2.1dj non-starter. Where now?

[KarlT]

Hi.
More advice needed.
Bought a project off ebay with bad running issues. 2.1dj Gold recon engine.
"I'll sort that out, said I"
Symptoms.....Here we go............

Went to pick up......Bad starter, after 10 attempts, splutted into life. Drove it home but was horrible, no power.
Had some time to investigate.

1 Dizzy Vacume pipes connected wrongly......Fixed.
2 No round-pin connector box thingy (screwed to bulkhead near coil) Round pins were just left connected together, like you do for setting timing. Fitted a spare one I had. But left pins together as I want to check/set timing.
3 Did a compression test on cold engine (as i couldn't get it running again) all above 8 bar. Plugs & leads are all newish. And in correct positions. Plugs look like its burning correctly.
4 Good spark from (newish looking) coil.
5 Full pump pressurizies (newish tank & filter)
6 Stabilizer on top of engine buzzes nicely.

Will check spark at plugs next chance I get, but I'm not holding out much hope of that no working.
So where do I go from here?
Once after 20 turn overs it did start for 5 seconds, but as soon as I touched gas-peddle it died, wouldn't restart & battery was getting low by now.
By the look of all the new parts fitted, someone has been trying to solve a problem but have probably (vacume pipes, connector box) been making it worse.

All ideas welcome.
.................

[Ian Hulley]

Bin the injection system on fleabay, fit a DG Pierburg and manifold and it'll run.

[KarlT]

Cheers for the idea Ian, but would like to try to get the more refined dj system going.

Where should I go looking now?

[KarlT]

Any ideas?

[icosahedron]

Google "digijet manual pdf", it's all in there!

Make sure that you have the dj advance/retard unit fitted to the dizzy and the right injectors. From experience some people have good reason to "upgrade" to carbs.

[Aidan]

fuel air spark
provided all three are present and base settings are correct a DJ will start - won't necessarily idle but it will start so something major is missing - you need to do full base diagnostics as per the manual, Bentley digijet will suffice for most of it, pin outs are the same, ignore lambda and apply DJ settings as per Haynes
Temp2 sensor, idle switch, AFM, vacuum lines, disi advance unit, hall, tci, these are the things I'd be checking, I'd have injectors out and check fueling at head
you have a running DJ still don't you so you can do swap outs to confirm any dodgy readings you get

[Ian Hulley]

From experience some people have good reason to "upgrade" to carbs.

That's right .... they work.

[KarlT]

Thanks for full reply Aidan.

Yeah, it did start (eventually) & ran badly before I started making improvements!

Have changed airfilter/meter for a (I know is) good one.
Have a little doubt about dizzy, but again have a known good one to swap in.
Will report back next week.

If swapping for carb, don't you lose power & mpg?

[KarlT]

Just had time to check one of the three......Petrol.

Loads of it everywhere!

Dizzy next.

[KarlT]

Don't know what i was saying there..^^ three petrol?

Anyhow.............

IT LIVES! whoahahaha!

It's not running perfect but the exhaust is blowing like a good-un which can't be helping. But it starts, revs, advances, the lot. Haven't had chance to drive as in my wisdom I started dismantling the gear change as-well. It was just massively retarded. Must of been 15* after dead top.

There seems to be a whine/noise from gearbox/clutch. Pushed peddle in, no difference.

Want to check tappets....Recon gold DJ. Don't think they would have a hydraulic tappets, how do I know/check. Feel the need to start another thread.

[kevtherev]

If swapping for carb, don't you lose power & mpg?

I found that not to be the case.
the 2.1 DJ is practically a 1.9 DG with a longer stroke and higher compression.

[Ian Hulley]

Unlikely 'they' (whoever 'they' are) would fit solid lifters to a wasserboxer.

Ian

[KarlT]

Okay, Back to the drawing board.

Had time yesterday to put the gearshift back together. (had to make sure in neutral as is on bricks!)...... Non-Starter!

Turned over & over, 20 attempts, once or twice it spluttered like it was going to start, but didn't.
So the facts......
Got petrol.
Got spark.
Good air meter.
Good round pin connector block/thing.
I have driven it (didn't feel nice though).
It has started & revved since my fixes/messing about.

What can it be? What can stop it starting?

Only thing I can see wrong is the exhaust is blowing badly at cast knuckle, but that wouldn't stop it starting would it?
How can it start (reluctantly) & run one day but not the next?? ECU?

[KarlT]

Anyone?

[mm289]

Hi Karl,

Couple of thoughts.

When you say you have fuel where are you checking, at the pump or injectors? If it is at the pump/pipes then pull the injectors and test one at a time (disconnect leads from others, put a container under injector, crank and make sure you have a nice jet of petrol). Then test the next one.

Similarly with spark, when it is not starting, pull a plug and crank. Are you still getting a spark?

From what you said above the timing was way out? Has it slipped again? Is the clamp on the dizzy slipping?

As Aidan said, fuel + air + spark = BANG

So, i would also check for air leaks on the intake side (between the air box and the injectors), on one of my engines one of the intake runners (dual round tubes) had a big hole rusted in it - it will cause havoc with the mixure although typically will cause a rough running rather than no start.

If the fault is intermittent, the other thing I would look at is the age old "earth lead problem". Check all the engine earths to make sure they are clean/secure.

Only other thought is, if vacuums on Dizzy were wrong and timing was way out, maybe the PO had a problem with the dizzy/ignition?

HTH

MM