cranks... No start!

[kwiksilver]

89 lebaron w/2.5L T-1 auto transmission. I put a used engine in several weeks ago and the car was running for 2 days. drove it around, parked it and a day later it cranks, but doesnt start. I checked the fuel pressure and found it was low (20-25psi), changed the fuel filter and its back up to where it should be (50-55psi)
I pulled the plug wires and seem to have spark when cranking, the car ran so I assume it has compression. the timing belt seems to have proper tension, so I can't imagine it jumped time.

Ideas and suggestions are welcome.

[Whorse]

Sounds like what just happened to me. Check if your fuel pump is priming.

[88_pacifica]

89 lebaron w/2.5L T-1 auto transmission. I put a used engine in several weeks ago and the car was running for 2 days. drove it around, parked it and a day later it cranks, but doesnt start. I checked the fuel pressure and found it was low (20-25psi), changed the fuel filter and its back up to where it should be (50-55psi)
I pulled the plug wires and seem to have spark when cranking, the car ran so I assume it has compression. the timing belt seems to have proper tension, so I can imagine it jumped time.

Ideas and suggestions are welcome.

Same thing is happening to me... I can offer very little advice, but I will watch this thread and see what people say. I have good FP(50-55psi), I have good spark, and the vac lines are fine... I can't see it being a hep, map, or baro since it was just running, but we'll see what people think...

[overlordsshadow]

Have you been smelling fuel? Also never hurts to check those said things that you believe are fine. There is a reason that it is not currently running, and in my experience, just because it was running before you put new seats in doesn't mean it should be running now.

[88_pacifica]

Have you been smelling fuel? Also never hurts to check those said things that you believe are fine. There is a reason that it is not currently running, and in my experience, just because it was running before you put new seats in doesn't mean it should be running now.

You're absolutely right... I can't expect it to be reliable, just read my sig... derrrrrr

Anyway, I do smell fuel, so I'm not sure what that means other than it's pumping. Should we be looking at something else? What would the experiences be if the previously mentioned sensors were bad?

[overlordsshadow]

Well if you've got pressure and smell fuel then mabye one ore more injectors is not working. Does it try to start at all or just cranks? I've had coils, plugwires and a hep do this kind of thing to me before. Might be good just to check all connections are good and tight and in right spots. Been a few weeks since you put engine in mabye something worked loose.

[kwiksilver]

Sounds like what just happened to me. Check if your fuel pump is priming.

Like I said... with the key on, I can hear the pump run and I get proper fuel pressure. along with the used engine, I also installed a new fuel pump, fuel pump sock, fuel filter and ASD relay.

the battery aligator clips for my code scanner are missing, so I am not able to check for codes at the moment.

[tryingbe]

Never EVER assume you have good cam/spark timing.

[kwiksilver]

Never EVER assume you have good cam/spark timing.

ok... how do I properly test to ensure I have proper cam/spark timing?

[3nglenn]

http://www.thedodgegarage.com/timing_belt.html

Check the ground strap that goes from the fuel rail to firewall. Keep us posted.

[vcrpro3]

89 lebaron w/2.5L T-1 auto transmission. I put a used engine in several weeks ago and the car was running for 2 days. drove it around, parked it and a day later it cranks, but doesnt start. I checked the fuel pressure and found it was low (20-25psi), changed the fuel filter and its back up to where it should be (50-55psi)
I pulled the plug wires and seem to have spark when cranking, the car ran so I assume it has compression. the timing belt seems to have proper tension, so I can't imagine it jumped time.

Ideas and suggestions are welcome.

You lucky son-of-a-gun,at least you've got spark....(see posts under heading AAArrghhh!!)

[kwiksilver]

after verifying cam/spark timing was correct and swapping the HEP and ignition coil for giggles. I discovered the fuel system was slow to prime and the pump sounds muffled, so I suspect the pump sock is clogged. should be able to get the tank out this weekend verify the problem and clean the tank.

[88_pacifica]

after verifying cam/spark timing was correct and swapping the HEP and ignition coil for giggles. I discovered the fuel system was slow to prime and the pump sounds muffled, so I suspect the pump sock is clogged. should be able to get the tank out this weekend verify the problem and clean the tank.

Wanna come over and do mine too?

[Wraith-00]

Kinda new to the forum but nevertheless not new to the pitfalls of factory turbocharged cars and their poor wiring (especially grounds). I have an idea for you that I have done to both my 88 MX6 Turbo and 88 Turbo RX7 and will be doing shortly to my Shadow (In-progress NASA track car) and that is to do a fuel pump rewire so that you've got a constant 12volts routed to the new pump you put in as it fluctuated alot on my other cars with the stock/old wiring. Our cars are almost 20+ years old and I don't know if you noticed but those wires in your gas tank tend to corrode as well since gas is caustic. So, my suggestion is to rewire it with a 30 amp relay (radio shack), 1-10 guage 12V wire from the battery (with 25A in-line fuse), a 14G ground wire (somewhere near the fuel pump (3 ft), and two color coded wires (of your choice) one attached to the 12V+ wire you cut going to the pump (use voltmeter) with the other end going into the new relay you installed as well as the second wire running from the car side of the harness into the relay. I can get more specific but the relay has a wiring digram as well.