95 Corolla wont start

[plumpsnake21]

Hey ive got a 95 corolla 1.6. Neway it sat for three days, then i went out to start it, it start about 1 second, then clunked and died. Then only the starter was turning. I checked my oil, it was low, but there was no knocking the last time i used it. And i got under the car and was able to turn the crank with a ratchet, so the engine wasnt siezed. So my first thought was the timing belt snapped, cus it was way overdue. So i get it apart, and the old belt looks fine. But i replace it anyway, get it all back together. Now it sounds like it wants to start, but the cranking is really rough, and a little smoke starts coming out of the engine when it cranks.(Didnt see exactly where it was coming out cus it was night time. Im not sure what to make of it, timing off maybe? Any ideas will help, thankyou

[ganda1f]

I had a very similar problem. It started and died just a second later. Then it would just crank but not start, possibly sputter occassionally. In my case it got flooded with fuel because the Idle Air Control (IAC) valve got stuck and did not open properly. The IAC is located on the throttle body and may get stuck due to the oily residue inside the throttle body. Most of that gunk comes from crankcase ventilation which goes to the intake.
I cleaned the throttle body and the IAC with some air sensor cleaning spray.

Are your spark plugs wet with fuel?
What if you try starting the car with a little throttle?

The IAC valve is controlled by an electro-magnet. One can disconnect the electrical connection and remove the 2 bolts that hold a 2x1 inch plastic box to the throttle body. You should see sort of a "knob" which closes and opens the IAC valve. This knob should rotate freely roughly 45-60 degrees. If it is sticking in any position it is likely clogged.
I removed the rubber hose between the airbox and the throttle. At the bottom of the throttle body is an opening for the idle air to bypass the throttle plate. I sprayed some of the air sensor cleaner into that opening so that it would loosen up the oily residue. Sprayed some more, restarted the car and repeated a couple of times. It seems to have done the trick.

[plumpsnake21]

Hey i figured it out. I went out the next afternoon and it started right up. I think some water got down in the spark plug tubes while i had the valve cover and plug wires out. Cus now it starts and runs just fine. Thanks for all the advice tho.

[ganda1f]

Glad to hear it worked out fine.
Yes, water could certainly make the spark too weak to ignite the mixture, flooding the engine as a result.

The problem with IAC valve occurres especially if the car has been fully warmed up (making the oily residue quite fluid). Then the valve is only slightly open making the idle RPM 750-850. If the engine is turned off and left in cold weather, the oily residue will become more solid making the IAC valve stick. Upon cold start-up extra fuel is injected to compensate for the condensation on the cold walls of the intake. But with the IAC valve stuck, there is not enough air and the engine gets flooded after a second or two.

Given these conditions, you may want to be alert to give it a little throttle on cold starts to prevent it from stalling.
The problem is a bit intermittent and I did not realize what it was until 3rd or 4th time it pulled that trick on me