RB34 won't start

[aspinit]

I have a RB30 with neo head and 3.4l stroker kit.

A couple of mornings ago I started it like I do every morning to warm up before going to work. It was idling and just shut off for some unknown reason and wouldn't start up again.

I thought it may have been the battery as it was only cranking at 9.3v, however I charged it and the voltage increased. So using the charged battery and also jumping off another car I tried to start it, no luck.

Next I checked the fuel lines to make sure it's getting fuel, all good.

Then I checked all the coil packs, all were sparking. Then I took all the plugs out and replaced them. Still no luck.
The old plugs were covered in what seems like oil, I'm 99% sure it's oil (Picture Attached). I know very little about automotive but I do believe that's not a good sign. I tried cranking after replacing and the new ones were also covered in whatever it is.  The engine has less than 10k on it. 

So the guy that built it reckons it's my immobilizer stopping it, but I haven't had a problem with it ever until now. The crank angle sensor, possibly? 
I have hooked up the ECU to check for error codes to no avail.

Bit more about the car:
Port & polished Garrett GTW6262R 1.15AR
Flex tuned to 50% ethanol
Haltech Platinum Pro ECU with IQ3
Splitfire Coilpacks
Turbosmart FPR/Wastegate/BOV
 

Also my oil light kept flicking on every now and then, although the oil seemed fine, may have something to do with it?

This is driving me crazy, I'm not in a great financial position to take it to be looked at, so any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Ben C34]

If the coils were sparking it can't be the immobiliser or the cas.

Those plugs are fouled. Rich mixtures do that, as does burning oil.

you are in pretty deep there, especially considering the oil pressure light flicking. That's not an engine you want to hurt.

 

How bad did the new plugs look?

 

 

[aspinit]

The new plugs look similar to the one pictured.

Would the ECU be stopping the at from starting to protect it maybe? In saying that it's showing no error codes. 

 

I've asked a couple of mechanics about it and has them stumped too.

[GTSBoy]

You need to put a noid light on the injectors to make sure they are actually pulsing.  After that, you're into compression/leakdown testing to see if it won't fire because it's got no squish.

[GT-R David]

If there is fuel and spark check if the timing is off.
You use stock CAS? Had the car not starting once and the CAS was gone. It had spark and fuel but timing was way off.

[aspinit]

The injectors are pulsing, all of them I can hear them all clicking. 

I've just tested the cam angle sensor and that's fine too. 

I read the car won't spark if it was the crank sensor, is that true?

 

The timing shouldn't be out the engine doesn't even have 10k on it.

I'll get a compression tester next I guess. 

[Ben C34]

GT-R David literally just said his cas would fire the injectors and spark but be way off in timing

the timing could easily go out if the timing belt is heaps loose. Just cos the Engine hasn’t done heaps of ks doesn’t mean all is well. A complete spaz might have bolted it together.....

59 minutes ago, aspinit said:

The injectors are pulsing, all of them I can hear them all clicking. 

I've just tested the cam angle sensor and that's fine too. 

I read the car won't spark if it was the crank sensor, is that true?

 

The timing shouldn't be out the engine doesn't even have 10k on it.

I'll get a compression tester next I guess. 

 

[aspinit]

17 hours ago, Ben C34 said:

GT-R David literally just said his cas would fire the injectors and spark but be way off in timing

the timing could easily go out if the timing belt is heaps loose. Just cos the Engine hasn’t done heaps of ks doesn’t mean all is well. A complete spaz might have bolted it together.....

 

Well you were right, timing jumped 3 teeth. All I know so far.

Guy who built it says the only way it could've happened was excessive cranking, limiter bashing or it backfiring.

 

After blowing the original motor I have learnt to treat this with a lot of respect and don't believe this was my doing. Do you think he should be accountable for this?

[Leroy Peterson]

You said it's driven regular and it was starting fine, then one day it wasn't? Can't really blame anyone, if anything be happy it didn't cause any damage

 

 

[Ben C34]

How many engines has that guy built, cos those reasons for skipping teeth are pretty out there....

