Ok so my basic background, I finally got my 1st gen 4runner and love it, it's an 87 22re. I've been working on cars since I was a kid, but this is my first yota. So I'm very familiar with tool names and associated auto terminology and such, basically not a total laymen, That that being said, I blew the head gasket in my truck at 292,xxx miles and figured I'd do it myself. Labeled everything I took apart, bagged every but and bolt, labeled, basically took it all apart and put it back together according to book and online toyota specs. Now all fluids are back and was ready to fire, batt has full charge, turn key and get a single click and nothing, turn off and check engine light stays on?? Any info is greatly appreciated !

 

Sounds like you have a bad ground .

Could also be in the safety circuit depending if you have auto or manual for got to hook something up.

Did you paint the block in the course of rebuilding??

Your also stating the CEL is on when the key is in the off position??

Even if the key is removed??

 

Just my $0.2 but years ago my starter motor went bad(so I thought) and it did the exact same thing. Engine light was comes on after it fails to start and the click was the starter relay(solenoid) activating, but after I bought a new starter and was installing it I found the power wire from the battery was loose where it connects to starter.
hope it helps and welcome to yotatech

 

Thanks for the quick responses!! So yes found my issue, I had at some point knocked off the solenoid plug, so now I have a new problem, yes the CEL stays on after key is turned off and removed (never happened before hg repair??). The truck now turns over, has spark, fuel and fires up then dies. Double checked TDC to distributor position and according to everything I read it's where it should be?? But obviously I'm over looking something? Also the truck is virtually stock other than a 4" lift, and some 31"s but drive train is all stock toyota with a manual trans. As part of the HG repair I purchased a brand new head complete with cam, valves ect.

 

So i found the ground on the right side of the motor that I apparently missed upon reassemble, so now I have gotten the truck to start and have a rpm surge and a very high idle. Again any help is greatly appreciated!!

 

Vacuum leak. Manifold joints or EGR.

 

Thank you, I did forget to tighten the EGR coupling!! But that wasn't the problem, what I came to find out was that when I cleaned the throttle body, I removed the TPS, when I reinstalled it I had set it on the wrong side of the shaft ears, so it was essentially pinning the throttle open about 10% and this was causing the surge and high idle, once I removed and repositioned the tps I was able to set the timing properly, although now it sounds like I'll need to adjust the Valves hot to quite them down. Thanks again for everyone's help!