Getting a Tercel to start

[north]

Hi,
I rescued a neglected 1986 4WD Tercel out of the bush in the middle of last winter. It was an ordeal but the snow has finally melted and I want to attempt to start it. I tried in the winter when I pulled it out of the bush and it will turn over but will not start. It had spark but would not fire.

I will check the fuel supply as outlined below.

I found this excellent advice on the FAQ section but wanted to see if there are any other tips or tricks. I have a complete parts car as well so I should be able to get on back on the road so I can increase Yukon 4WD Tercel ridership!

If there are any tips or tricks beyond what I found below, please feel free to let me know.

Thanks!


7) my tercel won't start/won't idle. what's wrong?

this one has some overlap with FAQ #6 but leans more toward difficulty starting whereas #6 leans toward poor running.

the basic premise is that an engine needs air, fuel, and a spark to run. for air, make sure your air filter isn't saturated in mud or oil but also make sure you don't have any vacuum leaks. see FAQ #6 for more on vacuum leaks.

next, fuel: to make sure you're getting fuel from your gas tank to the carb, disconnect the fuel pump from the carb, stick the end in a small container, and get someone to crank the engine and step on the gas pedal. if you get plenty of clean fuel, you can move on. if you don't get much, or any, or if it's gritty and dirty, it could be a bad fuel pump, a clogged filter, or clogged fuel lines. the fuel filter is easy to remove and cheap to replace so take it off and hold it up to a bright light or better yet, cut it open to see what's in it. if it's really rusty, you likely have a rusted gas tank. this can be caused by prolonged sitting without a full tank of gas: condensation builds on the interior walls of the tank and causes rust, which then gets sucked through the fuel lines and can clog them, the filter, and can even gum up the carb in extreme cases. a rusty gas tank can be removed and restored but it's a big job--if you're up for it, this is a really good guide by a VW guy. the same principles apply to all gas tanks.

http://www.ratwell.com/technical/FuelTa ... ation.html

it's likely easier to get a new or good used tank and swap it in. you will also want to disconnect the fuel lines from the tank and fuel pump and blow them out with compressed air to get all the rust and crud out. if after all this you still are not getting much or any fuel from the pump, then replace the pump.

to make sure you have spark, start the car and then disconnect the spark plug wires from their spark plugs, one at a time. DON'T TOUCH THE ENDS OF THE WIRES. hold the ends of the wires a 1/2" from any clean metal surface (like the valve cover) and make sure there is a bright blue spark occurring that makes a loud SNAP regularly. check all the wires like this. if only one or two is firing intermittently or poorly, the wires are likely breaking down; if all of them are acting up, they may all be worn out or there may be a problem elsewhere in the distributor (commonly called a dizzy). either way, replace the wires and if the spark is still weak or intermittent, remove the dizzy. once out, check each component according to the FSM tests and replace as necessary, or just buy a used dizzy and swap it in. they're relatively cheap and reliable used. here are instructions on how to remove/install the dizzy:

[irowiki]

I'm confused. What exactly is the problem, have you tried starting it yet?

[dhally]

I had the same issue. Try squirting carb cleaner down the carb while starting. Or starter fluid. Wear safety glasses and have a fire extinguisher handy...

Also it has an auto choke, need to set that by flooring the accelerator once before starting.