Help pls - MC2 Aerodeck 1.8VTi / B18C4 cranks but doesn't start

[mc2hammer]

My trusty and, so far, very reliable Aerodeck 1.8Vti refuses to start :-(

It turns over/ cranks but doesn't fire. 

Have fitted new spark plugs and checked a spark is present. 

Fuel pump runs for 2 secs as it should when ignition is switched on, and there is definitely pressure as evidenced by fuel present at the outlet of the fuel filter i.e. input to fuel rail. 

So must be the fuel injectors ??? either all faulty (hard to believe) or not receiving their control signal from the PCM. 

MIL is not indicating a fault code / DTC is present. 

I can check injector resistance but it's not going to be all four. 

I could check a pulse is getting to the injectors using an oscilloscope ? 

I am at a loss - I guess something could be preventing the PCM from pulsing the injectors, (e.g. faulty sensor) but wouldn't that trigger a DTC ?  

 

Any ideas  please please please folks ? 

thanks

 

 

[mc2hammer]

Strangely no replies on this but an update, for those interested.

Well I got her going and now starts fine again. I don't think anything was wrong as such, as it had been running fine, so I just cranked and tickled the throttle until it eventually caught and started. 

But, as well as the plugs, I did change the dizzy cap and cleaned up the rotor arm with a needle file which looked tasty. So I'm sure this all helped. I have had a new rotor arm and have been meaning to change it for some time, but not able to get old one off as bolt is seized. A common problem I believe. I have read that cutting off the rotor arm, which is just plastic largely, and getting needle nose vice grips (aka mole wrench/ pliers ) on the exposed head of the bolt is the way to go ?? 

Another issue is that the dizzy cap lower bolt is particularly exposed to the elements and has sheared, leaving the threaded hole in the distributor blocked. It will need drilling out carefully and re-threading/ tapping but, due to location, that looks like it has to be a dizzy out job ?? 

Emissions was fun again this year btw, MOT tester says cat has to be really hot and is too far back, so a new one wouldn't necessarily help. 

 

As usual, any thoughts/ feedback on any of this is always appreciated folks !

 

 

[dr_broon]

Glad you got it sorted out. I seem to remember that when I changed my original rotor arm I had to smash it off, but I think that's more that it was stuck tight onto the dizzy rather than the bolt being seized (though it was probably 15 years ago).

 

I'm also sure that the arms I've had since don't have a hole to screw it on. 

 

You might get more room by taking the air filter box out, but it's going to be easier to do if the dizzy was out.... Though the dizzy bolts might be a bit stuck as well now. 

[mc2hammer]

thanks for that. pretty sure the spare rotor arm I have has a screw hole as it is gen honda and quite old now. though I will need a new bolt/ screw to secure the rotor. 

dizzy bolts look quite meaty so "should" be ok. dizzy will, presumably, need marking to get timing right again when refitting, though it could prob do with the timing checking as it sounds like it is pinking under load. something else I need to get sorted, any ideas if it is not the timing  ? knock sensor issue perhaps ? are there any "how to"s on this topic (timing/ tuning etc) ?

I will have a look at access with air box out, but this job will be fiddly so best done on a bench.  I guess a complete new/ refurb dizzy is the other option, but would like to keep the original one if poss.