[el_gordo_uno]

1994 Toyota Camry LE 4cyl 5SFE 2.2L EFI

So I thought I was a mechanic and I would replace my timing belt, water pump, front seals, spark plugs, plug wires, distributor rotor/seal, and my accessory belts. It sounded like a good idea until I put everything back together and royally effed my car in its a.

Timing belt marks match? Yes (full 720 degree rotations), and just to be sure, rotated the cam just to be sure I hadn't lined it up on the wrong stroke.

I know what you're thinking, is there spark? yes.

Well, what about gas? yes.

Grounding straps? Yeah, all of 'em.

I should also mention at this point I thought I was replace my fuel filter. Bad idea, very bad idea. I bent my steel fuel line a bit, but it is only slightly tweaked, and I don't believe its restricting fuel flow as fuel sprays out if I remove the top bolt and the spark plugs all smell of gas to varying degrees if I remove them after cranking the engine.

I know my ignition timing has got to be off somewhat because I removed my distributor but it should atleast turn over a little, right? I moved it up and down and back around in an attempt to get the car to DO something but it doesn't seem to have any effect. One thing I noticed was

The car was running like a champ before I played mechanic and the only thing wrong was it had a slight oil leak which I've now discovered wasn't even any of the front seals, it was the oil pan itself :-(

I've read this forum top to bottom and I'm at a loss. I've checked everything I can think of and this beast has been laughing at me in the garage unmoving for a MONTH. I need to get my '69 Karmann Ghia garaged up before its covered in a foot of snow so the Camry needs to get working and fast.

If anyone on here has any suggestions I will try them and report back, I've uploaded a video so you can see what the car does when you crank, it will crank and crank and catch just a bit (can be heard 0:35 seconds in) but never seems to actually turn over.

Not sure if this makes a difference but the ignition rotor I took out:

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9850/img1076c.jpg

Doesn't look much like the 3rd party Autozone sold me which looks like:

http://www.superformance.co.uk/parts/24617205_rotorarm.jpg
except gray. (it wouldn't stay on the distributor until I bent the metal tab on the bottom to hold it in place. Not sure if that's making sense or is significant..)

 

[Stillrunning]

Start needs; fuel, air, spark, timing and compression. You say you have fuel (obviously air) and spark and timing? Do you have compression? Spark needs to be bright and blue. Did you use the correct timing marks (got pic)? As long as rotor is same length the one you bought should be fine, if it wasn't you would not get spark. When at TDCC does the rotor point to cyl'd #1 position on the dist. cap?

 

[71Corolla]

Do you have a compression gauge? That would be the best way to make sure your crank/cam timing is correct. If you have proper compression, then it's down to a fuel or spark problem.

 

[JohnGD]

Double check the timing marks. And make sure all the wires and sensors' connectors are hooked up, especially around the distributor. Maybe redo the distributor install?

Wow that battery sounded weak at the end.

 

[Pvt-Public]

rotated the cam just to be sure I hadn't lined it up on the wrong stroke.

You may have started off with the crank at TDC of the exhaust stroke, in which case the crank (Not the cam) would need to be rotated one full rotation to get it to TDC compression. I believe that your best bet is start from square 1 and make sure the crank is TDC compression, and go from there. Best of luck I know starting over sux but that is what I think happened.

 

[71Corolla]

There is no intake or exhaust stroke when it comes to the pistons. That is determined by the camshaft and the valves. One full rotation of the crank will put everything back exactly how it was before.

If no compression gauge is available, then remove the top timing cover, set the crank to zero degrees using the timing mark, and check the camshaft.

 

[Perkins]

make sure the distributor rotor is lined up correctly too!

 

[el_gordo_uno]

Still Running: I don't have a compression tester, I can rent one if I have to... The spark is bright and blue, I set the propper gap in the new plugs before I installed them but I will double check my spark after work tonight.

71 Corolla: No compression tester but thankyou for the information if I can't nail it down this evening, I'll rent one and report back with a new video.

John GD: The timing marks are spot on, I've double and triple checked the two plugs on the distributor, both are plugged in and are impossible to reverse as they are different sizes. The battery is a spare I had in the garage I've been charging, but it does fully charge and I'm using a battery booster as well. (I have already tried another battery too)

PVT-Public: Hey Public, I've started over 3 times now so its not as bad. Everytime I have aligned my timing marks I have had the crank dead on TDC. I've even independently rotated the cam one full revolution in case it was on the exhaust stroke.

71 Corolla: I have kept the top timing cover off the whole time just to be sure my marks were spot on.

Mister_Perkins: I'm sure the distributor timing is seriously jacked but no so much that it shouldn't start at all. I've moved it through its full range of motion using the two bolts and none of them will even allow it to run roughly. But thankyou for the thought.

I plan to do some seriously trouble shooting tonight and will report back guys, thanks for the ideas please keep 'em coming. I'll post videos of my efforts

 

[zythr]

Still Running: I don't have a compression tester, I can rent one if I have to... The spark is bright and blue, I set the propper gap in the new plugs before I installed them but I will double check my spark after work tonight.

