VT94Runner

94 4runner 3.0, 5spd. Recently replaced head gasket & reman heads. Went ahead and installed LCE headers with the crossover as well while I was in there. which meant EGR delete.

I will ask my question first and then explain what has happened.

1. Will timing being off cause the vehicle to run extremely rich - to the point of exhaust smoke and fouling plugs.

Got everything back together and started up but was smoking pretty bad, The exhaust smells of fuel but appears to be mostly white. Oil smells a little like there is fuel in it as well. After a few minutes of idle the spark plugs foul out and it dies unless I give it gas. Wait 15 minutes and repeat cycle. Drove a few blocks and at each stop it wants to die unless I give it gas.

Took the plenum back off, double checked hoses/connections all seem to be good.

Compression test on #6 - 150
Compression test on #1 - 140 those were the gasket leaks and the only ones my short compression tester (For motorcycle) could reach.

Spark plugs 2,4,6 were all oiled up and black
Spark plugs 1 and 3 were oiled up and black but not as bad
Spark plug 5 looked completely normal.

Timing belt is all lined up. Doesn't appear to be losing coolant, no sweet smell in the exhaust.

Honestly, I'm not to sure on the timing, I think I have adjusted properly but I'm wondering if that could be some of the issue? I don't have a timing gun so I plan to run to the local shop tomorrow and see if we can check that and compression tomorrow.

Any other ideas as to what could be causing it to run so rich?

VT94Runner

Anyone?

I rechecked the timing belt to make sure it wasn't slipping, Actually took it off, realigned everything and the back together...

Same problem. Very rough Idle around 500 still wanting to stall at each stop drops down to 100 unless i give it gas.

Local shop was too busy with travelers to help me out today so I didn't get to check the timing.. I'm thinking I should be able to set it myself pretty close anyways so I'm wondering if it could be something else?

VT94Runner

Update: still looking for help on this.

I double checked all the hoses and did find one small leak and was able to replace it. It seemed to improve slight but very slightly if at all.

I burned through a quarter tank of gas just idle and quick drives around the block. I can actually watch it decrease while sitting at idle.

Want to add that I installed new flamethrower injectors when I did the build, could one of these be malfunctioning? or 5 of them? since only one plug looked good.

combatcarl

If your ignition timing is way late, it can cause plug fouling, as the fuel is not burned completely. Will be pretty gutless, and turn your headers cherry red if bad enough. Recheck your distributor and plug wire connections. Make sure you don't have some crossed up. Sure that you got all the EGR vacuum connections and piping blocked off? Might make sure that your intake is all back on correctly and no leaks from VAFM to mating surfaces on manifold itself. Could have cold start injector/ time switch issues. Or could be related to the aftermarket injectors.

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Discombobulated

Hmmmm, flamethrowers you say............weird............I'm going to keep my mouth shut...

VT94Runner

Are they known for sticking open or anything? I read some good reviews from them a few months ago before I did the head gaskets.

feel free to open your mouth.

Lariosified

I would triple check your hoses to. But it prob has something to do with the injectors. Did you look inside intake when you had it off? how are fluids? what head gasket did you use?

VT94Runner

I used the kit from engbldr with new head bolts. I had done the timing belt probably 5k miles ago with all the fixings so I didn't mess with those. Coolant doesn't appear to be leaking at all. I changed the oil after the build and then it seemed like there was fuel smell so I changed it a second time. Doesn't look like a milkshake but there still seems to be a fuel smell to it.

I think my next step is pulling off the plenum again, making sure none of the hoses are cracked and then I'm going to pull the injectors again. From some other helpful posts I think I should be able to check the injectors with 12v.

I set the distributor timing by setting to TDC on #1 and setting the timing to be on #1 plug. I moved it once to the right (worse running) and once to the left (no running).

I think I will also change the O2 sensor since I'm sure the coolant that went through wasn't good for it. I also see that I sprang a leak past my CAT where it bolts up to the muffler. Could that be affecting things?

Sturmcrow

After the CAT should not affect anything.

Did you pull the EFI fuse after installing the fuel injectors to reset the computer fuel/air mapping? If not, pulling it for a few minutes is not a bad idea.

A bad O2 sensor certainly will affect things. Honestly, I am surprised that you are willing to throw an $80 oxygen sensor at it but not go pick up a $15 timing light. The timing light is kinda a no brainer, and you will certainly use it again sometime. In fact, if you are near Orange County, you are welcome to have my old one, since I used it so often that I decided to spring for a digital timing light with inductive pickup, odometer, and timing advance.

Discombobulated

Sorry man the flamethrowers are a sore subject, long story short the gray ones that are advertised as plug and play did nothing besides open up a can of worms. My computer wouldn't adjust which seems to be the norm but those that swear by them got really lucky or they don't have emissions in my opinion. Anyway they dumped lots of fuel and burned extremely rich, the exhaust was so strong it would burn my eyes when backing in my garage. Once I put them in my 02 sensor read bad and everything else was wacky.

