9 posts? OK nub.... (just kidding!) Firing with start fluid might rule out the lifters needing time to pump up. BUT! that goofy gauge may or may not be a clue to what is really up.

 

Oh sweet irony...

 

.

 

So, when I'm cranking and it won't start, yes, I can smell fuel at the tailpipe. So, that means the injectors are spraying right? So, weak spark, too rich? Good spark, way too rich?

 

Do a spark check with all the plugs in. Use a spare plug with a widened gap or a screwdriver or something in the plug wire and check the spark. You should be able to get 1/4" of spark. Start with the coil wire, if it's good go on to test all six leads. If the coil wire spark is weak eliminate the wire using regular electrical wire; if still weak it could be the coil, it's connections, power feed...

Edit: you'll want to disable the fuel pump during the test to minimize flooding.

 

Well, I think I killed my battery with all this cranking, so, I'm going to take it to autozone and have them test/charge/replace it. Then I'll go from there.

 

Ok, so new battery, and still nothing, it just cranks.
Still have spark and still have fuel, no clue what the heck is going on.

 

LOL. You, a newb? Or is that nub?

 

I saw in an earlier post you said you checked the fuel injectors and they weren't leaking. How exactly did you do that? Hmmm...Never mind that might not matter. But tell me anyway. I just watched your one video and it took very little starting fluid to get it to start and once it did it was obviously running off the injectors and not the starting fluid. But if a cylinder is flooded with fuel because of a faulty injector getting it to start with the starting fluid might just be enough to get that burned out of there.

 

Did you double check connections to starter motor; clean and tight? I know I've been in your shoes 👞 with another vehicle, if I remember what the issue was ill mention it. I know on my 90 timing is supposed to be non adjustable...

 

You had it running on starter fluid as I recall from an earlier post. I think I asked before if you had filled the tank up with fuel but your gauge was reading empty on one of your more recent posts (post 114). How do you know the fuel is ok? If you've pumped a lot of fuel injector cleaner, SeaFoam etc into the fuel tank when you didn't have much gas in there, it most likely will not run right or start on a cold engine(if at all). PUT 5 gallons of premium fuel in, change fuel filter etc.
Try again on ether. If it runs on starter fluid, you've eliminated most issues with spark, battery, coil, compression etc. Then you can concentrate on what else might be the problem.

 

If this things outta gas..........................

 

Is their a chance you have water in your gas tank?

 

 

So, for all the naysayers, I went and got a full tank of gas. But, I had to start it with starting fluid to get to the gas station. After I got gas, I let it sit overnight and went to start it this morning and nothing, nada, zilch. It starts just fine on starting fluid. After it starts with the starting fluid it runs just fine and dandy. So, I know I'm getting fuel and spark.

I'm just not sure why it won't start without starting fluid. I did some searching and found this link, http://www.xjtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5907.
Here's a quote from the thread. =
[("If you have both spark and fuel pressure, the problem can only be a couple of things. Most commonly, the engine is flooded and the plugs are wet, but it could be a timing problem. Crank it for a few seconds, then go smell the tailpipe. Do you smell gas? If so, the injectors are most likely working and the fuel system is fine. There are only three sensors on the Renix system that will cause a no start condition. The most common is the CPS, surprisingly the second is the MAP sensor. Make sure the hardline from the throttle body runs to the MAP and that the MAP is plugged in. Plug and unplug the MAP connector a couple of times for good measure.")
("If you haven’t been screwing with the ignition and could not have indexed the distributor incorrectly, and you have spark and fuel pressure after having made sure the plugs aren’t wet, the engine should start. If it simply never fires, and you can smell at least a little raw gas in the exhaust, timing is pretty much the only thing left other than the injectors not firing. To test the lack of fuel in the cylinders scenario, have a buddy crank the engine and squirt a little starting fluid down the throttel body. If it tries to fire, the injectors are not giving you any gas. If that doesn't get an attempt to fire up it is probably back to the timing issue. If you have done the CPS routine, then you either have a bad camshaft sensor, bad computer, or bad wiring. It is possible that the coil is so weak that it will spark the plugs when they are not under compression, but doesn’t have enough power to spark under compression. The ECU is probably the least common, followed by the cam position sensor, and the coil. (GROUNDING straps are also good to check at this point")]

So, with this info, I'm thinking it's possibly the Camshaft Position Sensor/Pickup Coil/Stator, whatever you wanna call it.
What are y'alls thoughts?