24 replies to this topic

[tony kenobi]

Hi all, havent been on in a while due to my rebuild going on.

So i got my head back from MED (stage 3 road comp for MPI) couldnt be happier. It was the last piece left before i could get the engine built up.
Fitted the head to the block last friday, my spec is...

MED head
swi5 cam (injection)
duplex timing gear
swiftune 1.5 rockers
new oil pump (swiftune)
Burlen 52mm throttle body
Customized manifold (opened up and gas flowed +polished)
Bored to 1293cc
New pistons and rings
Gearbox totally rebuilt inc s/c drops and 3.4 final drive
central oil pickup
maniflow LCB and twin cat to back system and de-cat pipe
new bosch lambda sensor (relocated to take in all 3 branches)
K&N element (also will try the induction kit)
Fuel pressure regulator
Clutch i had was fine (only 32000 on it)

Now ive it in the car built etc. Its turning over but will not fire up!
Im earthed all ok, checked all the sensors they seem fine.
My plugs are sparking ok, but the only thing ive noticed is the strong smell of petrol.
Now im thinking and correct me if im wrong, could the pressure reg need adjusted as currently its pushing to much fuel out and soaking the plugs (took them out and they seemed wet)??
Everything else seems ok. I know the clutch throws the timing of slightly if not fitted corectly it will not help starting, but it just went on ok at the time, did it need to be set to a certain position?
Ive just added an oil pressure gauge and from it (not sure how accurate it is) im not building up much oil pressure as im churning it over.
Would a new set of HT leads and plugs maybe help?
If anyone has fitted and pressure reg to an MPI before take a pic of how you have it plumbed in so i can compare, it does make the odd moaning noise as you turn the key to pump the fuel from the tank.

Any help would be great as i know some of you are pretty ggod with this sort of thing. Thanx guys!

Edited by tony kenobi, 02 December 2008 - 10:05 PM.

[taffy1967]

Have you tried pressing the fuel supply reset switch (or whatever it's called?), i.e. that button on the rear right of the engine bay?

[tony kenobi]

hi taffy, yeah its up (meaning fuel is getting to the injectors etc) as im turning it over theres a strong smell of fuel, but nothing leaking etc
I think it could be pushing out too much fuel. The fitting of the fuel regulator was the only thing i was not looking forward to simply because the instructions that came with it where *rubbish*. But im sure ive it plumbed up correctly.

[nicksuth]

I noticed you say you replaced the fuel pressure regulator, did you use an adjustable regulator, if so which type as I may be looking to do the same? Got some pictures?

All I know from my recent investigation is that fuel pressure should be 3 bar (42 psi) engine off and around 2.5 (35 psi) to 2.7 (38 psi) bar when running - or thats what someone posted as answer to my question.

I would have thought that if you have fuel + air + spark = bang !!!

Have you got the plug leads back on in the right firing order???

[tony kenobi]

ill get some pics up after a while, its near snowing here, and im nice and warm,lol.

ive been thinking tho, could the old petrol in the tank be "off"? its over 1 year old and maybe thats y im not starting. Been reading up on it and it seems that cud be a good reason.

[Sprocket]

Are you deffo getting fuel? if you have been trying it for so lonbg and its not firing, it may have flooded the cylinder?

is the Inertia switch reset?, does the fuel pump prime when you key on?

[tony kenobi]

hi sprocket, thanx yesh, the fuel pump keys in and the adjustable regulator hums slightly so its getting fuel of somesort.
The fuel switch has been pressed down and up again, so i guess it has been reset. The plugs are wet when i remove them so i guess it is getting fuel.
I havent tried for long enough to flood the cylinder as i know by the sound of it, its not wanting to fire up.

[Sprocket]

If the plugs are wet, its flooded, and you will never get a spark

What is the fuel pressure ? you could be overfueling before you even get started

If there is a pool of fuel in the piston dish, you need to get rid of this before you put the dry plugs back in and try again, but you have to ask why its flooded in the first place

[tony kenobi]

im not sure what the pressure is, how can i find this out. It must be the adjustable regulator, its set to high. Ok, so ive to get the fuel out, how?
Go me...trying to start my first engine rebuild and made a mess of it!

[Sprocket]

One other thing to check is that the fuel reg is plumbed in correctly, if it is incorrect you can see fuel pressures of 6bar +, that is bad. Im not sure how these are fitted to the Mini fuel rail as the regulator is built in, this must be removed some how before an external regulator will work.

Checking fuel pressure requires a fitment of a gauge after the pump but before the fuel rail, the gauge needs to be able to read 4 or 5 bar. The information that came with the regulator should be able to tell you how to set it up. If the fuel pressure is miles away from what it should be, you are obviously going to overfuel at startup.

[d4v1dtyler]

change the fuel mate, could well be that if its been sitting around for a year. Also, i may well get told off you saying this, but disconnect the fuel pump, remove the air filter and get somenbody to turn the engine. Use a can of 'Easy start' to spray down the throttle body and see if the car fires up. This will give you a clear indication that it is either the fuel itself or fuel delivery.

[ICAM]

Better still take off the inlet manifold to make sure there's no excess old fuel in the manifold. These sometime also can lead you to no start condition. While doing that you might also want to dryoff any excess fuel in your combustion chamber through the spark plug hole.

[tony kenobi]

So guys, got it started around dinner time today. Heres what i did....

First off put in half a tank of 'new' unleaded and turned the key a few times to get it pumped up to the engine.
Next, i adjusted the pressure regulator anticlock wise to 'lean' it out abit.
Then i dried all four plugs and refitted them.
Pushed the button and bang, oh, that didnt sound good. It was back firing up through the maniflod.
So at least now i was sparking, but my leads must be on in the wrong order.
I had went by what Mr Haynes had said, but that wasnt working, so i moved each lead to the next plug to the right. Still nothing!
Tried them again, to the next plug to the right, and WOOOOOOOOH!!!! It started!
First time in near 2 years.Oil pressure shot away up but back down again, but all good.
Lots of smoke from the oil etc, but left it running for an hour or so, and nothing but a small oil leak just from under the flywheel cover.

Sound brillant, but having fitted s/c drops, i didnt know they where gonna make so much noise at idle. Push the clutch in and it goes away, but i guess this is normal for s/c drops????
Had a Kad quickshift fitted, but i dont like the feel of it at all, so on with the original shift and its going for sale!
A few other small things to tighten, but all in all, im very happy with todays progress!
Thanx for all your tips etc.
As for the noise coing from the s/c drops, if anyone can comment on them, that would be great! thanx

[nicksuth]

I noticed you say you replaced the fuel pressure regulator, did you use an adjustable regulator, if so which type as I may be looking to do the same? Got some pictures?

All I know from my recent investigation is that fuel pressure should be 3 bar (42 psi) engine off and around 2.5 (35 psi) to 2.7 (38 psi) bar when running - or thats what someone posted as answer to my question.

I would have thought that if you have fuel + air + spark = bang !!!

Have you got the plug leads back on in the right firing order???

I'm not posting this to say "I told you so" but I have noticed that the Rover MPi Repair Manual is incorrect when it shows the Coil Pack and Leads!!! I'll find it and post it later.

[nicksuth]

Can you psot up some photos/details of the adjustable Fuel Regfulator you have fitted?

PS - here's the sketch of the Coil Pack and HT Leads

[attachment=75484:Coil_Pac...HT_Leads.JPG]