1994 4runner limited no compression

[rastabunny216]

Hi All,

I posted previously if this car was worth fixing the blow head gasket. 1994 Toyota 4runner automatic with 170K miles. It missed the gasket recall by 6 months. I ended up giving it a shot from responses. A lot of hours were put into it. We got down to the blown head gasket. There was no damage to the heads. Everything was cleaned with a wire brush as much as possible. We replaced all seals, gaskets, hoses, clamps, the water pump, thermostat and radiator as we built our way back up. Once we started the car up after all this, it would die in drive. We thought it had a vacuum leak. Checked for that and found nothing. We corrected a few fuel lines in the wrong places. Stilll had no changes. The engine isn't making any irregular sounds. It's not getting compression and it's throwing fuel and smokes. A mechanic of 30+ years took a look at it. He thinks the cams weren't put into the right spots. At this point with a wedding in a month, I'm stumped my priorities are a little different. I've been trying to sell the rig for $1500 as is. It's value right now is $2300.. I've been getting multiple offers for people wanting to pay $500 and telling me nobody will buy it. Any suggestions? Keep it and eventually throw a new motor into it? Taking $500 for it seems like a low blow.
I appreciate any input!!

 

[Hyde802]

How are the cams in the wrong spot? You mean timing?

What have you checked? Timing? Is the CEl light on? Usually dumping fuel in a 3.0 is a 02 sensor problem. What cylinders have low compression? All or just one? Checked TPS?

Recent work doesn't mean anything if it doesn't run/drive! 500 sounds fair to me for a paperweight.

Check out the Classic section on here, youll have better luck getting answers about 2nd gen runners.

 

[KidVermicious]

Hi All,

I posted previously if this car was worth fixing the blow head gasket. 1994 Toyota 4runner automatic with 170K miles. It missed the gasket recall by 6 months. I ended up giving it a shot from responses. A lot of hours were put into it. We got down to the blown head gasket. There was no damage to the heads. Everything was cleaned with a wire brush as much as possible. We replaced all seals, gaskets, hoses, clamps, the water pump, thermostat and radiator as we built our way back up. Once we started the car up after all this, it would die in drive. We thought it had a vacuum leak. Checked for that and found nothing. We corrected a few fuel lines in the wrong places. Stilll had no changes. The engine isn't making any irregular sounds. It's not getting compression and it's throwing fuel and smokes. A mechanic of 30+ years took a look at it. He thinks the cams weren't put into the right spots. At this point with a wedding in a month, I'm stumped my priorities are a little different. I've been trying to sell the rig for $1500 as is. It's value right now is $2300.. I've been getting multiple offers for people wanting to pay $500 and telling me nobody will buy it. Any suggestions? Keep it and eventually throw a new motor into it? Taking $500 for it seems like a low blow.
I appreciate any input!!

Hate to say it, but a truck that doesn't run isn't worth $2300, or even $1500. $500-$700 is about right for a second gen with a bad motor. My advice - if you've got time but no money, tear it down again and figure out what you did wrong. If you've got money but no time, buy a long block and have your mechanic throw it in. If you have no money and no time, park it and come back to it later. Or if you're sick of it and want to start over, sell it for what you can get, but it won't be much. You'd get more if you parted it out.

What did your mechanic see that made him think the cams weren't lined up?