well, now that it is all put back together after a timing belt change, it sounds upon spinning the starter as if there is no compression, yet when you pull a couple of plugs, and feel for it, it's there...(compression), spark is present, and it damn sure is gettin fuel...so where do i go from here? what could be missin, or did i miss somethin?

For some reason I couldn't post--but here goes again--Have you double checked the power stages that they are or have the correct wires on them--if you have them backwards you would have spark but at the wrong time.

Have you double checked the wires going to the power stages are on the right ones? Just noodling.

I think you are still okay, sometimes the lifters will over pump and and you will loose most compression. The only way to get it started is to continue to crank it, just keep cranking.

DanR
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DanR

dan, i've tried to crank this engine several times, but it won't budge, since you were the only one to date to respond to this post, i imagine you may have had this trouble w/ one of your cars?? the timing belt is as close to perfect as i can get it, but it still seems i have no compression, it spins like crazy, but all it has done is sputter, but no start...should i start over, again, and is there anything else i can do before tearin into this engine, which brings me to another question,thisblock is comin up on 300K miles, don't really know what i will find when i get into it...thanks for any and all suggestions, etc.

I would also do a compression test to all cylinders. Exhaust all possibilities before tearing it down.

DanR
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DanR

Have you tried testing for spark at each hole?

You are sure that there is spark and fuel, sure the timing is correct? Which I am thinking it is correct because it just would not turn over if it wasn't. Maybe it is something with air flow, is the little hose connected to the idle valve, is the throttle body calibrated correctly? Is the fuel pressure correct at start up it should be about 43 psi. Maybe your main pump in not activating, and it is only the primer pump in the tank that is suppling the fuel, it would only be about 8 psi. Do you hear the main pump turn on for a sec or two when the ignition it turned but not cranked?

DanR '94 964 333,000 miles (99,000 on the new engine)
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DanR

i'm pretty sure all is in order w/ spark, and fuel PSI, i can hear the main pump prime up, it still sounds as if there is no compression, minus a sputter or two. we had a subaru wagon years back, and it did pretty much the same thing after a belt change, but i don't remember what i did to rectify the situation, other than after a few tries at repositioning the cam gears & crank, it sparked right up and ran...i have checked and double checked, and everything as far as what i've learned here about this engine tells me it should be good to go... i appreciate your help, by the way, thanks, louis

Could you have maybe gotten the power stage wires backward?

Try switching the wires on the power stages--if they are on backwards you would have fire but at the wrong time.

Check and make sure you have the correct wires going to the power stages on the intake front and back--could you have them backwards?

You say your getting fire and fuel--are you sure you have the correct wires hooked up to the power stages on the intake correctly?

thx dan! i was hopeful that it would be ok...just sounds like nothin i've heard out of the old girl before!

For some damn reason I haven't been able to post without being deleated so here goes again
Try checking the wires to the power stages and check there--if they got switched on the rebuild you would have spark but at the wrong time

Try checking the power stage wires--could you have gotten them mixed up-that would explain why you have fire and fuel but no start.