Car wont start after intake gasket job/fuel lines

[DanielsHardLoyale]

Hi all! I drive a 1992 Subaru Loyale wagon and just finished an intake gaskets change but cant seem to get the car to start now. This was my first big repair and it feels bad when the car doesn't start once back together!! I also replaced fuel lines and some coolant hoses along with an egr solenoid and a purge solenoid valve.

I didn't take many pictures but I am pretty sure its all wired back up correctly. Battery was checked with a multimeter and is fine. Bad spark plug wires are one of my guesses and im grabbing some later today along with new spark plugs (since one plug might have got coolant in it during intake job).

I have two videos of the car with its sounds attempting to start.

https://vimeo.com/412065609

https://vimeo.com/412065609

Any and all suggestions would be great!! Thanks!!

[john in KY]

You probably reinstalled the 2 fuel lines between manifold and fuel filter wrong.  

[1 Lucky Texan]

does this model have an idle air control hose? sometimes they don't get put back securely.

[DanielsHardLoyale]

@1 Lucky Texan im not too sure where that hose would be if I did have one. Where is it located?

[DanielsHardLoyale]

@john in KY 

https://imgur.com/a/IYzKjln

This link shows 2 pictures I just took of I believe the hoses you are talking about. Does this look right?

 

Thanks

[idosubaru]

It’s often the brake booster.  Check all vacuum hoses.  Check all hoses and intake hose and ports on manifold - cruise vacuum (if equipped), 4WD, switching solenoid hoses.  Spray starting fluid all around intake - if it starts while doing that then it’s a vacuum leak.  

Fuel lines john mentioned

did you mess with the timing belt - The marks are used opposite from modern subarus and EJs and they get installed wrong all the time. 

[idosubaru]

4 minutes ago, DanielsHardLoyale said:

@john in KY 

https://imgur.com/a/IYzKjln

This link shows 2 pictures I just took of I believe the hoses you are talking about. Does this look right?

 

Thanks

That fuel line coming out of the fuel filter looks questionable - it’s bent at a nearly 90 degree angle and with a generic Gates hose it may be collapsed internally. If that’s SPFI, which a Loyale I think is, they may be less forgiving than MPFI. 
 

the fuel line with the inline saucer shaped part - where does that lead too?  I don’t think that should be a return line or go to the charcoal canister. But I haven’t looked at one in awhile   

I don’t see the brake booster line - where is that?  It should come out of the fire wall by the booster/master cylinder. 

[DanielsHardLoyale]

@idosubaru

Where is the brake booster? I can't seem to find it

I messed with the belts attached to my alternator and AC Assembly but did not touch timing belts.

[DanielsHardLoyale]

@idosubaru found a small tear in a line behind the fuel filter going towards the firewall. So am replacing those hoses now. Would that have been my issue?

I also just got new spark wires/plugs since the wires seemed old.

[john in KY]

3 hours ago, DanielsHardLoyale said:

@john in KY 

https://imgur.com/a/IYzKjln

This link shows 2 pictures I just took of I believe the hoses you are talking about. Does this look right?

 

Thanks

Looks correct. Line connected to the FPR is the return line.  

[DanielsHardLoyale]

Replaced all spark plugs and wires along with lines behind the fuel filter. Car sounded even closer to starting but still wont... Im quite unsure. All fuel lines look good to go. I replaced most vacuum lines and the ones I didn't replace seem to be in pretty good condition...i think

[el_freddo]

What order do you have the firing order in - and do you have no1 starting at the correct position on the dizzy? 

Cheers 

Bennie

[idosubaru]

1. Was it positively running just fine a week before you did this work?

2. Why did you pull the intake manifold?

if you pulled or moved the distributor check that. 

[DanielsHardLoyale]

@idosubaru 1. it was 100% running since nov 2019, but has been sitting for 3 weeks with all this quarantine going on.

2. I have a coolant leak im unsure about and wanted to replace my hoses so I took a stab at the intake gasket being the culprit. The gaskets I pulled looked bad but I wouldn't say compromised. Seemed to be oem gaskets. Can tell they are great subaru quality. 

I didnt pull the distributor but did lift the a.c. unit and intake out and rest on tire stand area so I might have disturbed it. I can't seem to move the distributor right now while pushing/pulling on it though

Edited April 27, 2020 by DanielsHardLoyale
Typo

[DanielsHardLoyale]

@el_freddo I have them in 1-3-2-4 going counter clockwise around the distributor. 1 being the closest to the brake master cylinder

[idosubaru]

okay - good then the removal of the intake should have definitely caused this if it was running before. 

if the distributor if pulled up about 1" and then set down, the tooth engagement in the bottom can change and it won't be aligned properly.  if it wasn't unbolted and lifted up then that's not the issue. 

i'd pull a fuel line and make sure fuel dumps out while cranking the key, or check the PSI if you have a fuel pressure tester. 

no rags stuffed in the intake chambers of the heads that may have been left there?

[DanielsHardLoyale]

@idosubaru which hose would you recommend to pull to test fuel coming out? My knowledge of the fuel system is pretty weak and I don't have a fuel pressure tester.

No rags left in the intake...as far as I know...

I am on a slight incline and my gas is reading at half a tank (fairly accurate from the 6+ months I've daily driven this car) do you think having the lines undone for more than a week and being on the incline could give gas trouble to get to the engine bay? 

[DanielsHardLoyale]

The purge valve solenoid I swapped in was from a junkyard. Would a faulty purge valve solenoid do that? I only swapped my previous solenoid because a plastic nub broke off when I was removing the vacuum lines..

[DaveT]

The fuel line that attaches to the fuel filter under the hood should have 21 PSI in it while running.  With it wide open, it will flow a lot of gas all over the place.  If you accidentally swapped that line with the return line, it won't run.

My simple test to rule out things - spray a 1 to 2 second shot of carb cleaner down the throttle body.   Press the gas about 1/3 of the way.  Crank.  If it fires for a burst, you have spark and timing close enough, you are missing fuel.

 

[DanielsHardLoyale]

The line going out of the fuel filter connects here, correct?

 

https://imgur.com/a/BA7EGcY

[DanielsHardLoyale]

@DaveT

Just sprayed some carb cleaner down the choke and did what you said and it fired for a burst!! Fuel issue. Hmmmm. Looking frantically at lines now.

[DanielsHardLoyale]

Took off the fuel line after the fuel filter and no fuel came out when starting car. Friends listened to fuel pump and are almost positive its bad. New fuel pump looks pricey

[DaveT]

When you turn the key on, then to crank, the pump should run for a burst.  If someone listens near it [just forward of the passenger side rear wheel] they should hear it run.  If not, tap it a few times with a plastic screwdriver handle, then try again.  It's aluminum, you don't what to really hammer it hard.

OEM are NLA

I found a nice Carter one for not bad $. 

 

[Rampage]

Make sure voltage is getting to the fuel pump when you turn the key on or crank the engine, and that it has a good ground.

[idosubaru]

Good!  I just pull the line off and crank the key - gas either flows like a garden hose for one second or it doesn't.  

Make sure it's not power to the pump first.  I'd probably convert to some aftermarket unit that's not $$$$$$$