86 Tercel ignition timing won't start

[Trev]

I replaced the head gasket and I can't get this piece of shit to work. I made sure the timing belt was right. I've checked it numerous times. I then moved onto the ignition timing. Set to TDC, put the rotor pointing to the #1 plug. It cranks over endlessly. Sounds like its going to start but never does. I pour gas in the carb and same thing. I then hook up a timing light and noticed it was firing way too early. I moved the distributor/rotor over one notch and still won't start. I used a timing light and its right at 5 BTDC. WTF??? The firing order is correct. So now where do I go from here? I am so frustrated it isn't even funny. I was working on it and the got shocked by the distributor, is it broken???

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Trev]

I must add, the vacuum to the distributor is NOT connected, and the car will rumble and just about run with my foot on the gas. I'm guessing most of you are going to say its timed 180 degrees off. I swear it isn't. I hope someone can help me out!!!!!

[xirdneh]

I must add, the vacuum to the distributor is NOT connected, and the car will rumble and just about run with my foot on the gas. I'm guessing most of you are going to say its timed 180 degrees off. I swear it isn't. I hope someone can help me out!!!!!

just to be sure
pull #1 plug
put finger over spark plug hole
rotate crank
should feel air pushed out (top of compression stroke)
at that point put screwdriver in plug hole and touch top of piston
move crank back and/or forth a little till piston is at highest point
now check that rotor is pointed northwest (at #1)
the timing marks on crank and cam will be lined up too (but that will be assumed to be correct)

[Trev]

I've done this many times, but I will do it again. I am sure i've been doing it right. But maybe I have making a mistake. Its just very frustrating that something this easy is becoming this difficult and time consuming.

[Petros]

If you have spark and fuel, but it will still not start, better check, and double check, the spark is occurring in the right time/place. Also, it is easy to verify that you have compression, just to make sure the cam timing is correct. If your valve adjustments are too tight you might not have any compression (and it will not run), and this would just double check you do have compression. Also Check firing order, all wires are in correct place, etc.

Also, try to go over everything you did, and what may have not gone back the way it came out. A large vac leak for example will keep it from running.

Good luck.

[xirdneh]

I've done this many times, but I will do it again. I am sure i've been doing it right. But maybe I have making a mistake. Its just very frustrating that something this easy is becoming this difficult and time consuming.

just to make things more confusing
i have had the same problem getting a tercel started after putting a different engine in
it will almost start when pumping the pedal and keeping the starter going
several of the cars eventually started and were fine from then on
others were because i had the timing off a notch
and one was only fixed after switching the carborator with another
and last but not least i towed one to a steep hill and coasted down compression starting it
it ran fine after that

[Trev]

Well I'm going to go work on it right now. I verified the rotor is pointing in the correct spot by taking the cap off of my Tercel and looking at the position of the rotor. I will just switch the timing 180 degrees and see what happens. Actually this car ran pretty dang good with a blown head gasket.

I'm hoping my cap isn't sending spark to all the plugs or something like that. I know i'm getting spark at the #1 plug using a tester light but I didnt bother checking the others.

[Trev]

Ok, I checked compression. Just in one cylinder and its 162psi.

I have spark on EVERY wire.

Firing order is 1-3-4-2 right?

I took the fuel line off and barely any gas comes off out of the pump. I then took the valve cover off and spun the engine over by hand and gas is coming out. Whats going on?

I switched the timing 180 degrees and still doesn't start. I had it timed EXACTLY using a timing light right at 5 degrees BTDC. I pour gas into the carb and it doesn't do anything.

So what do I do??? If I can't get this started in the next week i'll cut my loss and scrap the car. I really don't want to because I do like this car. I don't want to switch parts from my running tercel to this one.

[Trev]

Also, when I try starting the car I can just about have my foot on the gas and keep the starter turning and it will just barely barely run.

I'm going to try spraying some starting fluid in the engine and see if that helps.

The spark plugs are already black.

[Trev]

Ok piece of shit starts. It wont idle and of course no one will help me try to time it. All I want to do is have someone hold their foot on the gas and see how far away it is. It idles VERY rough, but revs up very smoothly. I've played with the distributor over and over and over and over and over and turned the rotor every which way. If I get it timed then I know it is something else. Someone please help.

Whats wrong with it now? Is it a fuel pump? Is it still timed wrong? I turned up the idle screw and it didn't make a difference.

[Highlander]

Since You're sure that the timing is right, assume that it is and with the plugs being black, I think its fine. Just for grins, look to see where the float level is (through the window in the front of the carb) It should be between the two pinched together points on the cover (check the FSM if that makes no sense whatsoever). If you can't see it, it's either too high (the float isn't floating) or its too low (no fuel in). the floats on these have a tendency to suddenly sink for no apparent reason (I just had to do this on my new engine).
the reason I suggest this, is that if its running WAY too rich, it'll just kind of chug at ~500R's with your foot to the floor (as I said, I just went through this). You might also try starting it with a screwdriver holding the choke butterfly open- an old trick to get more air into the engine when cold.
A remote starter button is a great investment- you can turn the engine over from the engine bay

[Trev]

Yeah I should have thought about using a screw driver. I'm assuming I turned the right idle screw. But not 100% sure.

I will definitely check the float bowl level. I think this carb is going to be a nightmare. It actually ran pretty good with a blown HG

[Highlander]

yeah, the carbs, as someone said recently, can be a nightmare. I replaced the float and needle and seat on mine, and since I was in there, I rebuilt the carb, now it'll run OK until I go WOT , then it bogs out like there's no fuel in the secondary - I'm checking the idle cutoff solenoids tonight for function.
The idle screw is actually the small no-head screw closer to the bellcrank- not the large headed obvious one closer to the carb body

[xirdneh]

yeah, the carbs, as someone said recently, can be a nightmare. I replaced the float and needle and seat on mine, and since I was in there, I rebuilt the carb, now it'll run OK until I go WOT , then it bogs out like there's no fuel in the secondary - I'm checking the idle cutoff solenoids tonight for function.
The idle screw is actually the small no-head screw closer to the bellcrank- not the large headed obvious one closer to the carb body

whats WOT?
i recently re-built a carb that would idle fine
when i gave it a lot of pedal it bogged out
turned out i forgot to put that ball bearing in the accellerator pump
the one that goes under the "G" shaped clip that is a pain to get in
must have been tired that day

[Petros]

you might check all the electrical connections to the carb, make sure they all make contact. Also, double check all the vac lines, you would have had to pull them off when you removed the head. You might have one or two switched to the wrong location, or even have one hanging that is not connected. Study the vac hose diagram to verify everything is in the right place. If you have a vac line connected in the wrong place it could act just like that.

Good luck.