Help! Car won't start after Coilpack/spark plug change

Like the title says, 2005 STI won't start after swapping out coilpacks to hunt down a misfire.

Friday Night I swapped the coilpacks out and found a busted spark plug, pulled the plug and replaced just that one to get the car running, but the car wouldn't fire up afterwards. Turns over fine so the starter is good, Saturday I swapped back the original coilpacks thinking installed a busted set but same thing. At the same time I went ahead and installed all new spark plugs as well.
Reading online someone had a similar issue and a corroded battery terminal was the culprit and this one was pretty corroded so I swapped that out and still nothing. After talking to King I went ahead and swapped in a battery I knew for sure worked.
Ball was nice enough to come over and helped check everything on the car. The coilpacks were sparking and it was giving it plenty of fuel. He also pulled all the fuses and still nothing. The white and black connectors are on right as that is the first thing everyone asks is right. Any other ideas? I didn't unplug anything else in the engine bay and having a front mount I didn't have to remove any vacuum lines or other engine components.

Ideas??

 

Yeah this one has me baffled, without electrical test equipment I don't know if you will be able to figure this one out.

 

how about the alarm system?

 

Assume you have spark on every plug,

what about fuel
connector to injectors ?

 

Are you sure you didnt accidentally disengage one of the main harnesses by the strut tower? I did this once and it took me over a week to figure it out. It was one that is hinged so it wasnt completely apart, just disengaged.

 

so the car was running friday morning, but after swapping these out it stopped working?

 

maybe someone bumped the turbo timer wires?

this really has to be something stupid at this point

 

replaced a battery in a Camry for a mechanically challenged person once, had to have the key fob to start. Have you tried using the factory alarm?

 

nvm...

 

Checked everything above except for the neutral safety switch, would should keep the car from trying to crank. The car turns over but doesn't fire, the only thing I can think of is that the injector drivers are fried. It has spark on all 4 coils, it doesn't look super strong but its hard to quantify that kind of thing visually.

 

Yes I missed the part that it cranks over.

 

Yea it's not throwing any codes either

 

crank position sensor?

 

forgot to hook up that other wire when you changed out battery cables? Go back and retrace all the work then look around in those areas and see if the problem is there.

 

Its possible, but I don't think it sparks or fires the fuel injectors if the crank sensor is bad.

Dana if you want to try a crank sensor I'm pretty sure I have an extra one.

 

my money is on fuel
Remove an injector and see if its squirting ?

 

Dana, be sure to look close at it too. It's really hard to see it open

 

The injectors are clicking, like they are spraying

 

When you say white and black you are referring to the coil pack connectors? White in front black in back.

 

Yep coils are hooked up correctly, all grounds are accounted for.

 

So coils are firing but are the plugs firing? Try to crank then remove plugs. If any plugs are dry you have a dead injector/s.

Also has this car EVER had an UTEC on it?

 

do they click when there isn't any fuel tho

Can you hear the fuel pump?

 

all plugs were wet if I recall correctly. Dana will have to answer that one he pulled them.

 

Well if you have fuel and you have spark the only other missing part of the equation is lack of compression.


Car just turning over and nothing? No spitting and sputtering at all?

 

Fuel pump is on, it has fuel pressure at the regulator

The car drove into the driveway just fine. So its has compression.

 

Has the car ever had a UTEC?

 

Not that I'm aware of, but again thats a Dana question.

 

any fuel in the tank


p.s. i did not see the responce of FP ooops

 

Reason I'm asking is UTEC's are very well known to fry the injector drivers due to incorrect pulse algorithms.

 

just covering anything that was touched by me

 

No clue if the car has ever had a UTEC, but as Ball stated, it was running fine until the coilpack change minus a misfire code.

As far as the spark plugs being wet, I know for certain one was. I guess i'll have to check them again.

 

We know its got compression - car drove up
We know its got spark - was checked (wiring, visual spark) Q= all 4 visual spark ? unknown how strong is spark ? but has new battery
Do we have fuel ? Inj clicks, FP whines and has fuel pressure Q= are all four injectors squirting ??

 

Dana checked the fuel injectors to see if they were clicking, I was still on the phone with him at that point. He might have only checked one.

 

imobilizer?

 

It would throw a code and he has stated it has not thrown a code yet. Does the 05 even have an imobilizer?

 

Not sure how to tell if it's in immobilizer mode? I looked online and found out it was in valet mode but after taking it out of valet mode it still won't start.

 

how about a reflash on the Cobb?

 

Tried it.

Kings on his way over so fingers crossed he can figure it out.

 

Here's what I would check:
Mains and relays
Maf sensor - make sure it's plugged in and that it's not clogged up
Cam sensor - unplug / replug it. If you have access to another I'd try swapping them.
I'd also scan for cel's - even if nothing shows up on the dash.

Short of that you're probably look at a trip to a dealer with a SSM.

Good luck!

 

What's SSM?

 

tonight i cleaned my intake filter and MAF.
My car didnt start after either - cranked but not turning over.

I unplugged the MAF and air compressor clean the connector and replugged in and the car cranked over and started.

 

It is the Subaru Select Monitor that dealers use to read your ecu, flash updates, etc....

 

Anyone have a truck and trailer? Needs to go to AllPro.

 

Told ya. Just cause it drove in fine doesn't mean that the lands didn't bust on next startup....seen it happen so many times before on other vehicles.

 

I'll be at Petit this weekend, but if you can find a trailer I can help you tow it up next week.

 

Indeed....things like this just piss me off. Subaru needs to step up and do something about those weak pistons.


edit: Nevermind this is apparently a decently big power car.

 

Even with low compression, woudlnt the car still turn over and start?

 

It should but with two on low.....maybe not.