 

It's 10,000ks later. Just sort it out and move on. There's no permanent warranty

[GTSBoy]

12 minutes ago, Ben C34 said:

There's no permanent warranty

Hell, construction of an RB34 should be accompanied by a concrete warranty.  Once you're off the concrete and onto the bitumen, warranty is over!

[Duncan]

A properly assembled motor can't skip a tooth let alone three.

Either the idler stud broke, it was never tensioned properly in the first place, or they added an additional idler or tensioner incorrectly during the build. No matter which I'm surprised it lasted 10k without showing up the issue.

[aspinit]

Okay, so my mechanic is insisting I limiter bash it everywhere, which is not the case at all. Its driven to from work everyday in peak hour traffic and gets pushed a little but not to the max every now and then.

I've moved states so can't take it back to the guy who built it. Neither him nor the mechanic I've taken it to now can understand what's happened, nor can I.

The cam got repositioned but was set 2 degrees out from its original position, I noticed a bit of loss in power and it sounded a little different, but it ran and I drove it around 200km no problems apart from it feeling a little different to before it started playing up and the oil pressure gauge flicking all over the place (Dodgy sensor I'm guessing). This morning same thing happens again, it shit itself and wouldn't start, it didn't sound good at all this time.

We did a comp test and it ranged from 190-210. Cylinders 1 5 6 had oil on the plugs and were the lower comp ones. The mechanic said he has no idea what it is unless he takes it apart, which I think he'll be doing.

The new mechanic said something about the fuel/air mixture being to rich and it causes problems like this. Could it be running to rich on startup maybe? Because its the second time its happens now on a cold start.

What do you guys think?

[Ben C34]

I agreee with my post 2 statement that rich mixtures and oil burning fouls plugs. 

I think you should take this to a trustworthy workshop and get some proper advice. 

 

 

I am concerned by your thoughts on the oil pressure.  I would be getting a proper gauge in it ASAP rather than just assuming the sensor is dodgy. 

 

[aspinit]

So this is the damage he has discovered so far. 2 cam journals came off or something (I only understand real basic stuff). The oil pressure light was on because it was losing pressure, but I checked the oil every time it did and topped it up if need, most the time the dipstick read as full. 

So the damage has been caused by low oil, which seems to have been escaping due to the damage around the cam. I'm being told it's my fault for not having enough oil, although I messaged my mechanic and asked him about the reading on the dipstick which he said was fine. I understand that it may be my fault for not having enough oil, but it would've had enough if the engine was built properly and wasn't escaping past the damaged cam?

From what it looks like this is going to cost quite a bit to fix. My mechanic is in Tasmania & I'm in Melbourne and I'm struggling to find a company to transport my non running car to Tassie. I've spoken to VACC and they've told me it will be covered by warranty/insurance if it's found I'm not at fault.

How much do you guys think I'm up for? Can't believe this has happened

[Ben C34]

Shit 

 

Oil pressure light coming on basically means your engine is now f**ked, it's not a gentle reminder to top up the oil 

Sorry you have had to learn the hard way.

Hope you get it sorted out easily

[Duncan]

If the problem is only the cam journals you  put another head on it and replace the cam.  If the oil pressure issue also caused a crank bearing to spin then you will need to machine the crank, and put in new bearings and probably rings at the same time. The crank, pistons, block, oil pump etc will probably be reusable but the machine shop will have to confirm.

As for fault...in my experience shops only tell you how responsible they are for any issues before they get your money. After some expensive failure has happened you learn that they don't actually stand behind their work, that they can't actually afford to fix the issue either, or that their workshop's insurer has a whole bunch of lawyers who are willing to spend money on telling you why it's not their fault instead of spending money fixing it.

Find a local mechanic you trust to strip it unless the guy in Tas has agreed up front it is his fault. Get the new guy to take pics all through and if they form the view it was the original builder's fault send them the bill. At least that way you save the 000s it will cost to ship a dead car to Tassie for them to tell you they are not at fault (in their opinion).