drmix

I just recently got done replacing the head gasket and timing belt on my 93 V6 pickup. The problems I am having is that it starts a little rough not like it use to. It turns over a couple times then it slowly starts up.

The other issue is when I put it in gear and give it gas there is a sputtering noise that comes out of the exhaust every couple seconds.


What could cause these?

drmix

Anybody?

rworegon

Is it possibly slightly out-of-time? Is the battery or starter on it's way out?

As for the sputtering, could be a exhaust gasket that is leaking. Is the sputtering noise a slight backfire by chance? No CEL?

Any chance you can post up some audio?

drmix

I double checked the timing on the belt before putting it back together.

I think I found one of the problems though. There is a leak in the exhaust before the cat. Could that cause a misfire?

drmix

No CEL's. I let it run for a good 10-15 minutes waiting for one but never got any

Kiroshu

Did it run this way before work done?

If you say the timing is 100% then you may want to button up any vacuum and exhaust leaks you might have.

Wet plugs or wires? Distributor cap?

What did you do to the heads? Do you send them to a shop for anything?

Check valve lash.

Depending on how the engine ran before the HG and timing belt job it might take a few mins of running for it to pick up on everything.

drmix

No it wasnt doing it before.

I bolted the cat all the way back on but just noticed I need a new muffler since mine is rusted out and has a small leak on it.

Ill have to check on the plugs tonight

I didnt do anything with the head since I replaced the gasket right when i started to see signs of it going. Never overheated and I stopped driving it until I could replace it.

The sound that comes out of the exhaust is kind of a puffing sound ill see if I can post a clip of it today. Also ill post up a clip of when I first try starting it after sitting for a while

drmix

Heres a video of how it starts up
http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...t=100_0033.mp4

Heres a video of the exhaust while idling. If you listen closely you can hear the pop sound every 5 seconds or so
http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...t=100_0036.mp4

Heres a video of when I go to drive back and forth. You can definitely hear the popping
http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...t=100_0037.mp4

Also I noticed that this orange thing has seen better days and has a hole in it creating a vacuum leak. Anyone know what its called or what it does?

drmix

I need to get it running right this weekend. Any more ideas?

Kiroshu

If you have holes on your muffler your going to here alot more noise and some poping. I wish you would have done a video of the engine bay and engine accel. It seemed to start up "ok."

How many miles are on that engine?

I'm assuming you bought a head gasket kit?

Did you replace all manifold gaskets and injector o rings? That little black and yellow thing is a filter. It being cracked is not going to affect engine performance much. You could just wrap some tape around it and it will be fine.

If you didn't mess with the heads and it ran fine before then it kinda limits some things.

Did you change the plugs? If so what kind and did you gap them correctly?

Said you double checked timing? Did you line it up with the proper marks?

What is the timing set at? Should be 5*

If you still suspect vacuum leaks. Then get a can of carb/choke cleaner and spray around the intake or suspected areas of vacuum leaks. If the engine speed changes where you spray its leaking.

drmix

Yeah it seems to start up alright but not like it use to. It kinda cranks then rolls over and gets running.

Its got 276k on the motor. Shes kinda up there but I didnt have any trouble with it before.

Yeah I bought a Toyota gasket overhaul kit and replaced the gaskets and orings on the injectors.

I didnt replace the spark plugs because they are fairly new and only got maybe 1000miles on them

Yeah I double checked the timing but the only thing is I dont have a timing light. My buddy is gonna come over today or tomorrow and we were gonna set that just right. But I adjusted it to where it felt like it was running the best.

Im gonna try checking for vacuum leaks today.

If none of those work ill go ahead and recheck the timing at the crank and cams.

Thanks alot. Im gonna go out and check on those now.
If anybody else has any ideas feel free to chime in

drmix

I think im gonna start saving up for a 3.4 swap

Ant954

maybe detonation?

prorunner

My 3.4 did this same thing when I put it back together.
The problem was: I had the spark plug wires in firing order, not in plug wire order. (1-2-3-4-5-6 (firing order)) instead of 1-4-3-6-5-2, coil to plug order.

Mine smoked the same, had unburnt fuel, and made the same sound every 5 seconds or so.

drmix

Ill have to double check the firing order but im sure I got it right since I went with the numbers on the dizzy.

I havent had much time to work on it just been busy moving and working. I should be able to get back to it this weekend since thats all done with and also I got a new reason to hurry and fix it...my YFZ450 that I picked up last week! My trucks gotta be running good before I can really have fun with my new toy

drmix

Found the problem! For some reason the wires for 2 and 4 were swapped. I swapped them back and she started right up. I drove her around the block and she seemed to be running fine.

However I bought a timing light at Harbor Freight last weekend and attempted to check the timing. What I did was:
1. Let the motor warm up to normal temp
2. Jumped the TE1 and E1 terminals
3. Verified that the CEL would be flashing after they were jumped
4. Connected the red and black clamps on timing light
5. Put clamp on number 1 plug wire (right by dizzy if that makes a difference)
6. Tried pulling the trigger and aiming it at the pulley but it never lit up. Am I doing something wrong?

drmix

Figured it out. I think I had the clamp on the spark plug wire backwards didnt notice there was a arrow on it. Got it set to 10* shes running good now