1993 LX from Florida

Ok but seriously folks, when working the checklist you gotta do it step by step. Don't guess, you waste time and money (you already wasted you money on the accel coil you bought, chinee junk)
If you have spark then it would have at least tried to start on starting fluid.
IAB would not keep the car from starting.
There is also the possibility you damaged the maf but it would still try to start.
Back to basics:
If the distributor was removed check to make sure it is in the right place not 180* out.
Are the plugs wet, you do have regular copper plugs not some triple core plutonium tipped space plugs.
Fuel pressure appears to be good.
If the computer is communicating with the code reader it likely is ok.
When you turn the key to the on position the fuel pump should run for up to 3 seconds then stop, if it continues to run then there may be a computer issue.
Thought I followed the checklist well. I confirmed what the checklist asked and moved on accordingly. Spark at distributor, check. Spark at plug 1 wire, check (with test light). Starter fluid, no go. Checklist says computer or timing at this point, continued. Fuel pressure, check (new pump). Injectors getting power, check (only tested one). Step 6 mentions failed IAB, though pressing throttle 1/4 way and starting didn't work. Replaced anyway, no go. Since plug 1 wire showed no spark until I used inline tester, replaced coil. Still no go. Should I have seen spark while holding plug wire near block? Perhaps spark after distributor is too weak to ignite but strong enough to light up tester? Popped distributor cap off to look for moisture but didn't mess with rotation. It isn't 180. No moisture on plug 1 but I'll check the rest. Would moisture on one (or more) plugs keep it from even trying to start? Pump runs for about 2 sec after key on.
 
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If it is getting gas and no spark the plugs will smell like gas, if you are getting spark if would start or at least try (kinda sputter) to start with starting fluid. Weak spark may be an issue.
Is it spinning over good? Have you tried cranking it with the accelerator matted to the floor, this stops the injectors injecting.
 
No-start with starter fluid is computer or timing according to checklist. Can timing just randomly go off? Also, the few times a couple cylinders did fire for a brief second, it puffed white smoke. Stream, maybe moisture in gas? While replacing fuel pump I siphoned and replaced with fresh gas just to be sure.
Things on my mind or to do:
1. I checked fuel pressure but not flow. I'll flow test the new pump.
2. Fuel regulator seems good but maybe not. Is there another way besides checking at vac line?
3. Weak spark. I'll see if checklist has steps for testing distributor. If not, any suggestions?
4. Clean MAF.
5. Can I rule out EEC and relay at this point?
6. Several things occurred when I did O2 sensors: replaced O2s, dis/reconnected exhaust from headers, jacked front of car (not done for a few years before), and lots of rain (TS Beta). Not sure if any of these are contributing factors.
7. More head scratching.
 
If it is getting gas and no spark the plugs will smell like gas, if you are getting spark if would start or at least try (kinda sputter) to start with starting fluid. Weak spark may be an issue.
Is it spinning over good? Have you tried cranking it with the accelerator matted to the floor, this stops the injectors injecting.
Haven't removed a plug yet but I will to check smell. It is cranking well. I didn't keep it mashed to the floor while starting but did pump the pedal. Are you saying to keep it down the while time and crank for a bit? I can give it a shot.
 
Try cranking it first with the peddle to the floor before you pull a plug, if it don't start then release the peddle and crank it then pull a plug to check for fuel smell.
Pumping the peddle while cranking does nothing on a efi car.
 
To check the injectors you need a noid light Harbor Freight had a set pretty cheap. You unplug the injector and plug the noid light in its place. When cranking the noise light should flash like a strobe light. The computer controls the injectors through the ground side. It opens and closes ground to pulse the injectors. You could have 12v with a test light all day...if the computer isn't pulsing the ground wire the injectors won't work. The injector timing is signaled by the PIP located inside the distributor below the metal plate under the rotor button. If the PIP is corroded it will not fire injectors correctly. The signal from the PIP goes through the TFI on the side of the distributor. IF the TFI is faulty it will also cause issues. Most Advance Auto stores and Autozone will test them for free. The call it an ignition module. The wiring from the TFI carries the signal to the computer. If anything is wrong with the wiring it could cause a no start issue.
 
Try cranking it first with the peddle to the floor before you pull a plug, if it don't start then release the peddle and crank it then pull a plug to check for fuel smell.
Pumping the peddle while cranking does nothing on a efi car.
Floored it, cranked it, no good. Cranked again without peddle, no good. Removed two plugs and smelled fuel. Also noted heavy carbon. Are these worth cleaning or am I better off just replacing? Any recommendations on type or are the Motorcraft OEM plugs sufficient?
 

