Auto ca18et backfiring, no power... help!
 

So I bought the clean ass s12 that was advertised recently. Drove it back around 200 miles!


I've not driven an auto s12 before, but this has NO power. When accelerating it refuses to rev up past about 3000 rpm then I have hear a pop from the engine bay, possibly a backfire? I was told the dizzy was not for this engine and is 1 degree
out, could that cause this?

I got a refurb dizzy with the car, what do I need install it, a timing light?

I'll upload a video of what happens later, I thought I'd mention when neutral it does rev up fine and smoothly

hi bigdave one clean silvia good price too what are your plans for her . me waiting for my recon brakes to come back this week . cheers ps check dist cap and rotor arm for dirt .;)

Can someone confirm whether im correct or not when it comes to timing...

Set pully to 15 degrees BTDC
Align dizzy to 1 tooth out to the alignment mark
Retard / advance as needed?

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/...9-14-13-21.png

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/...9-14-17-33.png

Si took the distributor cap off and compare it to my cap from my old et and its off by miles:

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/...519-WA0005.jpg

stuck my old cap on and timed it up at 15 degrees and it fires up nice, replaced the maf too and now to take it for a test drive. Only thing is my uncle blocked the entrance of the garage and i have to wait for him to get back :mad:

edit: before i couldn't advance the timing, now it seems ok

Aaaand it's still drives like crap, power cutting out when I try to accelerate. Any ideas fellas?

So I checked the ecu for codes, both green and red lights were flashing at the same time and giving me random crap so I plugged in the other ecu I got with the car.

Ran it a bit, checked codes and I'm getting 23 for Throttle valve switch, checked continuity according to the manual and all seems fine. I'm going to check the loom and if that's ok I'm going to swap the switch for one from my old et. Wish me luck

Scratch that, I was diagnosing the original ecu incorrectly. Plugged it back in, it's giving me code 21 for ignition.

Replaced the Power transistor with my old one after cleaning up ground points etc still had code 21. Then started getting code for maf. Removed and tested the maf with the battery and multimeter, all ok. Then tested the loom, all ok.

Installed the ecu from my old et, ran it for a while and now getting code 44. Everything all good!!!

HOWEVER still spluttering and backfiring but not as much as before. I'm lost now guys...

Can someone confirm timing etc?

hi bigdave your timing is right be my book have you check the turbo out lack of power under loan or the trams fluid lever when its running . cheers

Update!! It had a random fuel filter on it, replaced it with my old filter and now revs up to red line with no spluttering or backfire when driving!

However acceleration is so bloody slow like misfiring but not 100% on that. More diagnosing to be done. Any suggestions fellas

Cheers for checking the timing Tim! Turbo seems fine no smoking etc so I'm just assuming...

Does the turbo make good boost? could it be jammed or tight? Many of these cars have been stood for long periods now so it could just be that?

Turbo does spool up when stood still can even hear it chatter when throttle is closed quickly so I reckon that's alright.

Got myself a timing light, going to give the injectors plus leads a once over a bit later today.

Here's a question, when setting the timing is this correct:

Bottom pulley to 15 degrees
Set distributor to one gear out to the notch and install

Or set the set the bottom pulley to 0 tdc and then align the dizzy to give me 15 degrees when the engine is running?

hi big dave that sounds right disconnect the vacuum hose and plug it engine speed up 2 to 3000rpm turn distributor clockwise see how you go ;) going a write up on my this weekend first you must set the bottom pulley to o and make sure your top pulley mark is at the top of cylinder head and turn engine over with a spanner twice cheers

Tim mate which vac hose do you mean? I'm working for the next few days so won't be tinkering with it...

Cam timing was out by about 180 degrees. The previous owner must have aligned it with the wrong timing Mark on the pulley. Sorted now and acceleration Is all good

Schutz applied underneath, sills surface rust has been treated and painted up a bit. Insuring it tonight and will be my daily for a while!

Nice one. i wish i had seen this post sooner as i was just about to reply and say to check it hasnt had a cambelt fitted incorrectly recently.

i see it alot on the older cars. people getting the cam belt wrong an then compensating by putting the dizzy a tooth out. :trout

Cheers mate, I was shocked and had a mini panic attack and thought there'd be some major damage somewhere but got away with it!