I bought a 93 4Runner 5spd 4x4 3vze last summer after I graduated highshcool. When I bought the car it ran great for about 50 miles or so and then it just shut off. After I got it towed home I eventually figured out the problem. The timing was off a tooth and somehow one of the shims bent and Jamed the camshaft on the left side. Two of the valves were bent and the head was burnt so I went to the junkyard and got a good working head with the cam for about 150$. I replaced the head, but I ended up now dealing with some problems that I need help With. First off do I need the knock sensor? Will it affect performance if I don't have it connected? Second I need help with the distributer gear positioning I messed up by taking the distributer Apart thinking I that's how I detach it on the camshaft, but I found out I was wrong. Since I took it aprt I don't know how to align the gear in it correctly, so that it distributes in the correct order. I took the heads off in this car in 45min, but in doing that I lost on putting it back together. I just need help on if I should keep working on it or sell it. I'm 19 and I'm in college and I play baseball so time is an issue, I have no mechanic and i have no money and it would be be nice to have a car lol. Help!

I need help knowing what I need to do to get this lined up on the cam correctly or should I just buy another one that's not taken apart?

 

Perhaps someone close to you could help in person!!

The only thing I could suggest is the Factory Service Manual for your year vehicle.

I am sure glad I was to stupid to go to collage.

 

Without the knock sensor (properly connected -- you'll almost certainly need to replace the "pigtail" from the sensor under the intake manifold) the ECU will throw code 52 and dramatically retard the timing to save the engine. Translation: it will run, but like a badly wounded dog.

"distributor" You're a college student now, keep up your spelling.

The "gear" is the reluctor wheel. It sets the exact firing time, but has nothing to do with firing order. Your picture shows the reluctor wheel in place; if you didn't pull that off then the rotor just bolts back up. It only goes on one way. If you somehow pulled the reluctor wheel, the distributor is toast.

Welcome to the life of a college student.

I'm sure you didn't pay a lot for the truck in the first place, but I fear you may now be in for more than you bargained for. "Slapping on " a new head is not like changing a headlamp. It sounds like you don't have access to the FSM; how did you know HOW to install the head? Going forward, you might get lucky and it will work "okay." Or you might have a CEL and descend down the hell of those with code 52. Or it might not work at all. Selling it now won't be easy; few people want to buy a truck in pieces, particularly one that bent a cam.

If you want to keep trying, I admire that. Here's where to start: http://web.archive.org/web/201208120...buchanan/93fsm

 

Thank you for the reply! I used the proper torque pattern. I have a chiltons book for that model 4Runner. I've replaced all gaskets new head bolts and everything. I can fix the knock sensor easy. I really appreciate the help. I've been buying and selling cars and motorcycles since I was 15. I just buy broke down cars and fix them. I usually work on V8 engines, so this was just different haha. I paid 800$ for the car.