1991 B2600i automatic 2wd wont start

Hi everyone,

I have an issue with ignition that wont start the car at all. No cranks, No voltage at the S terminal of starter solenoid. Please help and any comments would greatly appreciated.

Here is the story:
I've bought it a few months ago. Found that it was oil leaks every where on the engine and tranny. I then did a research and found a few threads shows how to rebuild engine. I went a head and order parts as needed to rebuild.
I have ordered these parts:
- timming chain kit
- Felpro head gaskets kit
- transmission gasket set
- NGK spark plugs
- 10mm spark wires
- piston rings set
- main bearings set
- front and rear seals
- radiator hoses
- K&N air filter intake

Before i have disassembly the engine, i did a test run a few days. Everything sounds and works great except the oil leaks.
After i've done the rebuilt and put back everything together, then it wont crank at all. I did a measument at the B/G wire where it connects to the S terminal of the starter solenoid. It reads 0v when turn ignition key to start.

Results after reassembly the engine:
When turn the key to ON position, i'm seeing all lights are on then only four of them will stay after a few seconds. Which is Brake, Check engine, AntiLock, and Battery.

My questions is what could i've done wrong since i didnt do any of electrical changes? Im thinking if the brake sensor at the proportioning valve will shut down the ignition outputs since i have drained all the brake fluids including in the lines.
Will the antilock disable power from the starter? This is the only different i have seen before i start the rebuilt.
When i turn the key to START position, i can only hear a click from the relay at the engine compartment.

Im asking for any ideas that you guys may think or experiencing with. Please give me some inputs and i will investigate to see if that is the cause. Thanks and appreciated.

The electrical part of the ignition switches becaome faulty after decades of use, check that out.

Check the battery, could be low because not used while you did your other work.

You need to get the starter able to spin the engine at a reasonable speed, then if it won't run, you use aerosol starting fluid to determine whether fuel or spark-related.

Nice looking Cab Plus, worth saving.

Thanks for your inputs Cusser.

FIRST:
I have gone over the inhibitor switch yesterday and have found that it is off. I can only crank when the shift is in the Reverse position. I then tried to adjust it but out of luck. Im guessing it was damaged while i put back the tranny.
Not sure if that position is a reverse or neutral but my guess is a neutral. If it is a reverse then it should roll the car backward while cranking.
Now im trying to see if i can research for that switch. If you know some place has a good price, please let me know.

SECOND:
I was trying to crank yesterday for a few minutes. Truck doesn't want to start and all it does was fired once every few turns. I check the head and pistons seem to be ok but not sure about the relationship between valves and pistion.
I have followed set the piston at TDC, piston #1 is up pisition, distributor is at 10 'o.
Im not sure if the head is right since my first crank shows something weired and i think it is not that way of the spark firing.
I check and see that the smokes came out on the intake side and the intake manifold is pretty warm. So, i guess this happen because of the valve does not work correctly. If you or some one know how to set up the head to the correct way, please help me out. I guess my set up is 180 degree off, is it? All im doing is just sit and guessing. Please correct me, i know i did something not right and dont want to mess something else that will getting worst. Thanks and really appreciated. Hope everyone enjoy the holiday weekend.

Here is a complete assembly engine.

I can't help with the specifics of the B2600i engine, don't have experience with it; I know it has a timing chain.

I suggest posting on MazdaTrucking.com, more technical there. Guys there like Axel Breaker Earl have done quite a few B2600i engines, and Earl has great pictures. Maybe PM him there.

After i have spent a few days to figure out the won't start issue. I have found that was the Inhibitor Switch was off a bit between the Reverse and Neutral. I cant really think why it does that way. Then another issue came right after. It's the Starter now won't spin after i have continuously crank for 14 seconds.

Then another problem is the compression. I did a handturn to do compression check and found that #1 and #3 has no compression at all. #2 and 4 has some but will leaks after a few seconds. I have imstalled a brand new rings into old pistons without re-surface the cylinder wall. Can some one please help if i have missed something here?

