1995 Toyota Celica timing belt? Or not

Tiny
AMANDA629
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 TOYOTA CELICA
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 175,000 MILES
I have an automatic 95 toyota celica. I was on the freeway and all of a sudden my car powers down. It sounded as if I dropped it in low. I pull over, car fully dies. I try to start it and it trys to start but doesnt fully start. I got a tow. I jumped it and nothing. About 45 minuted later it starts. I drive about half a mile and it just shut off while at a red light. Tryed to start it and it trys to start but once again failed. I had some friends try to mess wth it and then it started again. Was able to get it to my boyfriends house. But now it still wont start. We had a mechanic come look at it. He said he was pretty sure it was timing belt (he only checked by hearing the car since I didnt pay him) he didnt actually take anything apart. He thinks its the timing belt but some people are saying that if it is the timing belt it wouldnt have been able to start up again the way it did before I got it to the house. Any suggestions on what it is? I dont have any money to to be buying parts and testing different things.
Saturday, September 25th, 2010 AT 2:42 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
The mechanic or parts changer tried to pull a fast one on you-Do below to determine if its compression, fuel and spark problem.

Get a helper disconnect a sparkplug wire or 2 and ground it to the engine atleast 3/16 away from ground-have helper crank engine over-do you have a snapping blue spark? If so-you have a fuel related problem, check the fuel pressure to rule out the fuel filter/fuel pump/pressure regulator and listen to the injector/s are they pulsing or hook up a noid light. No snapping blue spark continue to troubleshoot the ignition system-power input to the coil/coil packs, coil's resistances, cap and rotor, distributor pick-up coil, ignition control module, cam and crank sensors and computer Note: If it doesn't apply disregard it and keep testing

If both fuel and spark is present-check the valve and ignition timing, this will lead you to problems
with compression and valves opening and closing at the wrong time/broken or jumped timing
belt/chain.
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Saturday, September 25th, 2010 AT 4:59 AM
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
Hi there,

If the timing belt failed it would not start, I would be checking the fuel pressure first, this is sounding like a failed fuel pump, start here.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Saturday, September 25th, 2010 AT 4:59 AM
Tiny
AMANDA629
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
We already tried the fuel pump, fuel relay, and ignition coil. It still didnt start. Our next thing to check is the distributor. We changed the distributor cap and rotor. It started up. We left the car on to test it but once the fan started it died again. We plan on changing the distributor next but if it still doesnt work then im not sure
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Sunday, September 26th, 2010 AT 11:11 PM

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