6G Celicas Forums

So i have finally gotten the 94 gt engine into the car. It was a real pain, basically had to use the jdm engine as a long block, and switch everything over. Well after doing the timing belt, water pump. switching fuel rails and intake manifold, exhaust manifold, ect, I finally finished, sure enough, the car turns, but wont start. After doing all this, i dont even know where to start. If anyone could help, i would really appreciate it.

timing is a big thing when putting a motor back in., harnesses, check your spark.

Are you getting spark? Are you getting fuel? Is everything properly grounded?

as far as the grounds go, im not 100% sure, where are all the grounds and where/what should they be attached to? I know i have compression, and i dont have a timing light, so that could be an issue, im concerned about the fact that the fuel rail and injectors were all removed and replaced. FYI: when buying a JDM engine, do not believe anything they tell you, in my experience, they will tell you exactly what you need to hear to make the sale. I was under the impression that this engine was going to be out and in, WRONG. I litterally had to change everything over. Im not too happy about that.

Well...the problem is that Japan never got the 5S-FE, so I'm assuming you got a 3S-GE instead then?

probably, I honestly dont even know. All i know is i was under the impression that this was my exact engine, that is what the idiot at the jdm place told me, regardless, i switched everything over, and dropped it in the car. Cant get it to start, dont know about the grounds and where they go, i just wwent out and bought a timing light, but i really dont know how to use it.

Well, it almost has to be a 3S-GE then. Care to post a pic?

Only 3S-GE pic I could find on the fly...let me look for a better one.



http://www.6gc.net/photo/member/7958/4

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Nov 17, 2009 - 1:15 PM

Biggest mistake, never buy a JDM and swap everything over unless you absolutely know your stuff. Biggest helper, would be to check your timing and if all the notches on the crank and the cams match up to TDC, then check your distributer to see if your getting spark. Then if it still won't fire have someone spray in some starter fluid to your intake and see if that fires it up. If it runs until the fuel spray is gone then you have fuel issues. Check for CEL codes.

Check that you set timing up right.

If he has a big ground unhooked you'll have nothing when you turn the key.

Grounds are on the alt bracket to passenger strut tower. Transmission near shifter arms to driver side strut tower. Big one behind starter on transmission to neg battery and a little one branching from there near driver side head light.

There are also grounds behind the intake manifold. I think they are injector grounds.

If all grounds are good and timing is on, check for spark and fuel. Since you swapped all the electrical stuff over you should have no issues.

well man, it looks like your gna need to do some researching. 1st thing I would do is take a pic of your engine.. and post here.. someone on this forum should be able to recognize your engine, and tell which one exactly it is.
Then do some reasearch on that engine and figure out where the grounds go. Once everything is plugged in correctly.. try and start the car. If the car is turning over but not starting.. then its probably not getting any fuel.. I would advise you to make sure the fuel pump is working correctly and that it is getting fuel. If its not even turning over.. check to make sure you are getting spark.. perhaps you will need to change your spark plugs or wires.. If youve done all these things and still no go.. then perhaps you need to adjust your timing.. you will need to research how to adjust it.

Thats the first thing ill try, pretty sure that could be part of it, i was a little confused about the grounds, hopind thats the issue,

as far as pics go, ill have to take some new ones today, only issue is, it looks identical to the 5sfe now, the intake maniforld,wire harness, exhaust manifold, and most of the mounts and brackets had to be switched over. ill post those pics later, but first ill check those grounds, does anyone have a write up on checking/adjusting the timing?

sounds like you have an engine built out of two different engines??

thats exactly what i have. And im not happy about it. btw where on the transmission other than by the starter, is the other ground located

you guys seem to forget the 94-97 jdm/euro ss-I/ss-2(unless u chose 3sge option) came with a 3s-fe which is exactly the same as the 5s-fe but as a 2liter. That is infact the 5s jdm equivalent.

I'm guessing its possible you have a 3sfe which is just a smaller displacement of the 5sfe (pretty much exactly the same motor)

once he puts pics up we will know

Update, so i got the car started. Turned out it was the grounds. So thank you all very much for your help. So far it isnt running so well. First off, my power steering pump is leaking bad, i think i know how to tackle this one. 2nd, not 100% sure but it might be leaking oil from behind the timing belt. IS this possible? Third, theres obviously a vaccume leak on the car somewhere, its revving up and down like crazy, oh and the smoke(which i expected). here is a pic of the new engine in the car

good job man!! I had similar issues with my swap.. my car revived up and down crazy also.. you have a vac leak.. looking at the pic I dont think your pressure sensor is plugged in.. you should go ahead and plug that in if its not. are your power steering hoses cut?? that could be the reason your PS is leaking. and check to make sure all hoses are plugged in anything unplugged will lead to the bad rev. if you have access to a vaccum leak sensor u should use it.. any place u have a leak it will smoke out. Not to sure about the timing belt issue.. pretty sure someone here can help with that however.. Good Luck man

This post has been edited by SlvrCelica09: Nov 17, 2009 - 6:44 PM

Thank you very much, im really excited about getting my car back to the point where i can start modifying it again, honestly Im upset about the swap being such a pain. For a few hundred dollars extra i couldve gotten a 3sgte, and had the wiring harness done, with less problems than this had. So all and all, im pretty upset about that, but i guess i can always do that next time around . I think the power steering problem has to do with the eyelet that connects to it, the new one and old one are different, I figured this might have happened. working on that now, hoping its just power steering fluid dripping and not oil from behind the timing belt. either way, Once im all done, ill post all my pics,