hey friends,
still messing with my 88 xj no start.

tryed to crank it using stater fluid, i just popped open the air cleaner cover and sprayed while my wife cranked. after a couple good long cranks and some good shots of fluid the engine still didnt fire. just before ending a crank a big ball of fire shot out of the air cleaner .

any ideas?

new plugs, seem to be getting spark, new fuel pump, seems to be decent fuel pressure at rail.

 

Did you verify that your getting spark? An engine needs three things air fuel spark if you dont have one of those it wont run

 

ya im getting spark.
and yes, i understand that a gasoline engine needs air, fuel, and spark to work. that dosnt really help me in understanding why a flame ball shot out of my air cleaner.
not trying to be a wise ***, just sayen....

 

im not sure if the 88 xj has a crank position sensor but thats why my 93 wouldnt start. lol i forgot to plug it in. just an idea bro

 

Double check that your distributor is in right, it sound's like it is 180 degrees out. The fire ball in the air cleaner means the spark ignited while the intake valve was open instead of closed.

If the dizzy is in correct check timing chain next IMO

 

timing was kinda what i was thinking too.

i pulled off my dis. cap and with #1 cyl at t.d.c. the rotor botton seems to be at the #1 post.
would that hint at timing chain then?

 

No it can still point to number 1 at tdc and still be wrong. You need to make sure it is on a COMPRESSION stroke.

Take the dizzy out of the block pull the number 1 plug, hold your finger of the hole and have someone crank the motor slowly. Try to feel when the pressure is pushing you finger out of the hole. It might take a minute to get the feel for it.

Once that is verified to be in the correctposition of tdc i and the crank pulley is at 0 install distributor with it pointing at #1

 

ok, thanks, ill give it a try

 

On my 90 I can see rockers through the oil filler. I guy could go at it that way. One would be after the exhaust closes on four? Not sure which you can see.

By the way, when my injector wires where grounding on the heat shield. (at the front), it blew the mouse nest in the air cleaner out the front grille! Drove through confetti! (no sign of mouse)