Ls 400 Wont Start After Cambelt Change

[mitch69]

hi all just done the belt on my 1997 ls 400 everything went ok put it all back together went to start it

and it starts up but stall straight the way any ideas as im stuck many thanks

[SteveLS400]

hi all just done the belt on my 1997 ls 400 everything went ok put it all back together went to start it

and it starts up but stall straight the way any ideas as im stuck many thanks

Welcome Mitch.

Please use the search facility. Not all members have the time to post regularly and I guess you could do with a quick response.

[mitch69]

hi thanks for the welcome

just a update found a fuse under dash 10amp says ing on it it was blown replaced car started straight the way great i thought turned off went to re start but started and stalled straight the way

checked fuse all ok

the only way it will run is if we dissconect either grey plug going to one of the camshaft position sensors as soon as you plug the other one in it dies straight the way

any ideas on this one

[bazgtr]

I've got a very good idea. Why don't people get mechanics to do the timing belt job to avoid faults.

The good news is you might have to rip it all apart again to find where the damage lies.

The reason the engine ticks over on one sensor is there is a fault and goes into limp home mode and takes the signal off just the one good sensor, When you connect the other then the ECU reads the faulty signal and shuts off the engine.

The problem lies with that sensor or cable you may have trapped or damaged when refitting everything.

Please don't tell me it's the left hand side one when looking at the engine from the front that cuts out the engine when refitted. DOH.

[mitch69]

ohhhhhhhhhhhh touchy lol

we are mechanics in a garage thought we would just ask but as always theres a know it all

and yes we have took it to bits twice

anyways thank god i dont own one thanks

[steve2006]

I must admit I will do most things myself,including a starter motor removal,repair and refit but did let a local garage change my cam belt and it took them over 10 hours, have you read the diagnostic codes even if the EML is not on there may be a stored code giving an indication of the problem and with you being a garage you should have access to a decent live data analyser,possible causes could be as you suspect cam sensors (compare the resistance of the two of them with a meter) and their associated wiring,possibly the crank sensor although this normally gives a complete no start.

Even though the fuel system hasn't been touched it may be worth checking the fuel rail pressure.

[bazgtr]

If you have a garage and are mechanics then just plug into it with the machine like I do.

As for owning one these cars I find these are bullet proof and very easy to work on compared to most if not all french cars(I hate them).

Cam angle sensor is damaged when you done the timimg belt is my first choise to look. Find another set and swap them over and go from there.

I can be touchy all depends on the day I've had but further in my first reply I mention the signal is coming out of the one sensor and the ecu is taking the signal from elsewhere and goes into limp home mode, When you reconnect it detects the fault and then shuts off the engine from running. Disconnect the sensor and then it restarts taking the signal from the one sensor.

[mitch69]

had auto electrician look at it today checked everything said no wireing fault ....

so must be a timeing prob only thing is we use autodata and this gives you diffrent settings from the book

so which would you use ......

[bazgtr]

auto electrician found no problems then I need more info but still say the cam sensor is damaged.

Few things i need to check.

A) Have you removed and replaced the spark plugs in the right order both sides?

B) Is the timing belt installed correctly on with the belt marks that line up with both camshafts lines?

C) Did you set No1 cyclinder to TDC/Compression and then set the aling the groove on the crankshaft pulley to the timing mark of "o" of the timimg belt cover when fitting the belt?

D) Have you got any warning lights on the dash? When running or not?

Does the engine check light come on etc.

[mitch69]

right

1st i didnt do the job one of my boys did.... it was doomed from the start when we got cam belt kit the kit we got was wrong it had 211 teeth on it so was to big

the new belt we got had 209 teeth wich was right but had no marks on the belt .....

the boys said they could not see the marks to lign up so used the tipex option .... bad i know but only found this out today ......

as for removeing plugs i could not tell you ........

no lights on dash at all when we first tried to start it up .. engine light on now due to removeing sensor wire ......when running

auto electician says tested all wires ect no problems both sensors have signal ect ect ....

ive looked at the car today on the cam pullys there are 2 tags are these the cam pully marks

[ROYT]

right

1st i didnt do the job one of my boys did.... it was doomed from the start when we got cam belt kit the kit we got was wrong it had 211 teeth on it so was to big

the new belt we got had 209 teeth wich was right but had no marks on the belt .....

the boys said they could not see the marks to lign up so used the tipex option .... bad i know but only found this out today ......

as for removeing plugs i could not tell you ........

no lights on dash at all when we first tried to start it up .. engine light on now due to removeing sensor wire ......when running

auto electician says tested all wires ect no problems both sensors have signal ect ect ....

ive looked at the car today on the cam pullys there are 2 tags are these the cam pully marks

If you can look at 'Autodata' all the info for replacing is on there

[mitch69]

all sorted timeing was out

[lexynik]

i bet the owner will be pleased

[steve2006]

all sorted timeing was out

Good result then was that a 3rd strip down then? The garage that did mine used Autodata but having the incorrect belt wouldn't help,glad you got it sorted.

I would assume that's why the cam sensors were as they were with the cams out of sync their output would be wrong and conflicting.

For future reference there is now a Tutorial for the later engines the one below is for the LS430 but I would think apart from capacity they are similar

http://www.shastaanesthesia.com/Lexus/Page1.html

[bazgtr]

auto electrician found no problems then I need more info but still say the cam sensor is damaged.

Few things i need to check.

A) Have you removed and replaced the spark plugs in the right order both sides?

B) Is the timing belt installed correctly on with the belt marks that line up with both camshafts lines?

C) Did you set No1 cyclinder to TDC/Compression and then set the aling the groove on the crankshaft pulley to the timing mark of "o" of the timimg belt cover when fitting the belt?

D) Have you got any warning lights on the dash? When running or not?

Does the engine check light come on etc.

Well I wasn't far away as my choice of B to look at for the problem which resulted in C having no chance of being right.

Glad you sorted it out.

PS.

Who supplied the wrong belt, If their error give them a ear bashing as next time on another car could end up being expensive.