1993 Sidekick 1.6 16 valve no start after head gasket replacement

[brocklanders]

My sidekick blew the head gasket and I pulled the head per FSM but when I got to the head bolts only the passenger side were torqued, way over torqued I might add. The drivers side row was less than 20 ft/lbs as I was trying to stage up in my torque and it just turned. Thought oh maybe it was just the first one sh*t happens...... Nope the whole row was extremely loose. ( sorry long story, but I want to explain the whole thing so everyone gets a clear picture) Inspect the head and it is warped stress relieve it in a bake to get it within .0005" so I surface it and clean thoroughly. Install per FSM specs, torque staging up from 24 ft/lbs to 54 ft/lbs in three stages, install cam with assembly lube and check lash .006-.007 as the .006 was snug and the .008 would not go. I'm thinking this will be beautiful so I torque the manifolds on & install the new water pump and timing belt kit. First rotation I was a cog off so I made sure to pull the tension out and the second try came out beautiful. Engine turned over smoothly. Assembled the front of the engine and tried to start it. No fire so I looked and the distributor plug was not connected, plugged it in and still nothing, I have checked all of the grounds, valve and ignition timing multiple times compression is 154 psi with throttle at idle and a crappy gauge with rubber thread in connector. This is my daily driver and I am driving my backup hoopty that is about to fall apart. Spark plugs are wet with fuel but sparking via inline and visual detection. Also messed with the FPR and the diaphram seems to move with vacuum. Any suggestions or advise is greatly appreciated. I am about to be riding my bicycle 25 miles each way for work!!!!! Thanks in advance!


Edit: Forgot to mention I have checked a working ECU just for a long shot and only DTC is 12. Double checked that #1 firing was at TDC via compression gauge and visual with valve cover off. Cam is timed via E marks on cam @ 12 o-clock and crank key/mark at 12 o-clock. Totally stumped!!!!!

[brocklanders]

Finally got it to run..... Distributor rotated to 11 o-clock for #1 ????? Runs good and revs quick but have not put a light on it because its after midnight and the kids are asleep. Any thoughts????

[fixkick]

great, no 50mile round trip on bike.!!
sounds good.
yes, and is easy to time wrong, with false keys , false cam cog marks
and many issues with distributors.
nice work !!!

[brocklanders]

great, no 50mile round trip on bike.!!
sounds good.
yes, and is easy to time wrong, with false keys , false cam cog marks
and many issues with distributors.
nice work !!!

Very strange! I followed the FSM and triple checked everything per diagrams. The only way I got it to run was to put the manual down and just start screwing with it, by randomly dropping the distributor in until it fired and then advanced it one more tooth counter-clockwise. Fired up immediately after that and idled a little rough but sounded good and it probably has yet to burn off all of the assembly lube still inside. I will be throwing the timing light on it tonight after it warms up and then swapping some 1999 grand vitara seats in. I wonder if this has the wrong distributor in it? or a defective cam??? Who knows just have to take notes on what I have done for the future.

[fixkick]

The dizzy (distributor slang ,sorry) has 13 teeth, and most be set right, due the the rotor, location, and due to the CMP inside, Reluctor spikes (4 stars )then the right wires 1,3,4,2 firing order.
its really easy to get it off, and all 4 points of refer, line up.
all that needs be done is:
with crank and cam at #1 firing, drop dizzy, so rotor lands on #1 spark wire rotor tip, @ 1pm

the 1pm is not law, you can time it 4 ways, but only one way gets the harness aligned right on the side. 1pm

http://www.fixkick.com/IGN_timing/firing16v.jpg

if some one else timed to other than 1pm then the wires on the cap are set wrong, (to match wrong rotor location) 2 wrongs do work.
that's ok until someone tries to set it up Factory 1pm way and now the HV wires are set wrong.

http://www.fixkick.com/IGN_timing/16-rea...zy1c1w.jpg

the fsm has you set lash starting at 1pm (#1 firing)
if someone reads that page, and dizzy set up not at 1PM the lash steps all fail.
here is proof of that page
lash.
http://www.fixkick.com/IGN_timing/16-rea...zy1c1w.jpg

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no only that, some put the dizzy gear on backwards. dang.

[zukitrek]

Kick I have questions regarding head gasket replacement. My car runs superbly fine after the tune up (t-belt, WP, idler, new ignition system blah blah blah). I have not verified the reasons, but I loose coolant reservoir liquid after a month or so. I can see white smoke but only in the mornings and not every time. Car does not overheat whatsoever (so far) even in the hottest days here in summer. My question: Is that normal or maybe HG is failing and is being burnt in cylinders? If replacement is the route after verifying it is indeed HG, can I just do that with engine on car (20yrs without being opened)? of is a total rebuild a better option.

Thanks!!

[fixkick]

3 reasons, (leaks, to ground or engine or passengers toes)
#2 the hose in the side tank, most have 2 hoses, rad cap to side overflow tank, cracked, sucking air on cool down and hose 2 inside the bottle. bad. or fell off its cap.
3: bad rad cap.

if all that is ok, then get a rad leak down test.

the coolant does decrease in time but very slow. months.

[zukitrek]

3 reasons,
#1 (leaks, to ground or engine or passengers toes)No.
#2 the hose in the side tank, most have 2 hoses, It does
rad cap to side overflow tank, cracked, sucking air on cool down and hose 2 inside the bottle. bad. or fell off its cap.Ok will check that.
3: bad rad cap.Was replaced in summer with the one you recommend by part number

if all that is ok, then get a rad leak down test. If done, are these results always conclusive?

the coolant does decrease in time but very slow. months.
I know it takes a while(have not accounted time it takes yet. It could more than month.

[fixkick]

the leak down can even find early head gasket failures, ready to let loose.
as can the green/blue exhaust gas in rad, tester.

it may be ok,
maybe the system had small air bubbles in it that took a long time to work out,but 2 days,max that.?

the hard part is finding tools that fit, up to funny zuk rad cap, neck.

[zukitrek]

the leak down can even find early head gasket failures, ready to let loose.
as can the green/blue exhaust gas in rad, tester.

it may be ok,
maybe the system had small air bubbles in it that took a long time to work out,but 2 days,max that.?
You two day being low max? Oh no it takes quiet a while for it to go down, never dry out. I measure time and let you know.
But like you said not part lasts a lifetime. what if indeed is bad, do you recommend doing only HG job and not work bottom end of engine?


the hard part is finding tools that fit, up to funny zuk rad cap, neck.