1994 Tracker won't start after checking compression

[ddbernier]

I ordered the crankshaft cog and woodruff key from gmpartsgiant.com, the locktite 660 with primer from McMaster Carr, and a new timing cover (since the previous owners decided to cut off the bottom of the cover) from E-Bay (new stock). I also ordered a proper distributor rotor and cap, new spark plug wires and spark plugs. Once everything arrived and I was home I repaired the crankshaft as described on fixkick.com and reassembled everything. It started within a second and sounded great. After verifying the rpm with the handheld tachometer at 800rpm and freezing the timing, the timing was dead on. I took it for a test drive and it ran great.

Thank you for all the great advice and fantastic procedures on fixkick.com. My son will be happy. Now to fix the leaking power steering, but that is for another day.....

[fixkick]

an amazing story. Congrats !
you have a car that will run like new, and get 30 mpg.
cheers and happy holidays !

[ddbernier]

The car was running fine until last week where there was no power. It was difficult to start and once started, it idled very slowly and I was surprised it was actually running. Once warmed up I could check the timing, it was on the mark at 8deg at 800rpms. I also checked the spray pattern on the injector and it looked like the example link on fixkick.com The car does not want to start now, it has spark on all 4 cylinders and fuel. I checked the compression, the cylinders ranged from 100-110psi cold (since I could not get it to start), the spark plugs in #2 through #4 cylinders were oily. The plug in #1 looked ok with a little tan residue. I checked the EGR, it was clean and appeared to function using a hand vacuum pump. There is a lot of fuel in the intact manifold while looking into the injection area. I can force it to start by holding down the accelerator pedal while turning the key, but when letting go of the pedal, it chokes out and stalls. FYI (the rotor, plugs and wires were replaced in Nov).

Any suggestions?

[fixkick]

greetings and welcome.! 94/8v

100 compression is bad, was that with the throttle blocked and warm to hot engine?
the compression test , will prove the cam is timed, that is why im so critical of it. 150psi is min. not 100. my lawn mower does 100 as does my 1968 vw bug.
but this engine is a high compression engine. and does 150 easy.
its flooding, wot cranks cut all fueling, if not, the injector is leaking. wot = wideopenthrottle.
cold compression is 150. min. if lower, the cam has slipped. or keys sheared.
for sure if all 4 are equal and same low pressure, that means the cam is retarded, or the CAT melted.
vacuum cranking is about 5 inches HG if 0 or near zero the cat is melted. or valve burn or lash way off,

100psi, is it. im sure.
need to find out why,
compression is done warm but cold is ok, it dont start so... we still look
all spark out.
battery fully charged.
throttle blocked open, or engine starves for AIR (even 1/2 open is ok)
and let pressure gauge needle peak. then stop cranking.


test 2 if compression is ok
pull fuel pump relay, will test fuel work for 3 seconds, each spray, repeat 3 times or so,. sounds good.
if yes, the fueling system is bad. (lots of tests) not hard. but ill wait for , this point in time.

[ddbernier]

I was not able to get the engine hot, since it won't run, so the engine was cold with the poor compression. The throttle was full open while testing, fuel relay was pulled, battery was fully charged (also new), and all spark plugs were removed. We let the compression needle peak and checked each cylinder 3 times. The cylinders average compression were #1=105psi, #2=100psi, #3=105psi, #4=110psi. One cylinder at a time I added some oil (~3mL) and rechecked the compression, the compression did not get any better. I checked the engine oil and it looks normal without any coolant, so my guess is the valves or valve lash. Any thoughts?

[fixkick]

the warm engine is not needed, its best, but not, and if it wont run sure, impossible. i should have quoted the cold, sorry. its on my compression page. all that.
the data points are warm to hot. on this engine, i'ts runs about 150 cold and 170 hot. on the 8v. like clock work.

the cam i timed wrong. in some way,
belt or the 2 keys are wrong.
im sure.
it;s not lash wrong and equal , at 50 psi loss. impossible to do even on a bet.

even the cam keys can be wrong, or the 60a/80c marks wrong. or pressure gauge bad? i use 150 shop air to test gauge fast.

suzuki uses (sadly) 1 cam pulley on 2 engines.

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note 2 ways to get it wrong Cam cog.
2 keys , but one is correct.
2 outer slashes, double trouble there.

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the early cog has one titty mark.

possible too is melted cat conv. remove 02, sensor, and see if #1 cylinder comes upto 150psi?
im sure engine is ok, just has 1 minor issue (gauge tested good)

[fixkick]

the 60a mark, is the P/N mark of G16 engines, many parts are xxxxxx60azz thus this little secret.

[ddbernier]

I confirmed the compression with a second gauge, so the gauges are fine.
I took apart the front of the engine and confirmed the crank gear, and cam gear are aligned as required and illustrated in the image.
I took the valve cover off and checked the lash, all are within tolerance, and the cam shaft movement looks correct as the crankshaft is rotated and corresponds to the distributor rotor location.

