hello all im brand new to the site as a user
So here is my story;
i recently got a 1993 4runner 3.0 3vze (v6) auto 4x4.
I drove her home, ordered parts and got to work.
I did a timing belt/water pump replacement, along with plugs +wires, belts, and oil. also going to do a coolant flush once i get her running.
As of now, it (what sounds like) fires one cylinder (maybe one full revolution) with a hard motor rock, and then keeps cranking but no start.
I know it can run because i drove it home, so i and thinking its something i might have done. did i get the timing off maybe?
The battery is not dead by any means or the leads bad, she cranked repeatedly for about 5 min. (not 5 min straight)
If anyone can give me further advice please do, its greatly needed and accepted.

 

As you know, engines need fuel, air, spark, compression, and the right timing to start. Of those, I'm thinking only spark or timing might be your problem.

Have you checked for spark?

Did she run well before, or were there issues?

All in all, I'm guessing you probably still have spark, though you should check, and that the timing is off. I'm still waiting to have a spare car before I tackle the timing belt on my truck, but I've read that the cams can get off by a bit due to the nature of the belt setup on these.

So, I'd check spark and timing if I were you.

Also, did you have the distributor out of the head at all, or just change wires.

Oh yeah, I guess you could also double check that your distibutor cap and rotor are in good shape and that you got the wires routed correctly.

 

yes i did check for spark, when i changed the plugs and wires i did it one wire at a time, making sure they went to the correct cylinder. she ran fine and i took it to run some errands.
the very next day i moved onto the timing belt. so as you said im going to bet that it is the timing belt and cams being off.
i just wanted to see if anyone else had encountered this before i tear down the motor again. yes i am that lazy, haha

 

Any update on your truck dude? I'm having the same problems only my belt lines up perfectly. I have injector pulse on the left side of my motor (can't check right side due to the intake being in the way). My fuel pressure is at 36 psi and i have spark. I have a 91 Toy 3.0L. I'm stumped.

 

Well, if i knew how to remove threads i would haha because i found out my issue. but i found out that when i put my new timing belt on- the left cam gear was in place but the right had spun and i didnt pay attention to it when i put the belt on the first time. she started up real nice for me.
Few checks though:
when you put your new belt on, did you make sure the crankshaft gear lined up on the block?
how good is your hydraulic tensioner? i think 91's have it...not sure. if not it will be a spring tensioner.
When you installed the new belt, did you rotate the belt (using breaker bar and turning crankshaft) a couple revolutions to make sure it didnt skip a tooth?
Did you check how tight your alternator belt is?(i know you said youve got spark but it could be simple things like that)
These are some questions i found when i was diagnosing.
i've owned this 4runner for about 1 week total and thanks to YotaTech i have learned so much about it.