I bought this car from someone that blew the engine. I assume the guy's daughter ignored a bad radiator leak and the poor engine just cracked into pieces. I got it for $200 and I have an 1988 camry just like it (but the base model) that runs but with too many problems to be worth it.
I figured between the 2, I can mix and match pieces to get the '87 in good shape. I bought a used engine to put in it on ebay. Supposed to be from a 1987 camry with 90000 miles, 4 cylinder 3SFE engine. It looked to be in good shape but may have been sitting for quite a while. The distributor cap and the coolant temp sensor are different between the blown engine and the replacement though. I understood that there weren't any major differences between an 88 and 87... so this puzzles me.
After installing the engine, I cannot get it started. It has good spark, although I will replace distributor cap, wires, and plugs when I know it will run. I've already spent too much money on this project. I also put a new timing belt on it. It will run perfectly if I spray something in the throttle body. Otherwise it sounds like it is about to start but gets my hopes up for nothing. I put a can of seafoam in the gas thinking it may help unclog something but no luck. I know the fuel pump works and the pressure tested good.
I read your articles about testing the fuel injectors and how ere should be one wire on the connector with power that will light up a test light. Turns out that BOTH wires light up the ester. So I tried disconnecting all the injectors and then I get just one wire with power. But as soon as I connect a ny of them then both wires have power again. Does that mean my injectors are bad? Should I swap out the injectors from the old engine? They look to be in worse shape but I can't afford new ones at $100 each! Could there be a problem with the computer or another component that controls the injectors? I have tried everything I can think of... any suggestions?
I figured between the 2, I can mix and match pieces to get the '87 in good shape. I bought a used engine to put in it on ebay. Supposed to be from a 1987 camry with 90000 miles, 4 cylinder 3SFE engine. It looked to be in good shape but may have been sitting for quite a while. The distributor cap and the coolant temp sensor are different between the blown engine and the replacement though. I understood that there weren't any major differences between an 88 and 87... so this puzzles me.
After installing the engine, I cannot get it started. It has good spark, although I will replace distributor cap, wires, and plugs when I know it will run. I've already spent too much money on this project. I also put a new timing belt on it. It will run perfectly if I spray something in the throttle body. Otherwise it sounds like it is about to start but gets my hopes up for nothing. I put a can of seafoam in the gas thinking it may help unclog something but no luck. I know the fuel pump works and the pressure tested good.
I read your articles about testing the fuel injectors and how ere should be one wire on the connector with power that will light up a test light. Turns out that BOTH wires light up the ester. So I tried disconnecting all the injectors and then I get just one wire with power. But as soon as I connect a ny of them then both wires have power again. Does that mean my injectors are bad? Should I swap out the injectors from the old engine? They look to be in worse shape but I can't afford new ones at $100 each! Could there be a problem with the computer or another component that controls the injectors? I have tried everything I can think of... any suggestions?
May 6, 2012 at 7:03 AM