I have seen plenty of other can o worms threads involving these super duper wicked spray pattern Terds. Anyway sent my old injectors to get cleaned and put them back in, been fine since. Since the install I am tracking some stupid idle issue and wasted a lot of time and cash for absolutely nothing.......

Anyhoo is it possible some of your issues are due to these, sure.. But some issues might have just started after other work done during the injector swap.

Does your exhaust smell like burning sulfer??

VT94Runner

Doesn't smell like burning sulfur at all, but does smell bad mostly like fuel and smoking enough that when I start it I have to back it out into the driveway and it still takes a few minutes for my garage to clear out.

Sturmcrow - I think you are right it is time to invest in a timing light. I've never used one before but I'm sure there are good "how to" videos or write ups. For some reason I was thinking they were a little more pricey than that but I honestly hadn't looked.

VT94Runner

So I pulled the plenum and tested each of the flamethrowers (Through the connectors that came with it).. They all clicked with 9v battery touch, and they all read around 15.7 ohms.

The number 5 injector wasn't connected all the way so it was showing 2.3 ohm, i disconnected and reconnected and it went back up to 15.7....
Would the number 5 injector not firing fully give me the problem that I had? When I had checked the plugs surprisingly number 5 was the only one that looked normal, all the others were oil/gas covered.

Questions: If they all click, and all show the correct ohms does this mean that they are functioning properly? If it was clogged would it still click, if it was stuck open would it still click?

VT94Runner

also wouldn't disconnecting the battery during injector install reset the efi? I've had it disconnected and pulled from the vehicle quite a bit in this project as for some reason I love to lay my tools on it.

YotaWoRx

Sounds to me like it's out of ignition time, the cam/crank timing is off (set with piston#1 at tdc and given 2 revolutions clockwise at the crank to make sure everything lines back up) or the ignition wires out of order. Distributor in correctly? Egr properly blocked off?

VT94Runner

I believe the EGR is properly blocked off, The headers came with a gasket/thick metal plate to cover it. I guess it wouldn't hurt to take it back off and add some red sealant.

When I re-checked the timing belt I did two full rotations of the crank and everything lined up properly both times.

Ignition wires were correct. I THINK the distributor is in correctly, I'm picking up a timing light today and will hopefully check that tomorrow morning. I'm hoping that dead number 5 injector plus O2 sensor and fixing the timing will fix all of my issues.

VT94Runner

thoroughly frustrated.

I took the plenum off, pulled out the PCV again that I just replaced and it seemed to be a little sticky when I shook it. I happened to have another one from an earlier project that never happened so I swapped it out again.

Fixed the one injector that wasn't connected all the way. Made sure I didn't have any air leaks.

Set the timing with a timing gun.

Still running like crap with lots of extra gas coming out, I've heard that it takes a while for the computer to catch up 5 or 6 runs up to warm. Should I just fill it up with gas and keep running it to warm at least 5 times? It spitting fuel out of the exhaust. There is a very black gas drip from the crossover connection as well.

I ordered another Denso O2 Sensor this morning that will be here tomorrow morning.

Any idea's where to go next?

VT94Runner

Started up, timing was good, drove around the block, timing was off to the left and stopped running. Set the crank back to 0 and set distributor and it would not start... Does this mean that my timing belt jumped a tooth?

My tensioner was replaced when i did the timing belt 5k miles ago, could it be causing this? How much play should their be on the little pin that jumps out. I can push it down about 1/3 of the way down with my thumb but then it is C clamp time.

Discombobulated

Is this pure fuel coming out of the exhaust? Or maybe condensation mixed with a really really rich condition? Did you get the gray or orange injectors?

Can't answer on the 5-6 time warm up to adjust as I think this is a myth but that's my flamethrower hatred coming out

Sounds to me they are running rich as they were with mine but I don't think this is all of your problem, just remember I just bought a new denso o2 before the injector swap my old one was bad. When I took it to my mechanic to test some stuff he said the new o2 was showing bad but it was due to the rich condition throwing everything off so everything was testing wacky. He said it was running 5 times the limit to pass emissions.

Anyway if this is the case not sure if the o2 will do much as my brand new one wasn't testable I guess you could say with the injectors dumping fuel.

Anyway sorry I can't help much just a couple of ideas, hope you get it all figured out soon

VT94Runner

Well, i hesitantly pulled stuff off enough to get to the cam sprocket and spun to 0 and they were all lined up properly.. So I don't think my timing belt jumped, which is a good thing, even though I can probably do it in about 2 hours now its a huge pain.

I have the orange flamethrowers.

So what could cause the timing to change if the timing belt is all lined up properly and everything is tightened down?

VT94Runner

by cam sprocket i meant to see the two cam sprockets to make sure they were lined up correctly when the crank was at 0. Just in case someone reads that and thinks I am way confused.