[SOLVED] No start after replacing Valve cover Gasket

I replaced the Valve Cover Gasket on my Tacoma, and now it won’t start. When I go to crank it, it will just spit,sputter, and die. All the connectors, ground wires etc are plugged in, and all fuses are good. I tried spraying starter fluid down the intake, and still no dice. It does have spark. The engine is the 2.4 2rz

 

Ignition coils all seated well? Possibly broken spark plugs from disassembly/reassembly? Just spitballing here.

 

This happened to me. It was a single ground that was only hand tight. Recheck all grounds, that could be the culprit.

 

I would look at the ECM ground they can be quite finicky at times.

One day I just gave the bolt a little snug that was enough the circuit opened causing a failure to start !

Finding that just about drove me nuts well more nuts in my case.

 

I just took off the valve cover again, and put the engine to TDC. It looks like the timing jumped. What would cause this? Also, what are the chances that my valves are bent and my engine is now scrap metal?

 

So, did you just replace the valve cover gasket? Or did you do more than that? I can't think of any reason your timing would have jumped by just replacing the gasket.

Also, I know on some engines, you may have to rotate the engine multiple times to get the chain back to the position it was in when installed. Not sure about the 2.4. So don't freak out just yet. If it spits, sputters, and dies, and didn't make horrific metal-on-metal sounds, I don't think your chain jumped.

 

Valve Cover Gasket You should not have had to remove the timing chain !! Did You ??

Was your truck towed to the shop to change the valve cover gasket?

It ran fine till you parked it unless you removed the chain for some reason!

It is electrical .

 

I did not even touch the chain, all I did was check valve clearance with a feeler gauge, and replace the cover gasket.

 

If you adjusted the valves then you have found your issue. This can happen if you have them snugged down to much and therefore they are not seating in the head (combustion chamber) all the way. If all you did was check them then that should not be the issue. I worked on a 22R for a week for a friend once and could not figure it out and then he said "oh, I mean I did tighten the valves because they were loose and rattles when I shook them so I snugged them up". I was like, well shit!

 

Looks correct to me, the marks on the chain are only for initial assembly. as long as your timing mark at the crank is at 0*, your cams are in the right position.

 

i also doubt that changing valve covers gasket will mess up the timing. Check those grounds to make sure they are tight. Maybe you are on empty??? i seen this happen to many people and the failed to check if they had gas

 

Check the fuel rail vacuum hose. Make sure all vacuum hoses are connected.

 

Guessing you didnt use an OE gasket or Toyota gasket sealer.......







Redo everything you touched during the R&R of the cover. Somethings not replaced correctly.

 

Any chance the mass air sensor is unplugged? It’s a little out of the way compared to the stuff on top of the engine

 

i did not adjust, only checked the clearance. They were within spec.

 

It has gas

 

Your timing marks are only correct when number one is on TDC on the firing stroke.
Check all the wiring connections around the valve cover.

 

So, the timing looks ok assuming the mark on the harmonic balancer is set to 0, and #1 is at TDC?

 

I’m not familiar with the timing procedure on this engine but I am very familiar with engines and understand how they work and how to build and work on them.

A 4 stroke engine piston comes to TDC center twice in the 4 stroke cycle once on the firing stroke and once on the exhaust stroke and these positions will correspond with the 0 on your harmonic balancer. Just turning the engine to line the TDC mark up with the timing tab doesn’t mean your on TDC firing stroke.

The firing stroke is found by removing number one spark plug and turn the engine over until you feel pressure from the plug hole this is best done by turning the engine over slowly by hand with a ratchet on the balancer bolt. If this engine ran before you done the valve cover replacement it has not jumped timing I would be looking at all harness connections and as stated above check your engine grounds.

Would you mind telling us how you checked for spark?

 

I checked for spark by taking out each coil, and putting a spark plug in the end of the coil, and holding the plug against the cylinder head.