2002 freelander 2.5 gas turns over but has no spark.

I just recently replaced the engine in my freelander (a gift and bigger project than I had intended)after a timing belt mishap on his part. Engine is complete and installed. Turn over the engine and it cranks wonderfully but with no spark from the plugs. Coil connectors show close to 12 volts on one of 3 pins when key is in on position. I have read numerous threads close to this and understand the sensors. Could this be an ECU problem? Any other ideas? I am a lot of $$ into this gift already.
Thanks for any help and thoughts!

You say replaced the engine, what exactly was replaced? The block and head? Anything electric at all?

I did you make sure the torque converter was bolted up to the flex plate in the correct place? There is a gap on the reluctor ring to tell the ecu where the crank is in its rotation. If the crank signal and the signal from the cam sensor don't correspond then I suspect that the ecu will fire the injectors or the plugs. Get the codes read.

I'm sure the ECU needs to be set up to the new engine.

2002freelander2point5 said:

I just recently replaced the engine in my freelander (a gift and bigger project than I had intended)after a timing belt mishap on his part. Engine is complete and installed. Turn over the engine and it cranks wonderfully but with no spark from the plugs. Coil connectors show close to 12 volts on one of 3 pins when key is in on position. I have read numerous threads close to this and understand the sensors. Could this be an ECU problem? Any other ideas? I am a lot of $$ into this gift already.
Thanks for any help and thoughts!

Click to expand...

Did you even consider introducing yourself in the intro section or use the SEARCH button before blasting in with a plea for help ?

No, thought not.

Skynet said:

I'm sure the ECU needs to be set up to the new engine.

Click to expand...

It should run the engine. The ECU is adaptive but the difference between engines is so tiny it would still run fine.
No spark indicates the ECU is inhibiting the spark. There aren't many reasons for this to happen, a mistimed Crank Angle Sensor to Cam Angle Sensor would likely be one of those times.

The entire engine was replaced to include associated sensors and plug wires with it. There was nothing to bolt to the torque converter other than the 4 bolts with the flywheel. If you would like for me to introduce myself just in order to get some help, feel free to ask me anything you want. I like walks on the beach, fine wine, rainbows and unicorns! Hopefully that is a start and I am sure it will effect my engine problems. The code reader showed 8 codes, the 2 more important ones being cam positioning problem and bank 6 misfire. I reset the codes due to being existing problems before engine replacement and they do not reappear by turning over the engine? Thanks for all of the help. Seriously, if it helps fix my car (Englishbullterrior) let me know what deep dark secrets you need to know about me

Nodge68 said:

I did you make sure the torque converter was bolted up to the flex plate in the correct place? There is a gap on the reluctor ring to tell the ecu where the crank is in its rotation. If the crank signal and the signal from the cam sensor don't correspond then I suspect that the ecu will fire the injectors or the plugs. Get the codes read.

Click to expand...

By flex plate are you referring to the flywheel?

So you are using the original ECU/CCU pair ?

Yes, I am using the original pair.

2002freelander2point5 said:

By flex plate are you referring to the flywheel?

Click to expand...

Yes the flex plate/ drive plate / flywheel.
This is a thin disc that is bolted between the engine and the torque converter.
The torque has the crank position reluctor ring fitted to it. The drive plate/ flywheel must be bolted to the torque converter in the correct place (there are 4 possible ways to bolt it)
If you have not got it bolted in the correct holes, you will get a cam sensor timing error. Which you have.

Thanks for the information on the flexplate. The engine was not firing before I removed the old engine also. So I bought a replacement sensor just in case and will cycle the flexplate through the other 3 positions and see if I have any luck. I won't be able to be to it for a few days but I will be sure and let you know the results. The sensor will be here in about a week if I don't have any luck with the adjustments.
Thanks again!

I replaced the sensor for the torque converter and rotated and bolted the flexplate in all 4 positions. Good news is I am getting better at fitting my hand and aligning boots in that small opening for the flexplate. Bad news, well, I still have no spark/fire. Any other suggestions? Is it likely that all of my coil packs are bad? Seems unlikely to me.

Unlikely to be all 6 coils. I'll look up where the timing marks need to be in relation to the torque converter reluctor ring.
Are you still getting a fault code?

I am no longer getting fault codes after clearing them. No fault codes came back while cranking the engine. I am not sure if it is pertinent or not, but my transmission is drained as well as the coolant. I didn't see anything on the wiring diagram that correlates the issue to this.

2002freelander2point5 said:

I am no longer getting fault codes after clearing them. No fault codes came back while cranking the engine. I am not sure if it is pertinent or not, but my transmission is drained as well as the coolant. I didn't see anything on the wiring diagram that correlates the issue to this.

Click to expand...

Don't whatever you do, run the engine without coolant. It's a lightweight wet liner engine, it WILL blow the Head Gaskets almost instantly if you do.
Running the engine without fluid in the trany is also not a good idea. The oil pump won't thank you for it.

Thanks for the heads up. I will bite the bullet and go ahead and fill the fluids.

Any other suggestions? ECU? Which one, and where it may be located? Still no luck for spark.

Well, $700 and a refurbished and coded ECU has not fixed my problem yet. Still have to cycle through the other 3 positions on the flexplate to verify for sure. Assuming still no luck in the other 3 positions, does anyone have any other suggestions other than selling or scrapping this project? Thanks!

Personally I would scope cam and crank sensor to ecu plug

Could it be immobilised hence no earth injector pulses