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Crank no start

Tiny
AMBOMAN31
  • MEMBER
  • 1988 MITSUBISHI VAN
  • 2.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 52,000 MILES
Recently replaced head and gasket due to overheating issue. Everything installed with 120 PSI on all cylinders, good spark, timing marks lined up, fuel reaching fuel rail when cranking but spark plugs seem dry after cranking engine. What controls the fuel injectors?
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Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 AT 1:20 PM

13 Replies

Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
Hello, I'm Danny.

The PCM controls the firing of the injectors. Do you have access to a noid light set? If you don't most auto parts stores have a tool loaner program and can rent you one.I suggest putting a noid light on the individual injectors to check and see if you're getting an injector pulse signal. Hope this helps and thanks for using 2CarPros.
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Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 AT 1:48 PM
Tiny
AMBOMAN31
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  • 6 POSTS
Thanks Danny for the fast reply! Looking at the manual and was wondering if the multi port injector unit was responsible for allowing the injectors to work so I found the MPI relay and that was clicking when I turned the key so that works. I’ll look into the noid light. Does the PCM have a relay or if the PCM was bad would anything else not be working?
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Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 AT 2:17 PM
Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
Hello again,

Yes, the PCM has multiple drivers and controls many things. It's possible just to have 1 control function - like injectors not working but other functions okay. Like I said in my prior post the first thing you should do is test injector pulse with a noid light tester to verify injector signal. Hope this helps and thanks again for using 2CarPros.

Danny-
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Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 AT 3:19 PM
Tiny
AMBOMAN31
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Okay, I’ll try that. Thanks! Also, I took the old head which was shot to a machine shop that specializes in cylinder heads and bought a new head. He took the valve train off the old head and installed it to the new one and said that it didn’t need any valve adjustments on the 2.4 sohc heads so I guess that wouldn’t be a cause for no start. Do you know if that sounds correct?
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Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 AT 6:43 PM
Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
Hello again.

No, the valve adjustment would not cause a no start condition. It would be noisy or run poorly but not a no start condition.I strongly suggest performing the noid light test to see if you are getting injector pulses. Hope this helps and let me know the outcome. Thanks again for using 2CarPros.

Danny-
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Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 AT 7:51 PM
Tiny
AMBOMAN31
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Okay, glad about that. I’ll let you know about the noid test when I get it done! Thanks Danny!
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Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 AT 8:03 PM
Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
You're welcome!

Keep us updated after you perform the testing. Let us know if your injectors are getting a pulse or not and we'll go from there.

Danny-
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Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 AT 8:09 PM
Tiny
AMBOMAN31
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Hey Danny, still waiting for my noid tester but I have another question. The timing marks all line up with the rotor on #1 I know that the valves need to be closed and cam sprocket on it’s mark when I put the belt on but wondering can the valves be open when I installed the belt causing it to not start? Is that possible? Or as long as the cam sprocket is on the mark the valves are always closed. Thanks Danny for all the help!
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Thursday, July 30th, 2020 AT 6:51 AM
Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
Hello again.

To answer your question no. If all the marks were lined up when you installed the timing belt then there would not be a no-start condition regardless of where the valves where located during the combustion process. I'm still wanting to know if you are receiving an injector pulse. I've attached a picture below of a noid light set. The're available at Harbor Freight, Home Depot, and most local auto parts stores. Auto parts stores have tool loaner programs and can rent you one. Hope this helps and thanks again for using 2CarPros
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Thursday, July 30th, 2020 AT 9:40 PM
Tiny
AMBOMAN31
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Hey Danny, it started up yesterday after realigning the distributor but was missing on cylinder 1. A lot of coolant shot out of the exhaust pipe! Had it running on 3 cylinder until it warmed up. Today went to check the injectors and it checked out fine. Good spark and did another compression test and that’s still 120. Went to start it and it didn’t again! Unbelievable! Sprayed some starting fluid in and nothing! I don’t know what’s going on.
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Saturday, August 1st, 2020 AT 2:18 PM
Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
Hello again.

So you say you are getting spark and fuel but a no start condition?After moving the distributor it started? It sounds like it might be a timing issue. I've attached a picture below of timing specifications. Hope this helps and keep us updated. Thanks again for using 2CarPros.

Danny-
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Sunday, August 2nd, 2020 AT 10:01 PM
Tiny
AMBOMAN31
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Hey Danny,

Yeah, I had the rotor off so it wasn’t lining up to the #1 on the cap. It started but had a miss on #1 but getting power to the injector. I then tried to start it and now doesn’t start again! Tried starting fluid but nothing so now I’m confused once again. A lot of water shit out of the tail pipe when I started it and white smoke was noted but kinda started to clear. That was 2 days ago and yesterday went back to start it and nothing again. I’m thinking injector for the miss but why it’s not starting again is confusing. Thanks for all the help, Robert
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Monday, August 3rd, 2020 AT 11:09 AM
Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
Hello again.

Were you able to use the noid light tester to see if all injectors are firing? If you've been added starter fluid and it doesn't start then it sounds like an electrical or spark issue.Let me know if you found out if all injectors and spark plugs are firing.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-an-ignition-system

Keep us updated.Hope this helps and thanks again for using 2CarPros.

Danny-
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 1:03 AM

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