Partial rebuild- cranks, but doesn't start, flooded spark plugs. Any ideas?

Greetings all, it has been 1467 daus since my last post. It has been quite a while since I had been so cornered with my 1988 cabby (JH engine).

I had pulled he engine (started it before disassembly and it ran perfectly) to change some bottom sump gaskets as well as to get a good reach for the injector seats (replaced those) and gi e the engine bay a good cleaning for the summer season.

Anyway, heres what has been changed.

Spark plugs, leads this month- dizzy cap and rotor last summer.

All filters

injector brass seats, o-rings, plastic inserts

all belts.

All o-rings for a/c and steering tube junctions as well as for the idle adjustment pin.

The timing is set correctly, but just to confirm i will elaborate: when i align the camshaft sprocket timing mark with the engine cover, th 1st cylinder is at its TDC. Allso the rotor in the distributor is aligned with the timing mark on the edge of the distributor body. So if i understand correctly, the timing is done right.

i must also mention that i tried to clean the injectors with brake cleaner and a compressor, basically raised the pressure to blow some BC through the injectors a few times. This is important to mention as The problem im having is somewhat injection related.


Ok so once i turn the key, the engine cranks, turns, but no cigar. I can turn it as much as I want without any luck. What I’ve noticed is that if i pull the spark plugs, they’re all SOAKED in gas, especially in cylinder 1 and 3. Also, when i turn on the ignition, I can hear the fuel pump priming, but also at the same time I can hear the injectors  “whining” as the pump is priming. I cant remember if i have heard that before so if someone could confirm its normal, we could move on to lokiing for other clues to the problem.

The amounts of gasoline in the cylinders is excessive, when i removed all the sprk plugs, cranked the engine, a good half of liter spewed out from all the cylinders. Doesnt look normal to me.

the hall sensor seems to be working, although its mounting piecs with the connection is broken at the bottom, exposing the three wire connections right where the plastic bit of HS joins the distributor. Ive put some siliconeunder the wires for now to prevent shorting. With the ignition on, 1st spark plug removed and the whole distributor lossened at the bottom, when turning past the distributors timing mark, the spark plug gives a spark and the fuel pump primes, which indicates that for now the hall sensor is working to some degree. Correct me if im wrong.

What could be causing such overflow of gasoline to the cylinders?

also the ignition swich in the steering column seems to be a bit odd, before removing the engine, sometimes, it would keep on cranking the engine even when you pull out the key, only seizing to do so at random times.

If anyone sees something odd there, please feel free to help. I can’t think of anything else. cheers

Matt

you shouldn't hear the injectors so the metering head is faulty, I would pop the injectors out and test them in bottles to see what is going on or its possible the plate is stuck open so take off the rubber boot and check its at the right level and moves freely

A bad ignition switch or sticky starter solenoid can cause this run on issue.   If you haven't replaced the ignition switch then I wold look there first.

Whoa, fast replies, this forum is on fire!  

I will do the injector test this upcoming weekend, hopefully. I will also send a photo of the metering head plate. All i know that the plate has been messed with before (the hex screw in the middle was carelessly turned in random directions to adjust the idle- when I saw it I almost got a stroke), although the engine ran alright up until the rebuild.

What really bugs me is that one month prior it was working fine, when rebuilding, all I did was unscrew the injectors and removed the whole airbox with the metering head. The fact that it has stopped working just does not make much sense to me. Could it be that the injectors are not holding the pressure and prematurely releasing the gas into the cylinders?

Briano 1234: thanks for the info, it all makes sense. Will replace that as well and let you know how it goes, although the least of my worries is the run on issue. All i want to do is to have the damn thing start. But I do understand that everything related needs to be checked and replaced if needed.

Cheers from Lithuania,

Matt

matukash said

What really bugs me is that one month prior it was working fine, when rebuilding, all I did was unscrew the injectors and removed the whole airbox with the metering head. The fact that it has stopped working just does not make much sense to me. Could it be that the injectors are not holding the pressure and prematurely releasing the gas into the cylinders?

Matt

Yes, injectors can leak, or dribble, and if they are leaking then adding pressure makes it worse.

The below link shows how to clean them.
Section 2 group 25 is CIS information.

Tech Groups

I am not nor claim to be CIS savy, but after reading many a posts over different forums,,, things reappear time after time.  

Digifant and EFI are easier for me to understand, and unless my injectors are bad, they can't leak until I apply power to them…. not the same for CIS.