Car won't start one week after installing headers

[Ashikabi]

Originally Posted by Slade

Fuel pump works, it gives one weak crank and sputter then just gives up, I will send a video tomorrow, its a push start btw, no engine codes no nothing, boost didn't help start the car. I can get the battery tested but like I said I just bought this battery in May.

Maybe it has something to do with the push start itself. This might be nothing but try disconnecting your battery and going it back up. Maybe replace battery in your fob too. Kinda thinking it might be an anti theft issue

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[Slade]

Originally Posted by Ashikabi

Maybe it has something to do with the push start itself. This might be nothing but try disconnecting your battery and going it back up. Maybe replace battery in your fob too. Kinda thinking it might be an anti theft issue

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Actually I did that, I was searching the forums and I saw a thread where someone gave steps to calibrate the eco to the new tune. I tried that in case that was my problem, but no luck. The steps were to disconnect the batter for 10 minutes, connect the batter, turn the car on ON setting for 20 seconds, turn car off for 5, then turn car on. No luck. Maybe sitting over night will get it to start?

[mrg666]

Since the engine cranks, starts, sputters, and dies quickly, it could be alternator as well.

[Ashikabi]

Originally Posted by mrg666

Since the engine cranks, starts, sputters, and dies quickly, it could be alternator as well.

Should still run off the battery though right? For a little while at least

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[bcj]

The sensor looks like it was installed with a mulching lawn mower rather than a torque wrench.
Is that their default shop tool?

[mrg666]

Originally Posted by Ashikabi

Should still run off the battery though right? For a little while at least

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I am not sure if the high pressure fuel pump would work with just battery. Otherwise, I would agree that another small engine would run with just battery for a short time. Alternator fail is not something we see frequently with twins but the problem sounds like that. It might also be the fuel pump itself.

[Ashikabi]

Originally Posted by mrg666

I am not sure if the high pressure fuel pump would work with just battery. Otherwise, I would agree that another small engine would run with just battery for a short time. Alternator fail is not something we see frequently with twins but the problem sounds like that. It might also be the fuel pump itself.

Is the pump electric? I kinda wondered if the push start wasn't faulting out because of low voltage during crank. I've had that before with an after market push start. He said he tried to jump it and it's a fresh battery. Maybe not ideal circumstances but should still alleviate the issue if it's voltage related

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[anticubus]

Originally Posted by Slade

Im guessing the bung is that lip around the sensor? Thats why I thought it went bad to be honest, but it seems that the shop did that? This was a skunk2 EL header

A bung in car context is the threaded opening for a sensor.

I just looked at some Skunk2 EL pics (Good one here: https://www.ft86club.com/forums/show...02&postcount=4) and what your image shows looks like someone drilled a small hole into your OEM header, grabbed a rotary tool, and started cutting away what they could when it didn't unscrew (If they even tried, no marks on the wrench flats is another odd visual). As @bcj said:

The sensor looks like it was installed with a mulching lawn mower rather than a torque wrench.

Back to the issue at hand. Other than a general feeling of unease from the work quality that would make me check everything the shop may have touched, we're back to the symptoms of "weak crank, sputter, die":

Is the sputter actually a sputter, as in the engine is sparking properly and turning over but failing to reach idle?

Personally I would be back looking at the basics. Fuel, spark, air.

For fuel you're already looking at the pump. I would test that the pump primes and holds the appropriate fuel pressure, and doesn't drop pressure when the starter engages.

For spark, the cheap shade tree method is to pull each plug and try to see the spark as someone turns it over. I actually wanted to bring this up: Have you ever had new spark plugs? They're a 60,000 mile replacement cycle and fresh ones have solved weird issues with starting/idling for me at various times.

For air, it's air. I'm not gonna bother, if your throttle body or valves aren't opening up properly we've got a whole lot more diagnosis to do.

[Tokay444]

Probably installed too many.

[Slade]

Hey everyone, sorry for being MIA. I wish I knew how to upload videos here, I sent a video to a NYC BRZ group im in and everyone there says its either the alternator or battery. So yes while the shop did a crappy job installing my 02 sensor, my car not starting has nothing to do with the header install which I am happy about. Seems to be coincidence that the battery or alternator died after bringing it to this shop. I wish I could upload the video here of it not starting to get an opinion from you guys.

I am going to take the battery out and bring it to my local pep boys to be tested, then I'll get the alternator tested as well. Thank you all for your help and troubleshooting. I know its not easy when you cant see the car. Will keep you guys updated.

[anticubus]

Originally Posted by Slade

Hey everyone, sorry for being MIA. I wish I knew how to upload videos here, I sent a video to a NYC BRZ group im in and everyone there says its either the alternator or battery. So yes while the shop did a crappy job installing my 02 sensor, my car not starting has nothing to do with the header install which I am happy about. Seems to be coincidence that the battery or alternator died after bringing it to this shop. I wish I could upload the video here of it not starting to get an opinion from you guys.

I am going to take the battery out and bring it to my local pep boys to be tested, then I'll get the alternator tested as well. Thank you all for your help and troubleshooting. I know its not easy when you cant see the car. Will keep you guys updated.

Hope the simple thing is all you need, but since you said you tried to start it with a jump that didn't match the usual symptoms. Just did a fresh battery + alternator in the Matrix after it couldn't keep itself alive driving on the highway (Also the last time I disconnected an O2 sensor checking another issue and then threw a CEL driving home haha). Obviously there's a little "new parts bias" but it's definitely nice to have a more stable idle and slightly brighter headlights due to the proper amount of electricity flowing around.

[Slade]

Ok yesterday I took the alternator and battery out, had two different parts stores test them both and they passed. Today I put them both back in, started the car. The car struggles to start but it did start. It sounds super rough and has a lot of knocking noise on idle. I have no clue what’s going on but it doesn’t sound good. Can someone tell me how to upload videos here so I can show you all?

Ok, realized if I upload the video to YouTube I can just post the link here, I'm such a newb. Here is the video, this is after I put the alternator and battery back in the car.

I am literally praying that my engine isn't done. I have no idea what the issue is.

[CSG Mike]

Do you have a datalog?

[anticubus]

Originally Posted by Slade

I am literally praying that my engine isn't done. I have no idea what the issue is.

Sounds like a nasty leak from over here. Badly installed headers or maybe a loose spark plug, but the lack of CEL is confusing here. I know many tunes force the ECU to be quiet about exhaust codes with catless headers. You'd have a misfire and probably a real fire if the cylinder was dumping the A/F mix out the spark plug hole.

As such I'd be searching for an issue with the header install, say from a bad gasket or a badly installed O2 sensor. That would also explain the rough idle as it tries to compensate for O2 readings that don't represent what's actually happening.

Get CSG a data log though, I want his professional opinion!