Please help!

Sounds like a timing problem. When you pulled the head, did you have it at TDC first? Did you ever remove the camshaft or turn the cam/gear after it was removed?

When the head goes back onto the block, the crank must be at TDC and the head (cam) needs to be set up for TDC also, camshaft pin at 12:00 and the cam gear timing indicator at 3:00. If the head or cam wasn't positioned this way, then they would have been out of time with each other.

Possible scenarios..

Pulled the head without crank at TDC. Then, before reinstalling the head, set crank to TDC. If the head (cam) was in it's original position (other than TDC), then it went back on out of time with the crank.

Or, if you disassembled the valvetrain, but didn't re-install the cam with the pin at 12:00, then it and the head went back on the engine (with crank at TDC), it's out of time.

Also, the crank and the cam need to both be at TDC before putting the two together. If you installed the head with the cam pin at TDC, but then turned the crank to get it to TDC before installing the cam gear/sprock, then you could have bent valves. They must both be timed before coming together!

Let us know how they went back together.

EDIT: Nice looking truck and engine, BTW!

Hi Scott,

I did set piston 1 to the TDC but the head is different from what you've told. I set the head accordingly to the piston. When the piston is at the TDC (right after compression stroke) the exhaust valves and intake valves is closed and the distributor is pointing to #1 plug. Can you please explain when will the spark is fire? Please correct me if i did it wrong.

Now my biggest concern is about the compressions. I have no compression at #1 & 4. Not sure if that is cause by a bad valve job? I did a leak test before install the head and everything is good. Im guessing if i have bought a wrong piston rings since the second rings didnt have groove like the old ones. Do you think if that is the issue? Thanks!

With the crank at TDC (#1), the camshaft dowel pin should be at 12:00 as shown in the picture below. Chances are, the camshaft was installed into the head on the bench, either by yourself or someone else. Even without the cam gear being installed, the dowel pin has to be at 12:00 before you drop it onto the block. If it wasn't, then the head was not timed to the block/crank.

You said that you set the head according to the piston... and that the intake and exhaust valves were closed. I'm not saying you did it wrong, but what you've said isn't specific enough to determine if was properly timed. Remember, both valves will be closed for nearly all of the compression AND power stroke. That's two strokes, one revolution of the crankshaft. So by saying that both valves were closed, you really haven't narrowed anything down at all. The only way to know that it's properly timed is to have that dowel pin at 12:00 while the engine is at top dead center. And they both need to be in their respective positions before the head is installed.

Did you do it this way?

As for the distributor, yes, it needs to go in pointing to the #1 cylinder...approximately the 9:30 position. Now, I will point this out just in case. On a 1989 B2600i, things are slightly different with respect to the distributor because it's a different unit. When it gets installed, the rotor points to #1 cylinder, but it's in the 12:00 position (when viewed from the driver side fender.) I point this out just in case you've had an engine swap or something. I doubt that is the case but occasionally, I do talk to people who have made engine swaps between 89 and the 90+ trucks. But, I think we need to get the compression situation figured out first before worrying about the ignition timing.

If you have access to a compressor, I would get an air hold fitting and pump some air into the #1 to see where it's leaking from. Set up #1 cylinder to TDC. Pump in some air, and then listen to see where it's leaking... or where it's leaking the most. Open the oil filler and listing there. Pull the intake hose and listen through the MAF end of that or the throttle body or intake pipe (open the throttle whichever you listen through.) And last, listen through the exhaust.

If it's loudest at.....

Oil filler = Rings
Intake /Throttle Body = Intake Valve
Exhaust = Exhaust Valve

Here is the pic. Notice the dowel pin at 12:00, just behind the distributor drive gear.

Hi Scotch,

I did follow your post but still has no compressions. Im thinking of take off the head and go over with all valves. I guess valves is the issues since it's carry over from my old head. Do you think should i replaced with new valves and valve springs? The head is brand new. Let me know what do you think. Thanks.

Kevin,