I have a 91 4Runner, 3.0, manual, and I have recently replaced the headgaskets, it's put back together and now it won't start. It has brand new spark plug wires, plugs, cap, rotor, air filter, oil filter and battery. The coil is getting spark, it's getting fuel, and it was at TDC when I tore it down. It cranks but won't fire, so I don't know where to go from here.

 

Did you plug the VAFM back in? All the intake hoses connected?

 

All hoses and wires, ground wires, etc are plugged and connected.

 

You put the distributor in 180 off. Common problem, easy to fix.

 

The marks on the distributor match up. The connector is plugged in. If it was rotated 180, it wouldn't plug in.

 

Yikes

The shaft can be put in 180 off. You do know than the crank turns 2:1 to the cam in a 4 stroke motor...don't you? So even if the engine is at "TDC" it may not be on the correct stroke ie the Compression stroke.

Obviously the body of the dizzy can't be 180 off, but the SHAFT can be.

 

i second deathcougar

 

I shall give that a try.

 

A quick test is to manually turn to the TDC mark on the dampner, lift off your cap and see where the rotor is pointing, cylinder 1 position generally, or way off.

 

Rotor is pointing to #1

 

The rotor can point at number 1 and the timing mark shows TDC but if the crank is at TDC of the exhaust stroke rather than the compression stroke the engine won't start.

What DC is suggesting is that you verify the the #1 is at TDC of the compression stroke. The easiest way to check is to loosen and pull out the upper timing belt cover as far as you can and you should be able to see the notches in the cam pulleys aligned with the mark in the backing plate when the crank is set to TDC. If you can't see the notches then rotate the crank one revolution and line up TDC again.

Now check that the distributor rotor is lined up with the number 1 post. If not, pull the distributor out and reset it.

 

Ok. That will be my project first thing tomorrow.

 

What is the easiest way to manually turn the crank? I've put a breaker bar to it and I can only move it so far before it hits a point where it tries to spring back. When I originally set it to TDC when I tore it down, my friend turned it.