EJ22T has spark, still wont start

[Legacy777]

The pictures are from two different engines, the one is from an n/a setup, the other is turbo. The only mark on the front of the gear was an arror on the first picture. It's pointing to the right. In the second picture, there's a small triangle, again it's pointing to the right.

[douglas vincent]

Is that your sprocket pictured?

[TheSubaruJunkie]

No, i stole that picture from a .pdf that "end wrench" published about the tbelt install.

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Ok guys, new findings....


When I woke up and left for work, i disconnected my battery. I figured 8hrs would be long enough for the ECU to clear its memory. WHen I got home, i connected the battery and checked for codes and im still getting code 11 and 13. Remind you, before I was getting only code 11 until I FORCED a code 13 by disconnecting my Cam Sensor. The Cam sensor is reconnected but the code is still showing. That's leading me to believe code 11 (Crank sensor) is old.

So I decided I would do a compression check. I pulled 2 plugs, one from each head (front pistons as they are the easiest to get to). I noticed immediatly that each plug was soaked in fuel. Fresh fuel from a recent attempt at starting the car not 2 min prior.

So that answers that. It looks like im definatly getting fuel. So I checked compression, first with pistons #1 and i got 120psi. Then moved over to Piston #2 and same reading at 120psi. IIRC these numbers should be above the 160psi mark am I correct?

The motor has fresh head gaskets. Heads were machined. Torqued to spec. No reason compression should be bypassing the rings either but I didnt go as far as doing a leakdown test.

After doing this, I checked again for spark and determined I am in fact getting spark to those 2 cylinders.

Guess the next step is to pull the timing belt covers and check that unless anyone else has anything helpful to add?

Thanks
-Brian

[vrg3]

I agree the code's probably old. If you're getting spark the sensors are probably working fine.

As for the compression test, I wouldn't worry about the exact numbers as long as all four cylinders were close.

It looks like you're getting air, fuel, and spark, so, yeah, I would next suspect valve timing.

[TheSubaruJunkie]

So i pulled the covers and yep... it appears my timing belt isnt right. While rotating the crank trying to get the lines on the belt to line up with the lines on the cams, i noticed the mark on the backside of the crank gear. And noticed only 1 mark on the front side, which was the arrow. There were no marks on the front of the gear that corresponded with the mark on the back, so i MUST have installed it incorrectly. No other explanation.

Now the task of removing and reinstalling the belt. My back is killing me, perhaps tomorrow.

[Arctic Assassian]

You are freakin lucky you bent no valves.

[vrg3]

Our engines are noninterference; timing belt problems don't bend valves.

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Im freaking lucky I didnt blow my intake manifold apart. Ive been talking with Ciper throughout this entire problem as well. After I told him today about the problem, he told me he once did the same mistake, only his car started and ran... then it backfired into the manifold and destroyed his MAF & head.

[Arctic Assassian]

Thats right, n/a motors are interference.
I was once rear ended by a guy in a 2003 Outback. I was in my explorer and it had a hitch that stuck out pretty far. my hitch went right through his grill, radiator, condensor and timing cover. there was one tiny little scratch on my car. We were at the busiest intersection in town at rush hour. I told the dude, I said," Man that sucks, I'm outta here. If you need a subaru mechanic, call me." And drove out of his car and down the road. lol.

[vrg3]

No, all 1st-generation EJ22s are non-interference designs. As far as I know, the first US-market interference EJ was the EJ25 in the 96 Outback.

It wasn't the valves interfering with anything that caused ciper's backfire; it was improper valve timing.

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Impropper valve timing like what I had. He used the same mark's as I.

I fixed the timing belt. The motor didnt even make an entire revolution before it fired up. God its been too long since Ive heard the rumble of my EJ22. Almost 3 months.

Aside from alittle smoke burning off some bits and pieces, everything checks out okay. Ran the scan tool and all the vitals appear to be within range.

Took the car for a quick test drive. No overheating, no wierd clanks or ticks. Accelerates under boost as it should. Only thing left to do is put the hood back on and clean up the mess I made in the garage.

I have to give a huge thanks to VRG3 for helping me throughout this entire process. And a big thanks to Ciper as well, for without him I would never have been motivated enough to fix this thing. It would be at the scrap yard by now

It feels good to be back.
-Brian

[vrg3]

Yay!

[turboleg]

Only thing left to do is put the hood back on and clean up the mess I made in the garage.
-Brian

I hope you added change the engine oil to the list. Depending on how far our you were you could have a healthy mixture of gas and oil in the crank case.


Don't worry about the timing mix up. I did the same thing during my swap...took me three days to figure it out. Judging by how many of us that have done this, I think the manuals need to start differentiating a little better between the word aarow and mark.