88 NOVA 4alc - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

88 nova · 06-10-2010, 01:42 AM

I got an 88 nova 4alc. last time I drove the car it was runnin shitty. the guy that was supposed to rebuild the carb for me fouled a couple things up had to jimmy rig the carb. I go out to start the car and now the damn thing will not start. turns over and if i pump the snot out of it it will run while the key is turning over and im pumpin. as soon as i let the key go get a lil pop(timing) and car kills.
my question is fuel pump? timing?(8*)? if so how do I set the timing on the car? im used to SBC where I can twist the distributor.
any suggestions or places to start?
should I take the valve cover off and make sure timing hasn't jumped? If so do I find TDC on cylinder 1 pull the valve cover and my timing gear and cam gear line up dot to dot?
sorry for the long thread and wide spread thoughts.

thanks for any help

88 nova · 06-10-2010, 01:57 AM

just cleaned the sticker off on the valve cover says 4af is my engine not a 4 ac then?

Pwner Guy · 06-10-2010, 08:22 PM

No you have a carburated 4A-F which is a DOHC engine, 16 valve, set up with a slave cam meaning one cam is driven by the timing belt while the other is geared to the first cam. It has narrow valve angles, approx. 22.3 degrees. As opposed to a 4A-C which is a SOHC, 8 valve engine.