging clunk, kinda like shaking a bag of wrenches. The distributer Im using came out of this motor. Could the falure in the old motor caused the dist to shear a pin or tweak it in some way?

I have another 98 with a 4.0 as my daily driver, should I risk taking out my dist and wires and testing it. What would you do?
 
Are you sure the spark plug wires are where they should be? Check the gear on the distributor. Not else much can go wrong on the distributor besides the shaft binding and broken gear teeth.
 
I swapped the wires and dist over. Now it tries to start if I hold the throttle wide open. Im worried this motor is too tired, and I spent all this time for nothing.

I went over the plug wires so many times, 153624 clockwise from the 1 on the cap
 
I feel like an idiot! Im using the wrong alignment hole!!!!!!!! I misread it in the haynes manual. Just found this. Let me try it...
Doh!!!!!!


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