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Help!!...'85 Camry won't start


toyotawolf762
07-29-2004, 10:40 PM
I've got an 85 Camry with a 4 cyl 2 se engine about 240k and I've changed the air flow meter; cold start injector/ fuel filter/ fuel pressure reg./ ignition coil/ ignitor distrib. cap/ plugs & wires/ ECU comp./ EFI main relay/ circuit opening relay/...the fuses are all good..the timing is right on..it has good spark and good compression and it still won't fire!! I am totally stumped!!! Any and all help would be GREATLY appreciated..Thanx alot!!
Keith in Regina. Saskatchewan. Canada

Joe W
07-29-2004, 11:00 PM
If you have good spark,it pretty much has to be lack of fuel.Try spraying some starting fluid into the throttle body and see if it wants to fire.

Daniel M. Dreifus
07-30-2004, 09:38 AM
Fuel pump?

gelcol
07-30-2004, 10:38 AM
check all the spark pugs wires specialy the one s going to the coil , or borrow,buy another coil

Brian R.
07-30-2004, 10:41 AM
See if you're getting fuel flow and pressure - see if the injectors are clicking, see if they deliver fuel. Good chance your injectors are gummed up.

Cammy_01
07-30-2004, 05:20 PM
If your getting spark and the plug wires are all in the correct order it must be fuel.. or the timing belt jumped or broke, check fuel pressure with a gauge and then compression if fuel pressure is 28 lbs or above.

toyotawolf762
08-03-2004, 07:10 PM
If you have good spark,it pretty much has to be lack of fuel.Try spraying some starting fluid into the throttle body and see if it wants to fire.
no... getting plenty of fuel...still will not even fire

toyotawolf762
08-03-2004, 07:11 PM
no ...the car is getting plenty of fuel...timing is right on....but is it possible it jumped one whole turn?

Brian R.
08-03-2004, 07:21 PM
Getting fuel doesn't mean the injectors are working. Check them or get them cleaned.

Joe W
08-03-2004, 08:46 PM
If you have fuel and spark it should start.If the starting fluid trick don't work,run a compression test.

toyotawolf762
08-04-2004, 04:04 PM
Getting fuel doesn't mean the injectors are working. Check them or get them cleaned.
how do you dheck to see if the injectors are working/

Cammy_01
08-05-2004, 05:54 PM
no ...the car is getting plenty of fuel...timing is right on....but is it possible it jumped one whole turn?

How do you know the car is getting plenty of fuel? How do you know the timing is right on.. the car doesnt run, how are you checking this?? Sorry, not trying to flame, but we need the accurate facts or we wont be able to help. Yes, it is possible for the timing belt to jump and this can cause it to not run or run very poorly. What were the symptoms before the car quit? Did it run perfectly then stall or was it running poorly? Was it running well then you shut it off and sometime later got in and it wouldnt start or did you work on it and then it would not start, please post the specifics.. it will help us to figure this out.

Lets go back to the basics.. first, RE-verify that there is a strong spark at each and every spark plug wire. Take a screwdriver and put it in the plug wire boot at the spark plug end and set it so that it is about 1/4" from the valve cover or a good ground.. you can hold it if it is an insulated plastic handle.. a shock wont hurt you, but will scare the crap out of you lol. then have someone crank the engine, if there is a strong spark for each plug wire from the screwdriver to the valve cover then we will move on to the next item. Note: If the spark is good, I have seen spark plugs load up and foul out with gas.. this will prevent it from starting.. you might visually inspect the plugs or heck just replace them since they cheap enough, be sure to gap them to spec. Check the spark at each plug wire and replace the spark plugs and post your findings, then we will go from there.. one step at a time.

toyotawolf762
08-07-2004, 07:49 AM
thanks for replying.....pretty sure its getting fuel because plugs are damp and smell of gas...also tried priming by squirting gas durectly into plug holes and throttle body...would not even fire...i bought the car in its current state so im not sure how it was running prior to this...also pretty sure timing is right on because with #1 plug removed and grounded it sparks every time piston reaches compression stroke with marks lined up ..compression about 115 right across...tried the screwdriver thing seems to be real good spark...even new plugs...im not a mechanic but in my mind it should at least fire...i must be missing something....back to you...looking forward to more direction

Brian R.
08-07-2004, 05:25 PM
Clean the plugs. If they are wet, they are fuel fouled. You may have wet the plugs by dumping fuel in the engine. After you clean the plugs, see if the car will burn start-up fuel (ether). If that doesn't get it to cough, then you have timing or spark problems. If the engine burns ether, then try fresh gas (see below). If you have fresh gas and it doesn't start on gas, then check/clean the injectors. Check the signal at the cold start injector connector. Check the connections on your sensors. Crank position sensor, etc.

You can check the injectors by listening to them with a stethescope. They should all click the same at idle. You can check for function by pulling the injectors as a set and watching each of them spray. Easier to just clean them if they click.

An example:
http://www.storesonline.com/site/598452/product/SMI001?src=google

Brian R.
08-07-2004, 05:38 PM
Could it be that the car had sat for a long time before you bought it? If so, the gas may be bad. If you don't know it's history with regard to sitting prior to you buying it, and if it is almost empty fill the tank with fresh gas. If the tank is full and you haven't put fresh gas in, consider draining the tank.

toyotawolf762
08-07-2004, 10:58 PM
car has fresh gas.....fresh plugs....injectors may all click the same at idle, but how do i know...it wont fire...cold statrt injector workin fine...havent tried the ether thing yet though....hmmmm

Brian R.
08-08-2004, 01:16 AM
You don't have to start it to hear the injectors, just crank it for a couple of seconds

Cammy_01
08-08-2004, 08:25 AM
Ok, there is a strong spark at each plug, you said there is good compression all the way across. The timing belt must not have jumped (or a slight jump only) if you have compression across the board as you say. This should at least be enough to get it to cough or want to start. Since you bought the car this way it is hard to say what they did or if they worked on it and messed with the timing of the distributor. You mentioned much gas on the plugs and you squirted more in the plug holes.. here is what I would do, re-verify the plugs are abosolutely clean.. I would replace them with new plugs.. again. Autolites are about a $1 each.. and are a great plug, even if you already did change them before lets change them and re-gap to spec again, just to be sure they are not gas fouled - at all, trust me this could keep it from starting or sometimes even coughing if they are fouled at all. What I think is happening is the plugs are wet enough they are grounding out all the spark, so there is no spark at the spark plug electrodes - that is why you dont even get a cough or sputter.

I suspect the injectors are functioning since you have so much fuel in the plugs. I think that it is flooded.. after you change the plugs again hook everything up and try starting again with your foot holding the accelerator all the way to the floor, keep it held to the floor for quite a while without pumping it.. just hold it to the floor the whole time.. what this will do is to clear out any excess gas that might be causing the flooding. Keep cranking it, let the starter cool for a couple of minutes if it does not start right away. Also before you try to crank it, lets charge the battery up all the way so we get a good solid crank. Lets try this and post back the results.. and we will go from there. I think there is a good chance if you follow these steps it will start though.

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