Why won't it start

Freelander 1.8 K series. We have fitted new head gasket, all timing marks lined up, head been re-furbished by engineers but we can't get it to start. It keeps trying when we whizz it over but will not carry on. Anyone got any magic ideas please.

Checked all the usual I take it ?

1, Spark at plugs. 2, Fuel/air mix getting to cylinders. 3, absolutely sure timing is correct (easy to get it 180 deg out) 4, no wires or connectors inadvertantly left off (again easy done)

failing that, call the RAC or AA (if you're in one of them) don't say you rebuilt the engine, just plead dumb and say "It won't start guv"

Thanks Steve. Yes everything checked and re-checked. We have taken head off again and can't find anything untoward. Have taken lifters out and leaving them to soak in petrol overnight to clean any crud out. Will rebuild in morning and see what happens. We've done loads of head jobs in the past and never had tis problem before. Think it's me that needs a head job now!

Are you sure the crank pulley mark is at the 12oclock position?

Attachment is for the 1.4 engine but shows the correct position, note the white mark.

Were any locating pins from the cam sprockets removed? cant remember off hand but 2 and 7 oclock position comes to mind for the locating pins.

All the sensors connected? its easy to overlook something, get a fresh pair of eyes to have a look.

Get the hydraulic tappets into fresh engine oil, upside down, at least overnight, purging them with petrol will make them clatter like mad when you start her up. There wont be any oil in there.

Thankyou Northern Irelander, will convey your advice to the lad who'se doing the job tomorrow.

Cabbie said:

Freelander 1.8 K series. We have fitted new head gasket, all timing marks lined up, head been re-furbished by engineers but we can't get it to start. It keeps trying when we whizz it over but will not carry on. Anyone got any magic ideas please.

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try squirtin quick start in each spark plug [put loads in] and try again , could be yer plugs are getting too wet . . . .un best oh luck earthling

So. we've got the b----y thing to start but only on three cylinders. It started after we had altered the cams 180 degrees. However it needed a lot of boost from the start and charge to get going. After letting it run for a few minutes we noticed that the exhaust downpipe was glowing cherry red hot. This can't be right so please anybody any ideas as to what we have done wrong? Incidentally it's running on three 'cos one of the plug connectors is faulty.

Check ignition timing is not miles out, this would make it a pig to start and exhaust to be hot. Also running very weak mixture causes these problems

I hope you boys arent ruining a perfectly good k-series
The cam setting is often overlooked.
Sounds like an air lock in the head causing the manifold to heat up. It should only do that at high revs at stand still.
Have you bled the system properly and checked the jiggle valve is open.
Cranking her over yesterday has just drained your battery, maybe worn the coil contact in the dizzy cap if <2001

Our mechanic informs me that you cannot adjust the ignition timing on this engine.
He has had both cams in and out and in again, can he have missed some setting.
How do you get an airlock in the head and how do you get rid of it.
What is a jiggle valve and where should we be bleeding it from and of what.
Battery kept charged up all the time work been ongoing, so plenty of charge.
one theory that has been advanced is that unburnt fuel from the non firing cylinder is collecting in the cat and consequently igniting when the hot exhaust gases get down there. Will be sorting out the non firing tomorrow but in the meantime glad of anymore input and thanks everyone so far.

Cabbie said:

Our mechanic informs me that you cannot adjust the ignition timing on this engine.
He has had both cams in and out and in again, can he have missed some setting.
How do you get an airlock in the head and how do you get rid of it.
What is a jiggle valve and where should we be bleeding it from and of what.
Battery kept charged up all the time work been ongoing, so plenty of charge.
one theory that has been advanced is that unburnt fuel from the non firing cylinder is collecting in the cat and consequently igniting when the hot exhaust gases get down there. Will be sorting out the non firing tomorrow but in the meantime glad of anymore input and thanks everyone so far.

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Your mechanic should know how to do all that , if he doesnt, then finish the job yourself.

Bleed system- open bleed valve on the coolant arm (8mm), under airbox, followed by bleed valve on the heater matrix hose.

Heat engine up and re-bleed the top heater matrix hose until no more bubbles. Dont forget to open the cap when you bleed the system and the system is pressurised when hot, so dont open the cap until its safe to do so.

