ok. i was installing my cams today. i installed the s4's just fine. it took me about 1 hour and 30 minusts to do it. so i start it up, and it wouldn't start. ok. i tried to start it one more time, and it wouldn't start. so i though that i might have skipped a tooth. so i go and take off the valve cover and everything was in the right place. i used zip ties and white-out on the cam gears. so i check if the crank was at tdc and it was. i checked the new cams and all the valves were closed with both the #1 intake and exhaust cam lobes were facing away from the motor. so i tried to start it up 3 times waiting about a minute each time. the fourth time, i tried to start it, and i heard a loud noise from the back of the tranny. my friend told me "congradulations, you just blew your starter". FUCK! why the hell wouldn't my car start? the distribtor went on just fine. i tried to move the distribtor around, and it was trying to start when i set the distributor all the way back towards the driver. i know dam well that i didn't skip a tooth. if you were there you'd understand. what the hell did i do wrong?:confused: :mad: :mad: :mad:

- could have a bad set of cams

- torque down cam sprockets when you were done?

- still getting fuel I assume? plugs wet?

- SURE the distributor is on right?

- plug wires still in the right order in on the distributor cap?

- timing chain tensioner back in?

Originally posted by Ben92SentraSE-R
- could have a bad set of cams

- torque down cam sprockets when you were done?

- still getting fuel I assume? plugs wet?

- SURE the distributor is on right?

- plug wires still in the right order in on the distributor cap?

- timing chain tensioner back in?

1.cam sprockets torqued to 105 ft-lbs

2. plugs are wet.

3. distributor was on the #1 cylinder

4. spark plug wires will only reach the proper cylinder

5. the tensioner is back in and tensioning.

6. yes, i set it at TDC on the intake stroke.

7. now im fawked

Next check compression. Cams may be no good. Cold compression will be less. Expect low 100s I think. Should be consistent.

im not being a d*ck or anything but you did put the right cam in the right place meaning intake on intake side ex on ex side?did you make sure the rockers were seated and did not fall off after done?

yes the rockers were seated properly. i now realize how eazy it is for the rockers to fall off. also, you can't mix the intake and exhaust cam. the exhaust can has a notch that the distribotor goes into.

Originally posted by REDSENTRASE-L
yes the rockers were seated properly. i now realize how eazy it is for the rockers to fall off. also, you can't mix the intake and exhaust cam. the exhaust can has a notch that the distribotor goes into.

no im aware of the notch for the distributer i was just making sure trying to cover all bases.

so the car no longer cranks after that boom? does it turnover or anything?

i would say try taking a quick look under your vc and if no signs of anything do a compression test like ben said hopefully no valves went smack :(

Did you check for spark? Try a compression test yet?

yes i got spark. how would i lose compression by installing cams?

I dunno.. really bad cam timing smashing your pistons into your valves resulting in bad valve sealing for one. I know you quadruple checked everything, but it never hurts to check. Does your car turn over anymore?

Originally posted by REDSENTRASE-L
yes i got spark. how would i lose compression by installing cams?

You could still be OK. If your starter is working, try again. This time, floor it while starting to get the throttle wide open. Sometimes that is needed after a cam job, no one knows why.

eric96ser got a bad set of S3s causing his car to LOSE power over stock cams. It is conceivable to get a set of cams that are so messed up that the car will not even start.

Originally posted by Ben92SentraSE-R
eric96ser got a bad set of S3s causing his car to LOSE power over stock cams. It is conceivable to get a set of cams that are so messed up that the car will not even start.

that is a very good thought. i just hope jwt would let me trade them for a new set.

i've done s3's before, and everytime i've done it, the car would have slight trouble in starting up. now when i turn the key, the car won't do anything. the starter won't even click.

question. if the nissan dealer wants too much money to fix my problem, should i just go out and get a JDM motor? i know that the dealership is gonna screw me and ask for 500 bucks to change the starter. and another 500-700 bucks to see what is wrong with my cam timing. you all know how dealerships are.

It's 10 times easier to change the starter than it is to change cams. If you can change cams, the starter should be a no brainer.

Do you have a digital camera? If so, take pictures of the cam gears with the motor at TDC. I really think that's the problem. Even with my cams bad, the car started and drove. #4 cylinder had 90psi compression.

Originally posted by Ben92SentraSE-R
It's 10 times easier to change the starter than it is to change cams. If you can change cams, the starter should be a no brainer.


i'm just gonna have the stealership do it. i've done a starter before and had trouble taking the starter out. it just wouldn't come out. but yeah, car was towed to the dealership yesterday.

i just hope they didn't send me c3 cams on accident. the cam lobes are huge!

thje $tealership called me today. they want $448.00 to replace the starter! WTF! that's pretty steep for a new starter.

nooooooooooooo! why did you do that!


well at least its only a starter ;) glad to hear your cars ok. 448. the guy will probably knock it out in 10-20 minutes get paid 2 hours for the job ;) gotta love book time. man i miss it at times :(

You can get these for like $140 plus core from advanced auto parts. It's less than an hour job. If you can change cams you really should be changing your own starter IMO.

Originally posted by Ben92SentraSE-R
You can get these for like $140 plus core from advanced auto parts. It's less than an hour job. If you can change cams you really should be changing your own starter IMO.


i did a search on chenging the starter. from what i read on this forum, changing the starter on a b14 is a PITA.