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Standard Auto lite, Motorcraft, NGK/Delco are all good plugs. I would not spend the money for anything fancy at this point.

A NOID light is easy to make. A low voltage bulb, a bulb socket and some wire is about all it takes. My light is a indicator light I saved of something that was broken. Google for how to make and use instructions.

After this is running again, a crossover/H pipe will make for a better exhaust tone and should add some torque.
 
Got new plugs. All old ones had heavy carbon deposits. Noticed one of the wires at the plug was severely corroded. Tried to clean it but not much luck. Got everything installed and......fired right up! Sputtered a bit but I assume it is a bad connection at the corroded wire causing misfire. Got a new set of wires coming, then I can assess if there are other issues.
Any suggestions on cleaning the motor? Never done that before. Is it as easy as taking a hose to it? What about stubborn grease/dirt that won't just wash off?
 

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If you clean the motor, put a plastic bag or something completely over the distributor and cover other electrical items like the coil, starter relay, might be better to unbolt them and put a plastic bag around them and tape it up, cover the MAF meter too. Parts stores have engine degreaser and it can be sprayed on the motor/engine bay and hosed off, just don't want water where it can cause problems.
 
Any suggestions on cleaning the motor? Never done that before. Is it as easy as taking a hose to it? What about stubborn grease/dirt that won't just wash off?
It’ll be more time consuming, but I found removing what I could to make room, and then using an assortment of different brushes, along with a foaming degreaser worked well. It allowed me to stay away from the items I felt shouldn’t get wet, as well as get an overall better cleaning.

I used everything from toothbrushes, to small bottle brushes. Whatever reached, that’s what I used!

The parts you take off can then be more easily cleaned as well.
 
Got the OEM plug and coil wires installed. Running better now that corroded wire is replaced. Still bogging at idle occasionally. Put scanner on after 15 min of warmup and got code 66 (MAF low voltage). Took MAF out, cleaned housing, sprayed sensor with MAF cleaner, dried and reinstalled. Seemed to help but still getting an occasional sputter at idle. Scanned again and MAF code was cleared but got 21, 44, and 94R. I think last two are related to smog system which was bypassed after H-pipe install (is that right?) but not sure on 21, which is "cooling temp/ ECT out of range". I did change ECT recently because of receiving this code previously.
During these bogging/sputtering events there's a noticeable hissing coming from the intake, like air being sucked in at a high rate. Any ideas on the ECT code or hissing? Maybe they are related? Maybe hissing is a byproduct of the sputter and not the cause?
 
The intake will make a shshshshshshsh (best I can describe) sound when it dips below idle speed to near stall.
If there are idle/stall problems do the surging idle checklist.
That's exactly what it sounds like and it does occur loudest near stall. I don't think it's a leak somewhere but rather what you are describing. I'll scope out the surging idle checklist. Also, I did some reading and thought maybe the EGR valve was causing some of the idle/stall problems. I took it off today. The plunger and diaphragm seemed ok, held vacuum with my finger over the port. However, there was a TON of black buildup in the port that mates to the throttle body, the one below the plunger. I scraped it out and it did have a fuel smell. Reinstalled and seems to idle much better but surges when I put into gear. Tried to drive around the block and barely sputter home.
 
I pulled the ACT sensor out since I got code 21 before. It looked ok but I cleaned it with some MAF spray. Checked resistance across the sensor and got about 46K ohms which I think is about right since it was around 58 F outside. I also reviewed the Surging Idle Checklist. The first thing is to pull codes. I let the engine run for 15 min to warm up and right before I got the scanner ready it sputtered and stalled. Wouldn't start again. It would either crank without starting or fire a few times and sputter out while puffing white exhaust fumes. I gave up and tried again the next day. Set timmer for 15 min warm up and right on the dot it stalled again. Tried to restart a few times then waited and tried again every few minutes as it cooled down. Each time it sputtered a bit longer than the previous try. Gave it some gas and was able to keep it idling long enough to get scanner going. It ran really rough with white exhaust again but I pulled codes 21, 26, 42, and 92 with 21 being the only code I got from previous scans. Maybe the others were caused by the rough idle rather than causing the issue? I did not check voltage at the ACT yet. I'll still go through the checklist but does anyone have thoughts on where to focus since the issue might be temperature related?