Timing - that referred to the cam marks, a tooth out of sync is normal

Get your ignition leads and coil checked, the k-series will sort itself out after that.
Did he change the inlet gasket at the same time?

Thanks N.I. He's off until tomorrow but will show him your post whn he comes in. Will let you know what happens.

Yes he changed ALL gaskets.

This sounds so like my present position that it's spooky!

I have just finished rebuilding the engine also, after HGF, and whilst she turns over she won't catch.

Replaced all the gaskets, etc etc.

My first thought was that I've got the cambelt off by one tooth on one of the camshafts but then I also wondered if I'd got the distributor on the right way round, as it seems you can assembly it 180 degrees out. Can anyone confirm the lead to spark plug 1 should be at the top, and 4 at the bottom?

Failing this I'm going to pop the cover off the cambelt again tomorrow and check everything lines up properly. Buggar of a job fitting the cambelt with the engine in the car still.

Ambriel said:

This sounds so like my present position that it's spooky!

I have just finished rebuilding the engine also, after HGF, and whilst she turns over she won't catch.

Replaced all the gaskets, etc etc.

My first thought was that I've got the cambelt off by one tooth on one of the camshafts but then I also wondered if I'd got the distributor on the right way round, as it seems you can assembly it 180 degrees out. Can anyone confirm the lead to spark plug 1 should be at the top, and 4 at the bottom?

Failing this I'm going to pop the cover off the cambelt again tomorrow and check everything lines up properly. Buggar of a job fitting the cambelt with the engine in the car still.

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If your timing is out by a tooth that is normal.

Re-check the timing marks:

Proper allignment reading left to right is

INLET CAM < exhaust - in> CAM LOCK TOOL GOES HERE <exhaust - in> EXHAUST CAM

I dont think Haynes actually states the above, it shows you a black and white pic which you can hardly decipher.

The dizzy cap can only go on one way, the bolts are offset, the connections are all numbered on the outside of the cap.

Fitting the cambelt is done by fitting anti-clockwise.

On to the crank pulley first, then exhaust cam, follwed by inlet cam.

Wrap around water pump, then with the tensioner removed place the belt around it. Then offer up the tensioner bolt to the hole, tighten until tensioner is in place, job done!

set according to manual or automatic tensioner settings. The tensioner pulley is on a cam, so if you over tension then you just reset and start again. You cant actually over tension the belt due to the cam. Most importantly rotate the crank by hand two revolutions, then recheck the timing hasnt slipped. Then start her up.

NI goes off to pack tool kit for a cheap flight to N.Yorkshire and Scotland Will work for food and beer tokens

Yes, that's exactly what I did in the end. Always possible I didn't get it quite lined up though, or the crank pulley had moved a bit.

Northern Irelander said:

NI goes off to pack tool kit for a cheap flight to N.Yorkshire and Scotland Will work for food and beer tokens

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Don't suppose you're any good at roofing, are you?

Ambriel said:

Don't suppose you're any good at roofing, are you?

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Now that you mention it, I can do a bit of leadwork

If they turned the engine over with the cams mistimed ("It started after we had altered the cams 180 degrees.") there's a Hell of a risk you have bent one exhaust valve enough to make it leak a blast of flames into the manifold.

I suggest you do a COMPRESSION CHECK immediately, and if one cylinder is low (and it might only be a little low) chances are you've bent a valve.

Moreover, putting petrol into cam followers may have caused one or more to SEIZE, or briefly to over-lift a valve. I could see a risk there too, but less.

Whatever, it's a bad problem if the compressions are uneven.

CharlesY

Taking things to pieces again tomorow for another look and to re-check cam timing. Thoroghly p----d off with the sight of this vehicle blocking up much needed space. Thanks for ideas everyone although some of them sound horrendous.

Hope these might help

Pulled the cover from the cambelt cover just now and checked the timing alignment. With the cams lined up correctly with the mark on the cover the crankshaft pulley is just slightly to the right of the mark on the casing.

Would this be enough to cause it not to fire?

I've assembled the distributor with the number lead 1 to the top and 4 at the bottom. Is this correct?