TripleD

I have done a rebuild on my 93 Pickup EFI. I am fairly certain I have everything back together the way it was. I gutted the EGR and put the block off plates on. I cannot get it start. I have timed it 3 different times. I have put a timing light on it. Its set near perfect at 5 degrees, I think thats the right timing. It has new plugs. Here are the things I suspect.

First and foremost, I do not have the O2 sensor plugged in. But I was always under the impression that it just wouldn't run efficient, but not that it would keep it from starting. I may be wrong, I hope I am. I google 10 different ways about this topic and got mixed answers. Some say the car won't start, and some say it will just throw Check Engine but won't keep it from starting.

If thats not the case the only other thing would be distributor cap and maybe plug wires, but I am getting the pulse on timing light so I wouldn't suspect that they are so bad that it won't start.

Its getting goods fuel pressure and sounds like it wants to start but just won't hit.

I am pulling my hair out. I can plug in O2 sensor after I figure out how to get the rusty bastard out of the stock rusty exhaust. I just have header bolted up right now.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

gennro

The 02 sensor not being installed will not stop the engine from starting.

snobdds

What engine are we talking about here...mind readers we are not...

TripleD

93 4wd, 22RE EFI, sorry I left that detail out.

BMcEL

Have you checked compression? Any codes?

snobdds

Do you have your AFM hooked up on the air box?
Do you have your TPS hooked up right and in spec?
How did you set your cam timing?
How did you set your ignition timing?

I would connect your O2 sensor, just one more thing to eliminate.

TripleD

AFM is hooked up
TPS is hooked up, how do I check it is in spec?

Cam timing was set by whoever built the engine. I bought a long block and switched over my EFI and all of my accessories. I am assuming it was set right but I may end up having to tear it down to there and check it again.

Ignition timing was set by finding TDC. Then setting the distributor rotor so that number 1 was on the notch. I tried there and also tried it 180 degrees from there, so that I checked both exhaust stroke and compression stroke. I actually did that several times going back and forth. Timing light both times showed it firing close enough that it would have ran.

TripleD

So I bought new distributor cab and new plug wires. I plugged the 02 sensor but it is just dangling and still reports code 21, heated oxygen sensor. Still nothing. I pulled the valve cover and looked at the timing chain and timing marks with respect to the crank pulley. When I line TDC on crank pulley with 0. The cam shaft gear is slightly to the left of the mark on rocker arm retainer thing. But if I were to jump it a tooth I think i would be slightly to the right. It seems as though it will never line up it will always be slightly to the left or to the right. Either way I don't think I would be enough to keep it from running at all. I am at a loss. Any more ideas?

I still need to check TPS but I don't know why it would have gone bad all of a sudden right when I swapped the engine.

I guess at this point I have to start questioning if the bottom end was built right and has compression. Does anyone know what the compression numbers should be? Would having the camshaft off a tooth significantly decrease the compression? Or are the tolerances not that close.

toyota4x4907

Cam timing sounds correct.

Compression numbers should be between 141 and 171 psi, with no more than 14 psi between any cylinders. Of course, people have reported higher PSI and lower PSI and they have run correctly. The numbers I gave you are out of the FSM.

nv4runner

Are you sure your injectors are firing? Sounds like you have spark, air should be plentiful, so that leaves fuel.

TripleD

So from reading other posts about lining the crankshaft and cam gear I am fairly certian the timing chain is on correctly. Most say the little dimple should be slightly left of 12 oclock at about 11:50 oclock. I know I have fuel coming from the tank, I pulled the fuel line and crank and plenty of fuel poured out. How can I check fuel pressure at the injectors.

Again the truck was running when I pulled the engine. Just doesn't seem like parts would have just gone bad in between the swap. Not ruling it out just doesn't seem likely.

Inferno451

The first time i did the head gasket on mine i forgot to bolt down the ground that connects to the lower intake manifold. It kind of hides down there while you have the manifold on and you can't see it. That's where the injectors ground through, and if it's not connected they don't fire.

scope103

Pull the plugs and look at them. If they are dry as a bone you're not getting fuel. If they are wet (and smell like gasoline), then the plugs may not be firing (at least not at the right time). Air, Fuel, Spark: it's that simple.

The injectors make an audible click when running, but it might be hard to hear it while cranking. You can make a "stethoscope" out of a piece of vacuum hose. You can also pick up a "noid" light for not-too-much to display the electrical signal at the injector.

As a last resort, you could try a squirt of "starting fluid." (Easy with that stuff, it's the devil's plaything.) If the truck starts and then quits, I would call it fuel. If it won't even fire with starting fluid, most likely you have no spark.

TripleD

So just to follow up for anyone who might come across this post and want to know what happened. I bought the long block assembled and "ASSUMED" the lifters were set close. Never assume anything. The lifters were tight just enough that the valves were just barely open on cylinders 2 and 3 and a hair on 4. I adjusted all the valves and bingo. She set off immediately when I turned the key. She purred real nice! Got her all put back together exhaust and all. She runs like a brand new truck! Thanks for all the advice to help getting her to run.

TripleD

Here is a quick pic I snapped. Alison and Chalmers Tractor Orange baby!

BMcEL

Low compression, eh? Glad ya got it running.

Team420

yep... when I saw the title... The 1st thing that came to mind was "RUN A COMPRESSION TEST!" Been there, done that... chased a no start issue for months on a 3vze b4 I finally spent 20 min to do a compression test... after the test, it was pretty clear why the rig wouldnt start...lol