6G Celicas Forums

I drove my mother's 1990 Celica ST to my doctor's appointment without any issues. I stopped to get gas on the way and still made it there without any problems. After an hour, I jumped in and started it and and pulled up to the road to make a turn. Just as I got ready to turn the car stalled out. I went to start it back up and it just wouldn't do it. I tried a few more times to start it but no luck. The battery is fine, the alternator is new.

I moved the car out of the way and then checked the oil. NOTHING showed on the dipstick. I poured a quart and a half in and finally it registered in the middle of the dipstick. I went to start the car again and still no luck.

When I turn the key it sounds SIMILAR to a car that wants to start on a low battery. However, the sound doesn't sound the exact same to me. It's very similar but for some reason I just feel like it's "different."

Any ideas? The gentleman that towed the car home for me said he thought it sounding like the timing belt needed to be replaced. Would low oil cause this? What can I do to check what the issue is or what likely needs to be repaired?

did you check if you're getting spark, fuel, and compression? if those things are there then check if your timing belt snapped. a locked engine wouldnt be able to crank since all the internals would have welded together

pull off the valve cover. timing belt is on the lefthand side connected to the cam pulley.

If you remove the nut on the upper right of the timing cover (plastic) you can peak inside to check it out . If you see the gear with no belt it is
broken. I don't think your problem is under the valve cover(metal).

If the belt is not broken sounds like a cap and rotor problem. Then I would look at fuel pump.

I would check the battery, too. A jump is an easy place to start. Reason why I mention this is the new alternator. If the battery was run for a while with the old alternator, it may have caused it burn out. I have had this happen before.

BTW - if a quart of oil put it on the dipstick, you are probably two quarts low, which should do any damage in the short term (really, though have your mom check her oil).

I ran into a similar problem..
I changed distributor, Wires, PTS, ECU and still having problems..
My car would start and then die..
So please let me know if you have fix yours and how..
Thanks..

To check for timing belt failure remove the distributer cap and try to start the engine. If the rotor spins the belt is not broken - move on to the next thing

Well, mine was the battery and when I replaced it I was fine. If it is turning over and then dying it could be a handful of things from a vacuum leak, the idle to a problem with the fuel delivery. Have you tried starting it and then holding down the gas to force it to maintain a high idle? If so, what did that do?

^ that is the way you can check the timing belt. But really problem usually lies in spark or fuel. Anything part of your ignition, test your spark plugs, wires, cap, rotor, distributor assembly, igniter, etc.

your issue sounds like fuel pump

WALKER & I just popped off the disty cap and tried to crank it but the rotor didn't even flinch...

So - definately the Timing Belt then?

It was about time for it to go anyways... lol

def timing belt. low oil would not cause that, though im sure it didn't help your motor any.

Oh sry - I'm not the thread starter.
My oil is tippy-toppy.

Thanks for the info regarding the timing belt tho. I appreciate it.