Miss on one cylinder-'89 3SFE

[don-vee]

Just got the new (used) motor in my 89 Camry. Starts great and runs, but I am getting a miss on cylinder 1 (far passenger side). I pulled each plug wire while it was running to determine that it was, indeed, #1. I pull the plug wire, no change in RPM or sound. The wire is fine, good spark (new coil), and the plug is fine, sparking like krazy.
So, now I am thinking two things, compression and fuel. I am going to try a compression check tomorrow, but I have a feeling that's not it, only because 1. there's no smoke, 2. even with low compression, I should get a LITTLE change in sound when I pull the wire, and 3. I'm trying to be optimistic. If it's the compression, well, can't do shit about it. But, for now, I will turn my attention to the fuel.
It still has all the injectors from the used motor. I did not touch them. So, I suppose I can guess at one of 3 problems-no signal to the injector, the injector is clogged, or the injector is completely faulty and not firing at all.
Assuming the compression will check out fine, do you all agree I should be looking at the injector as the culprit? Is there anything else it could be that I'm forgetting? So, how do I check the signal to the injector? And what's the easiest way to change this one damned injector? Should I even bother to try a bottle of injector cleaner before pulling shit apart?
Thanks in advance for all your help.

[Doctor J]

Try to listen to the injector with sound probe, it should click if it receives signal and not stuck..
also you may just put in injector from your old motor.

[don-vee]

Yep, that was one thing I was gonna do, try to score a mechanic's stethoscope and give that a shot. If it is bad, yes, I was just gonna use one of the old injectors, since I know they were working fine. So, is pulling one of these injectors as much of a pain in the ass as it looks? The whole fuel rail has to come out, right?

[Doctor J]

On my Camry some stupid mechanics removed the fuel rail and left #3 injector insulator out, causing air leak and gas seepage.
To swap injectors [PERFORM THIS ON COLD ENGINE!!]:
· Obtain the new o-ring set for injectors
· Disconnect accelerator cable from the bracket;
· Remove cable bracket with kick down cable attached
· Remove spark plug wires and move them away [leave them connected to the distributor cap]
· Remove valve cover
· Place plastic bag over the cams
· Remove the plastic cap from pulsation damper
· Remove connectors from injectors including cold start injector
· Separate cold start injector from the intake plenum, but leave it connected to the fuel line
· Unscrew two fuel rail to head bolts; leave them in the fuel rail ears
· Grasp injectors by both hands and slowly pull the fuel rail with injectors toward intake manifold, watching for plastic spacers around each bolt
· Pull injectors from the fuel rail [the one for cylinder 4 is the hardest one]
Install injectors using new o-rings.
Install all components
Let spilled gas to evaporate.
Check the system by jumping B+ and Fp terminals in the diagnostic connector. Turn ign. ON, do not start the engine. Watch for leaks.
If no leaks are found, remove the jumper and start the engine.

[don-vee]

Brutal. Something I didn't wanna do, especially after spending a month putting this engine in. But thank you very much for the rundown. I hope it doesn't come to that, but I bet it will. I'm gonna try a bottle of injector cleaner and hope for the best, but expect the worst. Actually, the worst would be no compression on that cylinder!

[Doctor J]

if no electricity is coming to injector, the cleaner will not help.

[don-vee]

Yeah, I know. But, for now, I don't have a stethoscope to check out if the injector is actually operating, so I figure a 3 dollar bottle of cleaner will have to do for now. Like I said, I don't expect it to work, but I can't do anything else right now.

[Doctor J]

1/8 inch dia steel wire from the coat hanger attached to the old oiler will make excellent listening device!