3rd gen problems

I will try to describe this as best I can. I have a 1996 SR5 with the 3.4. Engine was running great. However I was having some bad oil leaks. I decided to start on the valve covers. I replaced gaskets, grommets, re-sealed half moons and replaced back seals (Cam?) to do this I had to remove Plenum (I had done this in past to replace injectors) I got it all back together and it cranked right up. I ran it for less than a minute and heard a vacuum leak. I cut it off and fixed leak. It at this point would not crank. Just turned and turned without starting. on a hunch I pulled cover of timing belt off and wiggled the wires to the cam sensor. After I did this it slowly cranked. It seemed to be running like it was missing. I noticed condensation coming out tail pipe. I cut it off. Looked at the oil and it was milky. Keep in mind that it did not run more than 3 or 4 minutes total. AND I had changed the oil while replacing the valve cover gaskets. The oil I drained was really clean looking oil no evidence of water in it. It absolutely didn't run long enough to run hot also. What can be causing this?

 

Sabotoge?

You have to keep everything locked up and under servalance.

 

Head gasket can go at any time I guess, but that's an odd time for it to go. Cant think how anything you did would have caused it though I won't be doing my first valve cover job till later this summer. Is it possible something spilled into the engine, or did your cat piss in it when the covers were off?

 

On that engine, does coolant flow through the plenum?

also, when an engine is cranking, it means the starter is physically rotating the engine when the key is turned.

 

Yes it rotates when key is turned. however it would only crank after wiggling the wires to the cam sensor. strange stuff

 

Cranking doesn't mean running. When you crank an engine, you just are rotating the internals.

You mean "starting" or "firing".

So it cranks but doesn't start or fire up until you wiggle the wires to the cam sensor? You need a new Cam sensor. Only get a TOYOTA one.

OR do you actually mean, that nothing happens, no rotation or anything until you wiggle those wires? That would be weird.

 

hey @runninwitit69 did you get it fixed?

I never got coolant in the oil, but I did pinch the intake gasket installing a supercharger and got a vacuum leak and coolant in the engine valley that caused me problems with the anti knock sensors and found other problems...

Im wondering if you dislodged something when removing/installing the plenum...

any updates?

 

Sorry for slow response. It took me a while to get back around to working on it. Yes I found the problem. When I put it all back together The water bypass hose was improperly routed. I corrected that and pulled all the plugs and cleaned them real well. It is running like a champ now. I see no oil leaks on top on engine now (after replacing valve cover gaskets ) Unfortunately I still have another pretty good oil leak which appears to be front seal. So I am going to go ahead and replace timing belt, water pump and cam/crank seals. going to have to change oil too. (even though I just did smh) I suppose I will get it like I want it sooner or later lol