Timing Belt Replaced, Won't start

[ame28]

Greetings,
I have a 87 Celica with a 3S-FE engine, 180K miles.

The timing belt broke, checked gates chart, which indicates non interference. Replaced the belt and replaced the distributor and ignition wires in the process. The car will not start. It seems like the starter is turning the motor faster than usual and I can smell fuel under the hood.

I have checked for spark, It is there, but I have not checked compression or the timing (don't have those tools), but the marks were lined up with reasonable precision on the Crank and Cam.

My next plan is to remove the valve cover, and see if there is obvious valve damage, But I was looking for advice before I commit to buying the tools.

Thanks, Andrew

[fredk]

simply put your hand over each plug hole in the cover and see if the compression blows out from under your hand kinda equally when cranking, push down hard

[ShawnM]

Those are typical symptoms of the timing marks not being lined up. I would double check that. Once the belt is on its a good idea to rotate the crank around a couple times just to make sure everything still lines up. If the belt timing is off you wont have good compression.