Installed new engine - won't start

#1

Well, I just got my new (used engine] put in since I blew a rod through the block during the July race at Mid-Ohio. Yes, I am slow. For one thing, the vendor 1st sent me the wrong engine - the eta. Kudos to Vines Automotive for freighting me the correct engine at their cost. Great guys to deal with.

Anyway … It won’t start. Starter turns great but no fuel. Voltage is getting to the junction box, but no voltage checks out at the main relay or the fuel pump relay. The fuel pump does work when a power source is directly fed to it at the back seat location. All connectors double checked.

I know this sounds somewhat like what happens when the battery gets disconnected with the OBC anti-theft device, but if it is, I don’t know how to fix it, and it’s never happened b4 when battery re-connected. I only had the mini-obc with date/clock/temp instead of the whole elaborate OBC display & the guy who put my roll cage in discarded my date/clock display.
Also, I’m not getting anything when I activate the fault code procedure - pressing pedal 5 times. Any help appreciated.

See pics of the engines, including the damage, here -

http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x269/tomzzy/Spec%20E30%20engine%20change/

-tom-

#2

Tom, From your discription, it sounds like the fuel relay is bad or the fuse to the fuel pump is blown.

#3

The first check is to see if the main relay closes and applies power to the DME. If not the relay could be bad or power isn’t reaching the coil from the ignition switch.

If you have power to the DME you need to check for the crank position sensor and its connection to the engine harness. It is easy to swap the cylinder ID and CPS plugs. With no timing reference signal the DME won’t operate the fuel pump relay.

#4

Got it started! Wire off the harness was connected to the wrong place. Knew I was getting juice at the junction box, but none at the main relay. Found out which terminal in the ECU connecter was for the main relay and did continuity tests from there and the main relay to all wires, connectors coming out of the harness til I found it. Had one hooked to ground that should’ve been to the hot juice at the junction box. It’s usually some dumb oversight like that. Thanks for all the suggestions. They got me thinking along the right track

It’s great to hear her purring again. It’s been a real education for this first timer.

tom