daewoo tacuma 1.6 wont start

[wolves1998]

Hello everyone,my name is nigel and have just registered on the forum!! o.k its a bit long winded but here goes...i have a 1.6 daewoo tacuma 54 reg..i have had an oil leak from the engine for sometime,which was suspected head gasket...anyways i took the head off and low and behold it was the head gasket--any ways i get a new head gasket for her and get the head skimmed..put it all back together as it was before,timming marks all spot on...try and start her up...andddddddddddddddddd...yes you guessed it she wont start..but she does backfire pretty badly...its like she goes to start and then backfires....goes to strart and then backfires..a continuos scenario...i have redone the timing 3 times now,as me and my brother (who is pretty knowledgeable with cars)are at a losss as to what can be wrong....a mechanic friend of mine has suggested i start it on the rope (being towed) as he reckons there is no oil pressure or something through the lifters,,reckons he used to have to do this all the time with the old cavaliers etc....but i just dont know...if anyone has any info on this i would really appreciate it...many thanks in advance nigel....

[Daniel]

Ignition wires on the correct places?

[wolves1998]

hi daniel..i will re-check but i beleive so..you cant really put thim in the wrong place..

[Puddle31]

i think Daniel might be asking you if you put then in the right order...... there is an order to the ignition. are there any codes on the ECU

[wolves1998]

hi guys,i did not know there was an order to the ignition wires--as they only seem to go on one way..does anyone know the correct way ....PLEASE PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE DESPERATE NOW!!!!!

[Daniel]

It's quite easy. The ignition coil is numbered 1-4 at rear half and 2-3 at front of engine.
You may swap 1 with 4 and 2 with 3 as both pairs of plugs sparks togheter (jumostatic).
Cylinder order is 1(distribution side) to 4(clutch side).

Still backfire? Compressions checked?

[Daniel]

And double checked this?

[wolves1998]

Hi daniel i have checked all of these things over and over,,its not possible to put plug leads in wrong as the leads are the length of distance of each plug..all timings are spot on,like i said i have done the timing 3 times to make sure...do you think the lifter scenario is possible?

[Daniel]

Lifters?...Why not since you wrote that a friend

reckons there is no oil pressure or something through the lifters,...

I would have a close look under the cam cover.

Is a camshaft not broken? Do they turn with crankshaft?

Are intake/exhaust camgears on their relative camshaft?

Are the lifters well actuated by cams? Do they open valves?

Is the head gasket correctly placed (I even don't know if this is possible) I mean upside down blocking oil passages? Look at the tabs.


You already know what is needed for a engine to start.
-strong sparks at the correct timing.
-fuel in the correct ratio.
-compression within specs.
-...

[wolves1998]

i guess i may have to strip it back again,and start again..see if ive done something wrong lol...obviously somethings not right!! thanks for your help daniel,much appreciated.