1986 Camry will not start after sitting

[Teddie]

I foolishly let the car sit 2-3 weeks after the exhaust system came disconnected and now it will not start.

I put a new battery in, the car catches, but stalls right away. Any tips to get the Camry going, I would hate to send it to a junkyard.

UPDATE: Put in new spark plugs since I flooded the engine trying to start it and cranked it with the spark plugs off to try to get rid of the excess fuel. Even tried starter fluid as well as pushing it around with an Alero to get it to start. It would catch, but always stall and there looks to be no compression in the engine. Will try again later then throw in the towel on this experiment.

[Brian R.]

Check to see if the cams are rotating when you crank the engine. You may have broken the timing belt.

Make sure the choke is closing when you push on the accelerator once.

Also, spray some carburetor cleaner in the throats to see if you can clean out the jets. The accelerator pump may be spraying gas when you pump the accelerator pedal which would flood the engine, but the jets may be plugged which would prevent it from running. May need to rebuild the carburetor.

[Mike Gerber]

Brian and Teddie,

The 86 Camry is multiport fuel injected, not carbureted. The best way to start a flooded fuel injected engine is the same as with a carbureted engine. After checking that the timing belt is intact, hold the accelerator pedal to the floor while cranking. If it is only flooded, then it should eventually start.

Mike

[Brian R.]

You are probably right, Mike. I assumed that the OP was talking about a carbureted engine from something he said. My bad.

If it is actually flooded, then clean your injectors. One of them is probably leaking into your combustion chamber.

[MikeCStig]

If you do in fact suspect low compression, do a compression test and post the numbers when you do. If it is low compression, check your camshaft timing. If the timing is set right and the compression is still low, the only true solution is rebuilding or replacing the engine.