mobezo2

Hi all,

I recently purchase a 90 SR5 V6 in need of some TLC. I just went and replaced the intake manifold gaskets and the plenum gasket trying to eliminate a vaccuum leak that was causing a rough idle. I noticed the pintle caps were busted on a couple of fuel injectors,so I gave them to a guy in town to recondition before I put everything back together. Today I put everything together, and it cranks but won't start. Fuel system is pressurized, and I can see a spark when I pull the middle plug on the passenger side. Also went ahead and stuck a screw driver against two of the fuel injectors on the drivers side, and I believe I can hear them clicking. Went ahead and pulled two spark plugs, and they appeared bone dry. After that I went ahead and jumpered the E1-TE1 points in the diagnostic connector, and I read out a Code 51, which corresponds to the Throttle Position sensor, amongst other things that seem less relevant to it not starting. Do you guys have any ideas? I'm pretty stumped. Wondering if I might have screwed up the engine timing in the process of replacing the intake manifold gaskets, since I had to pull off that pulley, but I tried to be careful and not rotate anything. Anyway, that's my only theory, but I wanted to confer with some other folks before I tore it apart again. Thanks in advance!

JasonYota

iTrader: (1)

If the plugs are dry your not getting any fuel. You have spark, I would think the injectors would work with the timing being off? Not sure though, wouldn't hurt to double check the timing anyway to rule that out. Are you getting power to the injectors?

mobezo2

Okay, I was thinking it was timing because maybe the cylinders weren't opening up to let in the fuel from the injectors, since I believe injection occurs upstream of the valves. Now I am thinking this was in error, cuz as you said the plugs should be wet if they are receiving fuel, and fuel injected would eventually make it into the cylinder since the valves are opening even if the timing is off. Now I am wondering if maybe I have a bad ground on the passenger side, because although I was able to hear the injectors clicking on the driver side, I couldn't check for the clicking of the opening injectors on the passenger side since the plenum is in the way, and this also happens to be the same side where I have the dry spark plugs. So I think my next task is going to be checking for electrical continuity between the battery ground and the passenger side cylinder head.

mobezo2

Okay, so got some more info. All the ground points look good, as far as I can tell with a meter. But if I pull the #4 spark plug after cranking the vehicle, it is damp. If I pull the #3 cylinder plug right after that, it is bone dry. So it appears that my drivers side injectors work, while my passenger side do not. So I am thinking it's a wiring issue between the ECU and the #1, #3, #5 cylinders, or the ECU itself. Question though, will the 3VZ-FE not start with one bank of cylinders off? This doesn't seem to make sense to me.

oldblue

spray some starting fluid and see if the truck runs, that'll let you know if its a fuel issue or not. i think the chances of your timing being off are pretty good if you removed the idler.

scope103

The cams are pushed on by the springs in the valves, so even if you carefully remove the timing belt, the cams are likely to twist one or two "teeth." This is not a problem (the 3vze is a non-interference engine), you just get the arrows pointing in the right directions on the crankshaft and cams when you reinstall the belt. But if you didn't do that, you could be off valve timing. That means your valves are already/still open during part of the compression stroke, and you will not be able to start.

But before you start pulling stuff apart, try the starting fluid trick suggested by oldblue. If it starts, even for a few seconds, your problem is fuel related (not valve timing, not ignition timing). If it still doesn't start, make sure the plug wires were correctly re-installed (a spark plug firing at the wrong time doesn't help). Check the compression; if the valve timing is off it will show up there.