I need some help figuring out where to look next but first a (hope not too long) story. This is the second (sort of) conversion I've taken on. The first one utilized a donor vehicle and I'm now really seeing the value of that.

In this case I've taken on a conversion someone else has given up on. I'm stumped as to why it will not start and am looking for suggestions. I was told it was a 99 tacoma motor and harness and the ECU was a 2000 tacoma. The previous owner cannot verify. There was no wiring, exhaust beyond the crossover, PS conversion initiated when I began. I finished those areas.

Upon inspection, the ECU part number is for a 2001 Tacoma. I thought I was going to have to either repin every connection or change ECUs. (You may remember that ECUs went through major change between 2000 and 2001.) However, after ohming out the entire engine harness, it also pins out to match the 2001 ECU exactly! Now I think I have a complete set. Anyway, I have completed the essential wiring (stop light, 4WD light, etc. not yet done). The wiring coincidently and independently matches what Yodathespian did in his thread as this is the same type conversion.

The motor cranks fine but will not fire up. I have spark at the plugs. FC goes low to turn on fuel pump. There's high pressure fuel at the manifold. I've verfied power at ignitor. I'm left to look in three major areas:

1) Still a missing wire(s)?
2) A bad ECU?
3) Previous owner changed timing belts. Is is possible to mistakenly alter timing enough there to affect starting?

One last thing bothers me. I bought the Bosch A/F sensor from AutoZone. The plug is keyed so that it does not plug into the harness! I'm not sure which end I'll replug.

Any ideas appreciated. Thanks

 

So as I'm searching, I read in another thread about AFM and realize I don't know enough about them to troulbe shoot that component.

I know if provides open loop "control" to the ECU but how can that affect starting?

This motor has a CAI and noticed that the AFM was moount on the bottom of the tube.

Does a 2001 have a vane-meter or hot-wire AFM. Is the hotwire type sensitive to orientation?

Thanks

 

Simple thought, but the ignitor is grounded really good to the fender and the body is grounded well to the motor, to the battery. etc??

 

Thank for the suggestion. I know the simple things should be checked first. I'm scrubbing all of the grounds now.

It's just confusing to me that when I pull a plug and look at it, it's wet. then when I watch that plug outside of the vehicle while cranking, I've got spark.

I'm obviously weak on what all it takes specifically to make these new engines work. I'm studying now to learn how each of these invididual components "play" together.

I certainly could have missed a wire somewhere. Perhaps I should connect the OBDII and see if I have any error codes that helps.

 

Ya frustrating!!

I remember in Evoltras thread above that he had a wire on the ignitor plug that was loose in the connector that caused him similar grief. I really could be anything. I would start with one wire, then one component, and work through it.

 

It's a little frustrating. But for the last three hours I've been checking my wiring. I'm gaining confidence that I'm "good enough for it to start". My focus will be checking individual components like ingnitor.

What's different this time is loss of seeing and hearing the donor run before disassembly. There's way more risk in this approach. thanks for your help

 

Today I learned that the ignitor is from and 98 and there was a part number change between 1999 and 2000. So I know that my ignitor does not match with the 2001 ECU but does that mean that it will not work. I see spark at the plug during cranking. The two ignitors pin out the same.

Does any definately know that ignitors are that age specific or will they work wider range? I can't believe this is my problem. Any experience mixing ignitors?

Thanks

 

I pulled the front cover to find that PO installed timing belt incorrectly. When crank is on #1 tdc, the cams are about 10:30.

Do I have to remove crank pulley to retime this, or can I remove tension off tensioner enough while on vehicle to have sufficient slack in belt to move the cams then retension?

Trying to avoid the whole crank bolt removal/retorque thing-can I?

Thanks

 

I decided to pull the thing apart all the way to move the belt. I'm glad I did. It's a little worse than I thought. The PO made his own place on the vibration damper where he thought he'd just drive it back onto the little key that is there!

The damper is maybe 120 degrees off. What little key extends forward of the crank gear has been munched into the vibration damper. I need to pull the crank gear and replace the key.

I can't get the gear to budge. There are two 6MM X 1.00 holes in the gear and I can't pull the gear. I've soaked it overnight.

How about heat?

Drilling and tapping larger puller holes in gear?

Cutting/breaking gear off crank?

Any help appreciated.

 

It took two days but I used a die grinder with 3" cut off wheels and a sharp cold chisel to cut and beat the crank pulley off. Cleaned up the crank with a crocus cloth and reassembled with a new pulley. Truck started the first time. I end this thread here.