New Whipple on 500EFI will not start... HELP!!
 

Friend's 36 Spectre, port motor installation done in boat (new 500EFI Whipple system), engine fired up fine.

Starboard motor removed for whipple installation, will not run. We believe that we are not getting fuel. What we know:

Motor will fire with starter fluid indicating spark is there. Coil wire sparks, #1 plug wire sparks.

Fuel pressure is 50 psig at the end of the rail. Fuel bled out until there is no air. Fuel pump runs OK.

Wires to 2 of the injectors test OK with test light (special for injector wire). Can't get to the rest of the injectors. The injectors we tested have different color wires.

Pulled the small fuel rail with the 2 injectors and held the injectors in the rail and turned the motor over. We got one small spurt of fuel out of one injector and then nothing. Injector finally pushed out of the rail and sprayed fuel all over the place so we know there is fuel in the rail.

Swapped ECM's with the motor that will run. NO GO.

Without starter fluid, we get no backfires, stumbles nothing.

Spark plug shows no fuel.

What is the deal? Dustin is not in on a Saturday. HEEELLLLPPPP!!!!!

:( :( :( :(

How much are you opening the throttle? Is the distributor in the right place, has it been timed to 8 degrees? Did you make sure you have the dist. connectors plugged in, do you get an rpm reference on the tach? I would use the computer from the other engine that has started and idled, the other computer may not have a program error which will not let the injectors pulse when cranking.

Dustin

If you can get to them you need to ohm check the injectors-they may have gotten grounded and fried the windings. This occasioanlly happens when an engine is pulled with power still in the system.

Thanks for replying Dustin and InspTech. The distributor was set close to the original position after we put the whipple manifold on. The motor will fire with starting fluid so it is probably not timing. The other motor was within 1 deg. of 8 deg BTC when we set it's timing so we are probably not too far off with this motor.

We tried all sorts of different throttle positions including full shut and WOT.

All the connectors on the distributor and others are plugged in as far as we can tell. Once again, we are getting spark and the motor will fire on starter fluid.

As stated, we tried the other (running OK) motor's ECM. We also tried a stock ECM.

We have a Merc Diagnostic Tool and it communicated with the ECM('s) and showed all monitored functions. No codes have been set during this whole deal.

Insp Tech, Good point, we are starting to suspect the injectors but can not believe that all 8 are fried. Additionally, these injectors were supplied by Whipple and were just installed without power applied.

Thanks for your responses. We really appreciate your help.

Dustin, can you call 337-855-7343?

Tom

I would go back through and double check all your grounds. Take them off, recheck that they are clean, and reground. Make sure you did not miss any. Just a thought

Jon

Just to eliminate any chance of error, check the distributor to see if it's out 180 degrees. With starter fluid, even at 180 out it will lite for a second and shut down.

Check to see that the ground on the starter motor is tight. If not, it can send a signal to the ECM and not allow it to fire. It will still turnover but not allow ignition.

I know these sound improbable, but I experienced both of these problems when we installed our Whipple systems. Dustin walked me thru them and everything is fine now. If you still have a problem tomorrow (Sunday) give me a call and I'll get in my engine room and walk us both thru my fuel plumbing and electrical. My home phone is 954-425-6957. I'll be working on the boat installing the reprogrammed ECM's Dustin just sent, then out testing some new props. If I don't answer the home phone, call my cell at 954-980-2643.

Good luck,

Steve

check to see if your timing is off 180* i made tah mistake once. Did you adjust yoru valves at all? When i installed my blowe ri changed head gaskets and my valves lashing was way to tight and all my valves were opena justa crack and she woudln't run. Wouldn't even fire a single cylinder. Just a though, if you had your heads off.

If it runs with starting fluid than swapp the ECM. Then check the fiel lines. If the timmingt was 180 out it wouldn't run with out a pop or back fire. I am assuming when you say start, you mean start and run until the fluid is used up.

Randy

Did you ever get it figured out?
Good luck,
Dan

I think the ECU was not getting a map signal.

Thanks,
Dustin