Pinto on megasquirt ran and now won't HELP !

**wildo105e** · 17-12-2019, 11:44

Ok guys so had my escort running on the pinto injection hard ware with megasquirt albeit with what seemingly was a slight misfire higher up the rpm. Got home after a run of about a mile and the thing stalled on the drive and will now not start.
It feels like it wants to go but just won’t start.

So far I have added new fuel and ran the pump from a direct live to circulate any bad fuel (just in case) with the good etc and also test the pump. Pump also primes on ignition aswell (tested). Also ran the pump direct on starting to eliminate the ecu feed.
I have checked live to 1 and 3 injectors and they are good, I need to check the earths from the ECU which actually fire the injectors, I have checked the injectors and they click when putting live and earth to them.

On turning the car over I get spark on all plugs tested with spark test cap. It has had new plugs as well and I have also had new plug leads made in case that was the cause of the misfire

On the software (tunerstudio) I get throttle angle, air temp, coolant temp and when cranking I get rpm (trigger wheel and VR working) 300 -400 on cranking. When cranking I get timing figures and pulse width rpm, MAP etc showing on the dash.

Everything you would think should be is working.

I checked the cam timing this weekend which was out and has now been corrected but still it won’t fire although when trying it really seems to want to go when on the starter it just doesn’t start and hold running.

My first thoughts are something has failed but can’t seem to think what I need to check there is an injector pulse on cranking will a multimeter show this as the only thing I can think is it isn’t getting fuel. The plugs do show wet when removed but this could be caused by priming on powering up the ecu but that should prove the ecu earths ? Damp start doesn’t it seems to try but won’t catch and run.

As it just stopped running I am thinking something has broken my suspicion is fuel pump or regulator not allowing enough pressure at the injector ?

sorry for the ramble just wanted to include as much info. Just looking at any more troubleshooting that I may have missed.

Thanks

**theduck** · 17-12-2019, 12:47

check timing with a timing light. Thinking the trigger wheel has moved and so you have signals, just at the wrong time.

**wildo105e** · 17-12-2019, 13:56

Thanks I had that on my mind as i was checking the MS. I had quick count last night and the missing tooth seems to be still in the right spot etc. MS is set to 10 degs BTDC (default) on cranking so i will check that. I think you can adjust in the ecu if out.

**katana** · 17-12-2019, 15:31

Plugs shouldn't necessarily get wet just priming the pump as there is no intake 'draw' with a static engine. Is this a new / copy / dyno'd fuel map - could it be badly fuelled low down to foul the plugs? Soaked / oiled plugs don't tend to work again - I blame the s**t fuel these days! Injector test is easy - pull thm all out on the fuel rail, put each in a jam jar and connect up ready to run. Spark plugs out and disconnect the coil (no stray sparks!) Turn on and spin over for 10 - 20 seconds and check fuel in jam jars - quantities should be equal - end of test.

**alladdin** · 17-12-2019, 20:49

quick test - squirt of easy start into intake, if its a fuel issue it will go on the tin

**wildo105e** · 23-12-2019, 10:09

Thanks guys, I checked my timing on cranking and got what i read I think at 16degs on the end of the pulley scale. The main question does this sound correct for cranking as my current setting In tunerstudio seems to be default 10degs advance on cranking does that suggest my timing at cranking is 10+6 ? I may have a play with the timing whilst putting a timing light on it.

I am not sure this is enough to stop the car from starting ? But it would be nice to get this area accurate (and understand it) as well whilst i am investigating.

I still think this is a fuel pump issue to I will go down that track over christmas by changing the pump as i have a new copy bosch 044 lying around (just waiting parts) for the plumbing. The current pump is an old seirra injection so i have no idea how good it is. Bearing mind this did run then suddenly died.

Ta

**theduck** · 23-12-2019, 10:16

Does sound like you have +6 degrees, but agree, that wouldnt stop it running.

Try some easistart or similar through the throttle body, if it starts, its a fuel issue.

**Graham** · 23-12-2019, 10:17

i would not of expected 16 degrees to stop it starting.

i was told by someone very much in the know that there are a few engines out there that are trouble to start as the spark kicks back at the starter even firing at TDC, and the cure for that is advance the spark on cranking so far the cylinders dont catch on the first revolution, that puts enough delay in so that the starter has the engine spinning properly before it actually fires.

**wildo105e** · 23-12-2019, 10:21

Thanks, with easy start it does seem to start then dies which i also thinks indicates fuel, trouble is i can get round quick to squirt some more in before it cuts out, the wife refuse to help me any more as last time it back fired and burnt the hairs of my hand as i was giving it a squirt