71 Corolla: No compression tester but thankyou for the information if I can't nail it down this evening, I'll rent one and report back with a new video.

John GD: The timing marks are spot on, I've double and triple checked the two plugs on the distributor, both are plugged in and are impossible to reverse as they are different sizes. The battery is a spare I had in the garage I've been charging, but it does fully charge and I'm using a battery booster as well. (I have already tried another battery too)

PVT-Public: Hey Public, I've started over 3 times now so its not as bad. Everytime I have aligned my timing marks I have had the crank dead on TDC. I've even independently rotated the cam one full revolution in case it was on the exhaust stroke.

71 Corolla: I have kept the top timing cover off the whole time just to be sure my marks were spot on.

Mister_Perkins: I'm sure the distributor timing is seriously jacked but no so much that it shouldn't start at all. I've moved it through its full range of motion using the two bolts and none of them will even allow it to run roughly. But thankyou for the thought.

I plan to do some seriously trouble shooting tonight and will report back guys, thanks for the ideas please keep 'em coming. I'll post videos of my efforts

Trade it in

 

[SilverSoarer]

Disconnected MAF sensor or missing EFI fuse.

 

[JohnGD]

Reinstall the distributor. Or at least put a timing light on #1 wire.

 

[el_gordo_uno]

Silver Soarer: My MAF is pulled out of the airbox as I had removed it to get to my fuel filter but I will check tonight to make sure its connected. My EFI fuse.. not sure what that is but I'll look it up in my manual. I haven't done anything with the fuse box in the car so my feeling is that it is probably not the problem, but I will be sure to check it out regardless, thankyou.

John GD: Yeah, I totally don't have a timing light. But I know the procedure, shorting out the pins and all that. I'm contemplating buying one after work tonight. Doesn't the car have to be able to idle or atleast turn over for a timing light to work?

Correction: My Air Charge Sensor was removed from my airbox, I will still check the MAF.

 

[Jaron]

Are your plug wires in the right firing order?

 

[el_gordo_uno]

Jaron: Yeah, I directly replaced each plug wire when I replaced them and marked the order on the distributor cap before I removed anything. Plus the wires are different lengths so it would be hard to mix them up. But thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Jaron]

This is just a suggestion, but try cranking it, then leave the key in the on position. On your diagnose box, bridge terminal te1 and e1 with a paperclip. Watch the check engine light to see how it blinks. If it continually blinks without stopping then it has not tripped a code. But it it pauses, write the code down and look in a haynes manual for what it is. If you don't have a haynes manual post the code here or google it.

Another suggestion is the distributor or rotor may be loose causing a bad ignition timing.

Just to verify that all the timing is correct,
On the Cam sprocket there is a hole that lines up with a notch on the cyl head. You can stick an allan wrench in the hole to make sure that is lined up.
To get to TDC you used a screwdriver or dowel in #1 cyl while turning the crank and did not use the marks on the timing belt case. That is where i messed up the first time I ever did a timing belt.

BTW, Did you take the cams out?

 

[doozergreengrass]

What kind of plugs did you use? I got NGK platinum for mine a year ago and was told not to adjust the gap. I'm going through a similar ordeal as you lol (was a cracked head gasket) but I haven't even got the head off yet (now i'm stuck at cracking the crank bolt!).

 

[JohnGD]

If the rotor is pointing anywhere at the ball park it should at least cough and stumble. But at least it's not 180 deg out of time or it'll back fire.

And as long as a plug wire carries a spark the light will work. Check your parts store's loaner program first for a timing light. At least it will allow you to relate the spark and the timing mark better. But double check the distributor.

John GD: Yeah, I totally don't have a timing light. But I know the procedure, shorting out the pins and all that. I'm contemplating buying one after work tonight. Doesn't the car have to be able to idle or atleast turn over for a timing light to work?

 

[Perkins]

If the rotor is pointing anywhere at the ball park it should at least cough and stumble. But at least it's not 180 deg out of time or it'll back fire.

Thats why i said to check the distributor rotor to see if it was aligned correctly.


Another thing that was funny after i just watched the video again is how he was trying to prime the system by pumping the throttle. hehe

 

[JohnGD]

I wondered about engine flooding but hadn't given it much thought.

Thats why i said to check the distributor rotor to see if it was aligned correctly.


Another thing that was funny after i just watched the video again is how he was trying to prime the system by pumping the throttle. hehe

 

[Perkins]

the throttle body is just to control the amount of air..

its not like direct injection or carburetor where the air and fuel are mixed together.

I could see it flooding if its not starting and it continuously injects fuel while the motor is cranking.

But pumping the throttle pedal does absolutely nothing while the car is cranking.

On old style vehicles you had to depress the pedal fully to set the choke, on TB Systems the choke is set up by vacuum pressure and heat.