QuestionCAN ONE SET TIMING ON A CAR BY HIS SELF?1987 JAG 4.2 LTR. ALSO WHERE IS THE CONTROL MODULE LOCATED.
CANNOT GET IT TO START.BUT THE ENGINE WILL TURN OVER.
I DID REMOVE THE DISTRIBUTOR THOUGHT THAT I PUT IS BACK IN THE
SAME PLACE. BEFORE I TOOK THE DISTRIBUTOR OUT,TRIED EVERYTHING
FUELPUMP NEW SPAEKPLUGS,SPRAYED STARTER FLUID IN THE AFM ETC
ETC.
MAN THIS THING IS KILLING ME...........
REGARDS,
RICHARD
AnswerHi Richard,
If you sprayed starter fluid into the intake and and it didn't try to start then you have no ignition or you have it so far out of time that it can't start.
You need to stop trying to figure out what is wrong and start a systematic diagnosis. (testing)
It does not matter what kind of engine. I used the exact same procedure when I received a car that would not start for many years in dealerships. (MG, Triumph, Jaguar, A-H, Lotus, Alfa, and several other brands)
The procedure I used must be done in order and no part skipped. All gasoline engines only need three items to run and they are, Compression, Fire and Fuel with conditions on each.
First you must test compression. (throttle open) On a Jag you should see from 135 PSI to about 165 PSI and all six cylinders should be about the same.
It is no use proceeding if it is not correct.
Second is Ignition and even if you don't have access to a scope you can do a rough test. Pull all of the spark plugs out and connect the plug wires to each plug and lay the plugs on the head so you can see the sparks. Unplug the heavy white w/Red tracer wire from the metal relay on the fire wall and connect a short jumper from it to the + post of the battery (make sure the trans is in park and the brake on and the Ignition on.) The sparks should be thick (about the thickness of a pencil lead and colored blue (not in the sun light)
Now, put your thumb over # 1 (or #6 as Jag calls it) and have someone spin the engine. As the compression comes up on #1, it will blow your thumb off of the plug hole with a "Pop". Notice the spark ("Click") of #1 plug and it should seem as though the "Pop" created the "Click". If it seems to be "Click-Pop" or "Pop-Click" the timing is too far off to start. This is a rough test of the timing. This is not accurate but close enough to start.
It is no use proceeding if it is not correct.
Fuel is always last. The simple test to see if it is fuel related is the spraying of starter fluid into the intake while trying to start it. If it does not try to start on starting fluid then you have either a compression problem and/or an ignition problem. (which you should have already tested.
The only exception to this is a fully stopped up CAT or muffler. This can be tested with a vacuum gauge connected to the intake. Spin the engine (throttle closed) for several seconds and watch the gauge. If you get vacuum on the first few revolutions and as you hold the starter engaged the vacuum quickly drops to zero as the engine rotates that is a good indication of a stopped up exhaust.
To test that remove one of the plugs on the exhaust manifold and connect a hose to your vacuum gauge. (Most vacuum gauges have a small section for testing carb fuel pressure) You must not see more then 1 to 1 and a half PSI on the gauge. Starter engaged with throttle open. Most stopped up exhaust systems I have found will go quickly to 5 to 7 PSI.
If you follow this system of tests and in the order I outlined, you will find the problem. Once you have found the area of the problem, let me know and I will give you a series of tests for that area.
Howard
