Engine mechanical problem
 

First, I'd like to say I'm new to this board and new to my 86 4Runner. Well I bought this 4Runner real chep with the intentions of fixing it. The previous owner replaced the head gasket and and said it had a bad fuel pump, which I fixed.

I was replacing the spark plugs and had a hard time getting the number 4 cylinder plug to thread in, and after trying for a while, I tightend the plug as best a could and cranked the motor. Turned out that something hit that plug, I do not know if a valve or piston hit it. The motor will not turn past that point, I turned it back just a little by the crank pulley bolt, and then turned it the correct direction and it stops.

What could have happened? Have a bent a valve, destroyed a piston? Have I ruined the motor? It makes me sick just thinking about it. Could a spark plug being misaligned really contact a valve or something? Thanks for all help.

Oh, and its a 22RE motor

If I had to guess... you're using the wrong spark plug.
How about some pictures?

I know they are NGK plugs, and they fit fine before, I had tried to crank the motor before with these plugs, and everything turned ok. Is there a way to tell if a valve is bent from just taking off the valve cover looking from above? Thanks.

The #4 plug can be diffiicult to install. You know that the plugs don't necessarily go in straight? #4 is angled toward the rear of the block slightly. If you start it wrong, you'll mess up the treads in the head, as it's only aluminum. Been there. Knowing the plug goes in at an angle, I was able to carefully, get it installed.
So, you removed the plugs and tried turning the engine by hand, and it's still hanging up? I would remove the valve cover and watch the valves move as you turn the crankshaft by hand. It should move pretty easy with the plugs out and no compression. I don't think a plug could be binding it up.

I didnt know that plug was angled backwards. I think I cross threaded it and then I went to crank the motor. It turned a rev. or two and I heard a clunk and it locked up. I pulled that one (#4) plug and still could not turn the crank by hand.

The tolorances are that close if the plug is angled wrong a valve could hit it? Do you think that is what happened, a bent valve? Lucky the motor was only cranking so I dont think it was a lot of force to distroy the piston, or is it?

If I pull all the plugs out you think it may turn? Will I still be able to se if I remove the valve cover? Thanks for all help!

I did see where something did hit the electrode on the #4 plug. Didn't look bad, but bent the electrode.

unless you can thread in the spark plug and cause it to make a 90 degree turn once it gets in to the chamber, nothing will hit the plug.
look:
http://abecedarian.toythieves.com/to...uhoh/head4.jpg

there is the cylinder head / combustion chamber for #4.
the plug would have to extend WAY into the chamber for ANYTHING to come in contact with it.

looks like your exactly right, I have no idea what could have happened, but something had to hit the plug, b/c the electrode was bent. I will have to pull the head this weekend and find out.

Thanks for the help, turns out it was not a valve, this is bad on my part but when I squirted oil in the cylinders, I must have put to much in one not allowing the crank to turn on one of the cylinder's compression strokes. I pulled the plugs and a lot of oil came out that I had squirted in there.

Now, it cranked and ran for a few minutes then I put water in the radiator (b/c I noticed the motor getting warm and it looked empty) and the thing STOPPED RUNNING! I noticed the #1 plug was wet and when I cranked it over coolant shot out of the plug hole.

Any ideas? I assume the new gasket could be bad, or a water jacket in the head, but that #1 cylinder compression tested at 185psi! I think so high b/c water may have been in there. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

could be the head gasket...
... water out of #1 suggests a head gasket problem.

if 'honestly' the head gasket was just replaced, either the torque on the head bolts was done improperly or... either the block or head are cracked... (oh, and I guess I shouldn't rule out the intake manifold gasket, no?).

i some what had the same problem today replaceing plugs. the #1 plug did not want to go in at all. it looked as tho the threads had been buggered up. so i just went with the threads being tight as soon as i started turning the plug. after that it worked fine. 22r-e fired right up and runs perfect

I know he used silicone on the upper intake gasket, but I have no idea a/b the lower one that is connect to the block. Does water circulate through the intake? Will this keep me from starting, just one cylinder? Thanks for all of the help.

Also, I noticed that my fuel pump does not prime, it only seems to run while I'm cranking (and I suppose if the thing starts), is this how it is suppose to work? Thanks.

The lower intake, that bolts to block, doesnt have coolant running through that I know of, there is a water bypass that comes stright of the timing cover and goes up to the upper intake. As far as I know only air and fuel run through the lower intake (these go straight into the combustion chamber so haveing coolant going through it would be impossible. If you were getting coolant in lower intake you would have a radical problem and wouldnt be able to start your motor.

I had a similar fuel problem, and I had to bypass the fuel relay, there are ways to do this with a paper clip and the gray box by your fuse box. It has been a while but when I did this, it alowed me to get fuel to the rail with the key turned without cranking.

Well took the upper intake off, and was trying to remove the lower, I could not get it off. I had to take a screw driver and pry some on the back above the mounting bolts. I saw a web page that says there is a hidden allen bolt, maybe that is why I can't get the lower off.

I damaged the aluminum a little above the bolt holes prying, no one thinks that will cause a problem with an intake leak, do they?

got the head off, the gasket is fine, and I cannot see a crack in the head. I will have it pressure tested to make sure, but to me it looks like coolant leaking into the 1 and 4 cylinders. Someone mentioned the intake could be cracked, I thought it looked wet in the #1 lower intake runner, could it be possible for coolant to get into it? I mean I could have got it wet pulling it off.