CIS Help Needed.......loooong reply

[Huw Powell]

>>Fuel - check
> 
> 
>      Fairly fresh Amoco Premium

Meaning, you have fuel.  The fuel smell while starting shows that.

This is the classic starting place to troubleshoot a non running engine 
- you need 3 things (in the right amount and at the right time) - fuel, 
air, and spark.  Missing one?  No run.

>>Air - ?  is plate lifting while cranking? (probably,
> 
> since this creates fuel flow as well)
> 
>      Will check this.  Question - Because I have been
> experimenting with various replacement CIS parts from
> my stockpile, I haven't tightened the clamp on either
> end of the boot to allow frequent playing with the air
> plate.  If the boot is in place but not clamped, will
> there be a large enough air leak so that system won't
> work?  Actually if this was true, then your cranking
> test wouldn't work either.

Tie everything back up properly.  try to undo any messing with 
adjustments you made.

>>Spark - ?
> 
> 
>       OK, I've got to come clean here.  This whole
> mess started when I put in new plugs (NGK), cap/rotor
> (Bosch OEM), and wires (Kingsborne).   The car ran
> fine before these new parts, hasn't started since. 

OK, I won't be mean since you are already too embrassed...

> Unknown to me at the time, somehow stupidly I put in
> the wires so that the firing order was correct, but
> only if the distributor rotated counterclock-wise!

So.  Now, are they not only in the right order, but in the right place? 
  When the cam & crank are at TDC, the rotor should basically be aimed 
at the #1 plug wire.

>  After many weeks of messing with
> and testing various CIS components, I finally
> discovered that the distrib rotated clockwise.  That
> fixed, the motor now spins easily and eagerly, no
> heavy fuel smell, but won't start. 

I don't see how moving spark plug wires around would change how the 
engine feels when cranking, or the "amount" of fuel smell.

I *am* surprised you weren't getting any odd firing, backfiring, etc. 
For instance, if you reversed 1-2-4-5-3 with #1 right, #1 would fire, at 
least.  If you totally mirrored it (3-5-4-2-1), #4 should fire.

> Your response further indicates to me that some
> ignition part(s) (also put in new used coil) may be
> the culprit.

Why did you swap the coil?

> cap/rotor/wires/plugs, > hall sender, connection,
> wires at coil.
> 
>       These will be checked.  If it acutally is
> something this simple, I will nominate myself for the
> Darwin Award for home automotive excellence. 

Well, getting the firing order wrong will mess things up.  Hopefully in 
all your subbing, etc., you haven't radically altered anything that was 
right already.  You need to get those wires in the right places - not 
just the right order - and probably clean, if not replace, your plugs. 
Air out the cylinders and shoot each one with an ounce or so of engine 
oil (to seal and lube the rings).  Change the oil, since it has been 
nicely contaminated with fuel by now.

Then try again.

Hint - another way to get #1 where it belongs is with a timing light 
while cranking.  If you do any more "no run" cranking, do it with the 
FPR removed so you don't keep pouring gas into the oil, washing the 
cylinders, etc.

Good luck, and have fun!

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi

http://www.humanthoughts.org/