Topic: 1985 2WD motor swap won’t start

[Flashcobra89]

I have a 1985 Toyota pickup 2WD I’m swapping a different motor into it. The new motor was originally a 22RE. We took intake and exhaust off old motor and swapped it to the new motor. We pulled head off motor it has new head gasket. We did timing chain and got into into time #1 TDC. both timing marks were lined up. When we pulled the head off the new motor I did notice that the pistons had markings that the old motor did not have. They had a 2 and also had 0.50 stamped on them. The bottom of the valves were completely clean like it hadn’t ran. We have everything hooked up we have spark we have fuel and everything but it will not fire up. I am using my phone to post this and not sure how to add pics but I do have some

[redneckcustoms13]

Are you sure the distributor isnt 180° out?

[Flashcobra89 [OP]]

We made sure we weren’t 180 out we’ve done it like 10 times with no success. I’m stumped on what it could be.

[Snowtoy]

If you have spark and fuel and no start, you have a timing issue, valves incorrectly set, or blocked/clogged intake system.  Have you done a compression check to see what the cylinders are doing during cranking?

Since the engine is unknown to you, I would start back at the beginning, set it to TDC, pull the #1 spark plug and make sure it is at TDC and not 180* out, then check that the valves are correct, i.e., those that are supposed to be loose are loose and those that are tight are tight and set correctly, and then pull the cap and check to see that the rotor is its correct position to fire on the #1 plug at TDC.

Do you have a factory service manual, or using a Chilton's/winging it?

Valves positions at TDC



How to insert the Dist. w/engine st TDC for 22r, or at 5* before TDC for 22re.

[Flashcobra89 [OP]]

We have a chiltons. We just assumed everything was set valve wise because it came out of another truck. The person was trying to turn their late 70’s Toyota camper into fuel injected but the camper ended in the junk yard. We will check that in the next few days cuz unfortunately I’m an essential worker lol.

[Snowtoy]

Chilton's is kind of useless last maintenance and some common repairs.  As long as everything when the t-chain, valves, tdc, is correct, etc., if you install the distributor as shown, it is all but guaranteed to fire, then just have to set the timing.

[Slabzilla]

If this is an injected motor, you'll need the grounds to the firewall and the oft forgotten one on the intake manifold where the 2 pieces meet. Look for a loose shiney ring connector below the manifold, it needs to be on the intake bolt for the engine to fire.  Check the ignighter too.   

[Flashcobra89 [OP]]

I will check those. I know we did the ground to the firewall but not sure about the one on the intake. Thanks for all the information and taking the time to comment. I appreciate it very much. I was told the other day we should check the valves to make sure they are torqued and aren’t too tight or too loose.

[Flashcobra89 [OP]]

I just compression tested the motor. #1 has 0 compression. #3 has 75 #4 has 95 and # 2 has 70

[Slabzilla]

Are the valves adjusted correctly?   Getting ''0" is usually a sign of a burnt valve or one that's stuck open for some reason. If there wasn't a hole in the piston when you had the head off, then you have a valve or severe cylinder head gasket leak problem.