MSefi.com read only forum (Jan.15,2018)

hi.
I am not only new here, but also completely new to megasqiurt aswell, and as I am hopeless with electrics i am quite chuffed with what i have done so far but now I am stuck.
I am building a kit car (a long project that was finished once, sva'd,registered and so on, the stripped down again).It now has a rwd Fiat two litre twin cam engine with an integrale head, bigger valves, warmer cams, performance exhaust manifold, turbo and so on.
This is the first time that I have experienced anything like megasquirt, so any help, advice or just kind words of encouragement will be great.
When the time came to start the car for the first time I was quite pleased to get a spark, engine turned over ok, fuel pumps worked but it did not start. On investigation I found there was no fuel coming out of the injectors. the fuel goes around the rail and returns to the tank, there is power to the injectors and then on to the MS but it seams that the MS isn't earthing them. does that sound possible? or do you think it could be something else?
can you suggest any thing to look at that may cause this?
one more thing, is there a muppets guide to using Megatune available?
im am sorry if this sounds dumb but i am an absolute beginner.
many thaks, mick.

Thanks Lance.
I will have a look. I hope this isn't going to make me look too stupid.
Mick.

Hi Mick-

I recently had a very similar situation. I had a running MS install that sat for about 10 months and when I took it out of storage I decided to change a few things.

One of my changes was a set of used injectors. I had them sitting in a box in my shop for about 3 years, I only assumed they were good. Long story short I had the exact same symptoms as you, fuel circulating in rail, good pressure, and ignition. Yet try as I might I could NOT get the engine to start.

Finally on a lark I popped the original set of injectors back in the rails and lo and behold she lit right off! What would cause my spare set of injectors to simultaneously all die has been a subject of much speculation for me. I came to the conclusion that I haven't the slightest idea!

So all this to say, are you absolutely sure your injectors are good? Do you have another set you can swap in and try? Have you tried a test light, or noid light, on your injector bank to see if indeed the MS is actually firing the injectors?

On the Megatune front, the link that Lance posted is full of very good information. I know that it all seems a bit overwhelming right now as you can't get the engine fired, but once you do you will find the tuning is actually very straightforward. Take it in very small steps, trying to digest it all at once was way to much for me, to the point where I was ready to go back to a carb! But with some searching on here and reading the Mega Manual several times I have gotten my vehicle going great and hope to never adjust another carb mixture screw or change a jet again.

Getting it started and idling will tell you loads about how to tune your VE table and you will almost immediately want to go for a drive so you can start tuning!

Good luck.

P.J.

Hi P.J.
I tried a light on the earth side of the injector's one at a time, nothing. I don't have any spare injectors but no doubt I could aquire some from somewhere, although I don't think that will do me any good at the momment.
I have read the link from Lance, once, that's obviously not enough. What I need to do is print it off and read it as a hard copy. For some reason I can take things in better when they are in black and white, i'm just old I guess.
As I said earlier, I am pleased with what I have done up until now, but it must be a great feeling when you first M.S. fires up and runs. I don't feel that is too far away .
Many thanks. mick.

I'm not too sharp on electrical issues with MS either, but I believe that MS grounds the injector to make it work, so maybe the light was hooked up backwards? Are you testing the injectors outside of the engine to see if they are working, or attached to the intake manifold?
Also, it is often much easier for someone to help if you let us know what MS version you are running, and a datalog if possible.