Supra died on test drive
 

Well I got the 86 going and did a little light test drive it was doing OK with old gas and the like and had been resurrected after many years of sitting. I was doing about 20mph just driving around my neighborhood taking it easy on it when it suddenly sputtered and died. I walked to a friends house we came back and jumped it cause I had a weak battery in it and it didn't fire at all not even a pop.

Kept trying to start it and then the motor started turning fast like it had no plugs in it at all while trying to start it. Like just then it lost all compression. I pulled it back home and parked it.

Any ideas? Broken timing belt? Clogged fuel filter? Loose plugs? Any idea why it would suddenly start turning over very fast under starter power like it had no compression? Blown head? Weird! Doesn't make sense that all the rings could go bad at once. If the timing belt broke would it spin fast under the starter load? I had oil pressure and it was running at the correct temp.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

As long as that thing sat in the woods. I would start by rebuilding the engine since you are going to have problem after problem. Every hose, vaccuum line and gasket has a very high chance of leaking.

Curious
 

It sat in the driveway not actually in the woods. I just read that an engine spinning like no compression during attempted starting could mean a broken timing belt. but I heard nothing like the valves being slapped. Is th 7mGE a non interference engine? If a timing belt breaks does that roach the head? Thanks

It should be fine since it is a non inter. motor. That does make sense since half your valves are probably open. It most likely broke since the gears are rusted and the belt is dry rotten. It won't be fun doing the timing belt since you have to get the drive pulley off first that was torqued to 195lbs and it probably is now rusted in place. I'd start by pulling off the upper timing cover to take a look at the belt. I think it has about 6 bolts in it.

I hear ya
 

The crank bolt I usually let the starter take care of that, wedge a braking bar and then hit the starter to pop the bolt loose I figure you are right. I did my other Supras timing belt a few years ago and it is also an MK3 so if I had to do anything at least I know how to do this repair. I was just looking for a thread here to refresh my memory. I have a manual but it sucks it covers too many years. All I really need to know is how to line up the cams and the bottom. I guess I will start on it tomorrow. Probably exactly what happened. I was planning on doing this anyway.

I WAS SO RELIEVED when I read that the motor is non interference. Whew! This will be about another $50 buck max out of my pocket which isn't too bad.

Why did they ever go to belts anyway? Seems stupid when chains are so much more reliable.

Belts are generally said to be more quite and less expensive. My 2000 celica has a chain though. Everything you need is in here....


http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TSRM/MK3/

Allrighty Then!
 

Hey Thanks! This is great! A manual on line pint out the page you need and rock on! Get too much grease on the sheet just print a new one....AWESOME!

Radiator?
 

Do you usually pull the radiator when doing a timing belt? I always have but this manual does not mention it. I guess I just like having the extra room to work. Also it keeps the radiator safe from slipped wrenchs or the like. Do you do yours with or without the radiator in place?

Pull the oil cap off and shine a light in while someone cranks the engine. You'll see the #1 intake cam lobe moving if the belt is intact.

Great Idea
 

Thats even easier than pulling the top cover! Thanks!

Strange
 

Ok I fiddled with it again today. Strange, I am starting to wonder if I am out of gas. Here is what happened today. I jacked it up started taking the underpinning down set it on Jack stands had to wait till I picked up my 7 year old daughter from school. She did the starting I did the looking. The cam is moving as it should it looks real good inside the head no rust and everything oiled. The car was turning over as it should with compression. It actually fired and tried to start. Puzzled. I went back to town bought some starting fluid started spraying into the air intake and honestly don't know if this works on Supras or not. Is this where you spray the starting fluid cause it acted like it never got any.

I pulled the #1 spark plug and tested it for spark and I have spark, Put it back in and tried again spraying more starting fluid up into the air intake I disconnected the large rubber boot that attaches to the upper plenum and sprayed in there.

No start no fire. I then puzzeled, went back and depressed the throttle to the floor and just kept cranking it for like 20 seconds. I then pulled the #1 spark plug and it was dry. It should have been wet correct?

So I am thinking maybe my gas sender or float is stuck and I am getting a false reading on my gas gage, so I go to the back underneath and loosen the drain plug and gas starts to come out. OK there is some fuel in there. But maybe not enough to start the car? SO tomorrow I am lowering the front and jacking the rear and draining all the gas out to see how much is in there. The strange part is the gas that did come out smelled fresh not like 6 year old fuel that has sat in a tank. I own collection of motorcycles so I am more than familiar with skanky old gas.

So maybe I am out of gas? I burned up the two gallons I put in it and my gauge is stuck???? Don't want to add more till I get the old gas out cause the car sat so long.

Any other ideas? Where do I put the starting fluid in to see if I can get it to fire? Also found the plug wires to not be stock and probably not well connected to the plugs. Ordered new plugs and found a new set of wires that I had bought some time ago so I hooked three up to make sure I was getting good contact on the plugs.

Is there a fuse on the fuel pump? Problem might be fuel filter? ANy other ideas? Correct way to start on ether? I don't know other than spraying it in the intake. Please help if you can.

Thanks so much


UPDATE
I pulled 7 gallons of old fuel out of it and am on my way to get some new plugs and gas, once again this morning first key turn it fired and then nothing. Going to get new gas put in plugs and try again. Thae EFI fuse looks to be good.


UPDATE I think my fuel pump died. I hear no sound from the tank when the ignition is first turned on. Youre supposed to hear the pump aren't you? Thanks

UPDATE> I have a found the problem the timing belt jumped! The marks do not line up as they should crank pulley to cams at TDC
I have steady cracking in the timing belt but it is intact so I am curious as to how it could have jumped like that. If the #1 piston is at top and the cams line up at 12:00 noon with the marks on the cams it then it can't be 180 degrees out correct?

Makes sense that the Timing belt skipped or jumped. Got the radiator out and I guess I will get in there and get that pull;ey off. I better go out with a flashlight and dose it with PB Blaster. Here are some pics.