No-Start Condition

[Jet]

Had just finished a lot of work under the hood of the 2.2L Ciera, and with everything back together, it won't start.

I had the throttle body decarbonized, the intake manifold decarbonized, replaced the coils, MAP sensor, throttle position sensor, p.s. pump and both lines, and the heater hoses. First attempt to start it, the battery must've been down on charge, because it cranked over a bit slower than normal, and kinda spit back, followed by a STRONG gasoline smell (never did start). Turn the key, the starter drive can be heard to engage the flywheel, but it sounds like it doesn't have enough to turn the engine over. Battery and starter replaced, same deal. Hate to think something bit the dust internally on that first start attempt, but it is kinda looking that way....any ideas out there?

[LordDurock]

well for kicks and giggles try and bar the motor or by hand and see how stiff it is. it will have force but it should be easy most of the way around less a few compressing holes.

if it bars over fine. give her a hit of either see if you runs or hits

you said "it kinda spit back" like an intake back fire?

['84 6000]

How many miles are on it? 2.2L is an interference engine and it is possible the timing chain went judging bu what you are describing. I have seen it happen in some fairly young 2.2s too.(200,000km young)

[Jet]

It has 138,000 miles on the clock...

['84 6000]

Pull the plugs and try a bar as was suggested. See what that does. I hate to think its something like the chain already.

[Prospeeder]

Uh oh, I think on those 2.2s they have some strange injector placment and they can leak raw fuel into the cylinders, and hydrolock the engine. Making it not turn, bounce back, ect....id ull the plugs and crank it and see if gas comes shooting out lol

[Jet]

Uh oh, I think on those 2.2s they have some strange injector placment and they can leak raw fuel into the cylinders, and hydrolock the engine. Making it not turn, bounce back, ect....id ull the plugs and crank it and see if gas comes shooting out lol


Mahvelous. When I put it on jackstands yesterday to pull the starter, it gave a strong gasoline smell again, so there may be something going on with that....

['84 6000]

Uh oh, I think on those 2.2s they have some strange injector placment and they can leak raw fuel into the cylinders, and hydrolock the engine. Making it not turn, bounce back, ect....id ull the plugs and crank it and see if gas comes shooting out lol

Ohhh, I forgot about that, that has those retarded side feed injectors instead of the normal top feed. Thats a possibility

[Prospeeder]

the ONLY reason i know this is in the CHilton manual it has in BIG bold letters in the Fuel injector section about them on the 2.2 engine only

[Jet]

So is pulling the head the solution, to get the cylinders free of the gasoline....guessin' so....

['84 6000]

Pull the plugs and unhook the fuel pump and try cranking it over. Essentially on those injectors the fuel comes in between the upper and lower O'rings and if the lower goes it has direct fuel pressure to that intake port. I have an intake with injectors in the shop, and can see if I can pull one and get pics if you like.

[LordDurock]

So is pulling the head the solution, to get the cylinders free of the gasoline....guessin' so....

you can have some gas in there just pull the plugs and bar here over by hand a few times then hit the starter. after that put the plugs in and she just might run

[Jet]

Pull the plugs and unhook the fuel pump and try cranking it over. Essentially on those injectors the fuel comes in between the upper and lower O'rings and if the lower goes it has direct fuel pressure to that intake port. I have an intake with injectors in the shop, and can see if I can pull one and get pics if you like.

Thanks for the offer, but it's okay, I still have the 4 original injectors from when I changed them out last year with 4 brand-new ones. I had these new injectors out this time around as well while cleaning the carbon build-up from the intake.

[Jet]

Well, pulled the head yesterday, put the 1/2" breaker bar on it, still wouldn't turn over. Today, pulled the drain plug from the oil pan, oil started draining out normally, but shortly thereafter here comes this torrent of gasoline/oil mix, had to grab another drain pain to catch it all. Got it all drained, put the breaker bar to it, STILL won't turn over...guess the gasoline did a thorough job of rinsing the oil out of all the vital places internally. Have ordered a solution to put into the cylinders to unfreeze the pistons, but my neighbor said to pull the oil pan and start loosening the rod caps and go from there....what a PITA.

[mechanizeddeath]

Ouch! PITA doesn't even begin to describe it.

['84 6000]

At this point, if you have a hoist, you might as well pull the engine. bell housing, torque converter bolts and the one engine mount are really all that is left. Make it as easy as possible on yourself at this point. Sorry to hear that it turned out this bad.

[LordDurock]

Well, pulled the head yesterday, put the 1/2" breaker bar on it, still wouldn't turn over. Today, pulled the drain plug from the oil pan, oil started draining out normally, but shortly thereafter here comes this torrent of gasoline/oil mix, had to grab another drain pain to catch it all. Got it all drained, put the breaker bar to it, STILL won't turn over...guess the gasoline did a thorough job of rinsing the oil out of all the vital places internally. Have ordered a solution to put into the cylinders to unfreeze the pistons, but my neighbor said to pull the oil pan and start loosening the rod caps and go from there....what a PITA.

get some light weight oil (light luiqed wrench) once it free let some normal oil run past the rings. after the ring are lubed put the motor back together and run a drill oil lube tool (drives the oil pump) thing should get oil everywhere else.

on the other hand 84 donsnt have a bad point of pulling the motor and regaskting it

['84 6000]

Well my thought was, with it out he won't be laying on his back trying to check if any rod or mains spun. Its easier and faster. If it filled a drain pan with gas and oil and part of another one, the bottom end was FULL so, who knows what turning it over could have done right?

[Jet]

Once I had it back together and went to start it, it never actually turned over, just did the spit-back deal, and after that wouldn't turn over at all, so the rods and main should be alright. I will wait for the release chemical I ordered to come in and try that first. It apparently is coming from Canada, so I know from past Ebay experience that it takes a bit more time for something to ship from Canada to the U.S., think it's some kind of customs deal.

['84 6000]

Yeah, same deal as from the U.S to here. What exactly did you order?

[Jet]

The product is called Engine Release, hopefully it will work, I'll give it a shot, and if not, then I'll get into more invasive means to free the thing up. I was also thinking of over-filling the crankcase with oil, letting that sit for a while (days) so it can penetrate the main and rod areas, then trying to turn it over with the breaker bar after draining the excess oil off....with the head off, it would be easier to see what's going on down there, as far as making sure the oil level didn't get so high that it started running over into the coolant passages. I pulled the lifters, camshaft looks fine, I shot oil onto the lobe surfaces of it while I was in the neighborhood just for shits and grins.

[LordDurock]

be carefull it the motor doesnt start turning and you keep froceing.............you will slipt bearing into 4 or more pieces