Yikes. Changed crank seal. Tacoma won’t start

Hey all. To begin with, this forum has saved my bacon more than a few times. I can’t tell you how invaluable it’s been to me. Thank you.

I have a very specific question after a comment. Toyota trucks are the best trucks ever made…

Here’s what’s going on with mine. It has 320,000 miles on it and has never not started. I had a drip either at the crank seal or at the oil pump o-ring. I decided to change both.

Here’s the dumb part. I thought that I’d undone all of the torx screws holding the oil pump cover down when in fact, I had left one on. It just needed a gentle push to fall off, or so I thought. I pried on what looks to be a handle on the oil pump cover and popped that handle looking thing off. Here’s the question… Is that handle critical for some ignition activation or for the truck running?

I’m asking because I got the truck back together, complete with a new harmonic balancer and with that one exception, everything seemed to go without incident, but the truck will not start. It just turns over.

Any ideas? Yes, I have gas in it.

Yes, I know… What I did was super stupid.

Thanking everyone in advance for any input.

 

By the way, some earlier input suggested a crank sensor problem… I don’t know where the sensor is…I’ve read one account that places it kind of behind the alternator and another behind the ac compressor….if behind the alternator, there’s a reason that it may not be working that I won’t get into (unless someone needs the info). Thanks.

 

Do you have any pictures of the area in question?

 

Did you recheck anything that was disconnected? Make sure everything is secured.

Also, see the last post here -
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2-7-oil-pump-installation.517619/

 

Here’s some earlier info from TnShooter and a line of thought I’m following…


“The handle thing is only to assist in getting you on TDC and for a timing reference.

Are you sure you got the crank sensor plugged back in?

The truck will not allow the fuel pump to run without a crank signal.”


I know that I didn’t disconnect the cps.

For any 2.7 guys that need confirmation, the crank position sensor is behind the alternator, not the AC compressor.

So I thought maybe I’d messed up the wiring to the crank position sensor when I was mucking around with the alternator when removing belts to get to the harmonic balancer…

Upon visual inspection, that doesn’t appear to be the case but I’m going to remove the alternator bracket to see about it. Working on that now.

is there an easy way to test to see if fuel is flowing when cranking? Is this a fuel feed to the rail and could I undo it and crank to see if fuel is flowing?

 

Thanks again for any help. This truck is so reliable that I don’t work on it much. I don’t really know my way around it

 

Here’s some earlier info from TnShooter and a line of thought I’m following…


“The handle thing is only to assist in getting you on TDC and for a timing reference.

Are you sure you got the crank sensor plugged back in?

The truck will not allow the fuel pump to run without a crank signal.”


I know that I didn’t disconnect the cps.

For any 2.7 guys that need confirmation, the crank position sensor is behind the alternator, not the AC compressor.

So I thought maybe I’d messed up the wiring to the crank position sensor when I was mucking around with the alternator when removing belts to get to the harmonic balancer…

Upon visual inspection, that doesn’t appear to be the case but I’m going to remove the alternator bracket to see about it. Working on that now.

is there an easy way to test to see if fuel is flowing when cranking? Is this a fuel feed to the rail and could I undo it and crank to see if fuel is flowing?

 

Sorry. I’m new to posting and posted the last twice. I see the delete button but I’m worried I’ll delete the entire post.

 

If you have a Tach, does the needle on the tach move when cranking?

 

Update. I sprayed starter fluid into the intake past the filter and it ran for three seconds and then died. It’s a fuel delivery problem and you may be right about the crank sensor TnShooter, but I never messed with it and no damage is apparent to it so it would be a fantastic coincidence that it happened to fail just as I was working on it.

I did put a new harmonic balancer on it. Everything looks lined-up….that is, pulleys with belts …

 

For general information. CPS on 2.7…behind alternator mounting bracket. Bracket removed.

 

Just to let everyone know. It’s the new harmonic balancer. Apparently, the crankshaft position sensor reads the harmonic balancer. I put the old one back on and the truck started immediately.

 

Well, we were on the right path.
Just looking at the wrong part.

Good to hear you got it fixed.

 

Yea. A relief. That’s was a bunch of work for the new part not to do it’s thing.