98 Dak with the 3.9 v6.

Just completed a fresh longblock install, and the dang thing won't start.

I've yet to check all the basics like fuel and spark, but wanted to get some other ideas so I could get it done tomorrow if I still have problems.

Sooo, besides the obvious fuel and spark answers what do you think?

I made a sketch of the distriubtor orientation before pulling it from the old motor. I did neglect to note the orientation of the oil pump drive though I believe I orientated the slot that drives the dist correctly though because at TDC for #1, with the dist orientated per my sketch, the rotor was pointing at the alignment mark on the cam position sensor, and I was sussessfully able to set the fuel timing by backprobing the cam pos sensor and rotation the dist until the voltage changed. This leads me to be pretty secure in that the dist is installed correctly, unless someone sees different.

What I'm not sure about is the the flywheel. It's worthless to mark the flywheel position when moving it to a new engine. I notice a extra hole in the end of the crank that shows us as a ghost image on the flywheel. I tried lining up the flywheel with the hole, but the mounting holes did not line up. SOMEBODY PLEASE CONFIRM THIS: the flywheel holes are offset so the there is only one correct orientation to bolt it up?!? I spun the flywheel around through a couple of bolt holes , and only one hole would line up at a time, until they all lined up. Is this true, or is there multiple possible mounting patterns? This would explain no start as the crank pos sensor would not be picking up the knotches in the flywheel at the right time.

The other thing that bothers me is the crank pos sensor itself. The previous owner/s managed to break it with a previous clutch change. I managed to break it again when I was elongating the holes to do the mod to advance timing. I JB welded it back together, but I used feeler gauges to find that it is only about .005 to .010 inches away from the flywheel (horizontally of course. No way to measure vertically when the trans is installed) Is that small of a distance a problem? It's possible the sensor is even touching the flywheel as it spins. I figure as long as I backprobe that connector of the sensor and test for voltage to go from 0 to 5 as the engine turns, that everything with the sensor is OK right?

So other that that, I dont' know what could be wrong. I also plan on checking every connector in the wiring harness to be sure that every one is plugged back in.

Appreciate any ideas. Thanks

 

Well I feel like a doof. The dist was out 180 deg. It runs! Thanks.