I was not able to remove the oxygen sensor, it is on the exhaust manifold fairly tightly and most likely original. I did disconnect the oxygen sensor electrical sensor and checked the #1 cylinder, however it remained around 105psi.

When I started the car, it started right up then slowly died. I looked at the TBI and there is a lot of fuel. The videos for testing the fuel pressure regulator shows the car running. Is there a method to test the fuel pressure regulator without the car running? It looks like it is flooding out. Right now, I want to get this car started. Under the car, there looks to have been some exhaust work. There is a flexible pipe and a muffler, but I did not see a catalytical convertor unless the 10" long, 3" diameter is the catalytic convertor.

[fixkick]

8v no starts (test fuel not tried, i guess) spark good.
compression is horrid ! and now Real.(validated real) we are getting lots of good hard facts now, GOOD !
100 psi is wrong dead wrong, and there is no way for all to be low (and same) if cam is good, and valves can not all leak same amount , no way.
someone install 2 or 3 head gaskets at once, wrecking CR?

what is plenum vacuum cranked , dead engine, with DP defeated,(dash pot retracted by hand) near 5 inches good 0 bad.
so, drop the exhaust header flamage say 1/8 to 1/4" inch let it breath. i bet #1 hits 150 psi or more.now. if does BINGO !!!!

Flooding sure.
pull fuel pump relay and use test fuel , does it run 3 seconds on test fuel, (repeat 3 times for effect ) this (hides leaking injectors and funky FPREG and ends all flooding now.)
does test fuel work.? correctly now, engine sound great. each time, USE WOT cranking to clear old flood.
the reg can be tested on any G16 engine, dead or not engine.
using a fuel pressure gauge and a hand vacuum tool.
super easy,

keyon, fuel pressure shows now.(ill guess , as each has its own personality and will vary by altitude)
keyon 3 times and pressure holds each time. if not leaks. are somewhere.
the 8v does not use plenum vacuum like the 16v, so is immune that.
8v is like 37PSI. (good) not 0 not 60 not 55, not 20 , but in spec.
i then apply vacuum to its nipple .FFR nipple.

this vacuum sucks down fuel pressure, same as going up Mt Everset. and for same reason,
that nipple must not leak fuel !!!
this magic keeps injection perfect (at a fixed pulse width) the same despite altitude changes.
it will suck down to 31 or about 6psi or more see graphic.(from yours now)
the graph is better,my gringo graph. ( its all theory, not validated yet, the 16v does this) im not sure the 8v rules for altitude, but is lots)
please tell me yours. love to get feed back on that. (suck down limits)
http://www.fixkick.com/sensors/tests/FPress-reg1.html

bottom left/ lower graph point, is a dead engine 0" inch vacuum. (or 1 atmosphere as we say)
i can suck it down to 21psi if maniacal hand pumper....to 26inches HG. (or more if wilder )some tools can suck better, sure.

1 bar vac nets 1 bar change fuel (16v), but in usa we use inches and so that rule make not much sense but is true.

id be all over test fuel, with no fuel pump relay installed (green socket relay)
after all, maybe engine is just flooding and the rings have no oil from that and leak, (nah, i dont thinkg the rings are leaking,) suspect cat blockage.
flooding is normal for no spark (coil good)
and cat melted or muff packed in cat blow out guts.(drop header and see) sure 02 stuck , most are.
or low compression, on 8v makes the ecu over inject. (it dont know VE rules for engines that can not pump air, so mess up big time cranked)
or huge fuel pressure, 60psi is shunt spec, and dead wrong.
or injector leaks (it or ecu stuck on)
or s cracked fpreg diaphram."FPR" letting the vacuum nipple puke tons of fuel to intake.
or injector two o-rings leaking around TBI injector. (eye ball tests)
or isc stuck closed, or dash pot failing to open ,key off and key on. DP never retracts until engine runs and then 5 to 10 sec later. this air is important.
or the ECT reads like in Siberia say -29F (6000 ohms is normal cold,not extreme temps)

this is why i pull the fuel pump relay and make sure engine is happy running on test fuel to avoid all this above stuff, first.

a key test that is, tests fuel test, with dead fuel pump on purpose.

[ddbernier]

I did use test fuel in the beginning, it ran at low rpm.

I removed the exhaust manifold and checked the compression on #1 which is still at 105psi. The exhaust ports were oily and #2 and #3 had some antifreeze drops. I checked the oil from the dip stick and it looked normal (no chocolate milk); however, oil is leaking towards the rear of the engine (see image).

   

Some additional information, the car has 167,000 miles on it, most likely was not well maintained. Someone also cutout the catalytic converter and welded in a straight piece of pipe.

I need to assemble the FPR test device and check the pressure. I am leaning towards two problems with the car. 1. Flooding 2. Head gasket leaking. I'll update the results from the FPR test.