Replaced starter on my 1994 LS400. After buttoning up the engine cranked but was not starting. Finally go it to start but now white smoke billows out the exhaust an after about 15 seconds of idle a bubbling foam of what looks like a mix of gas and oil backs out the throttle body. What's going on? Car has 110,000 miles and original timing belt which looks frayed. Could engine have jumped out of time? How do I check to see if timing is correct?

 

White smoke is burning coolant.
Rough running is likely the cause or byproduct of this. 110k is way past the service interval of the belt, and sounds like it is in dire need of replacement.

I'd check the timing and pull the plugs as a start. Post back and we can advise from there!

 

yes, do the overdue timing belt, it should never be "frayed" even after 110K - maybe you car has had the mileage faked/rolled back?

a frayed timing belt is one that is about to break, and removing all of the covers and checking the timing is about 40% of just doing the job entirely, so I would just do it!

you can get the complete kit to do it right with all real Toyota parts on ebay for about $190 which sure beats spending $700 in parts alone from the dealership, plus a lot of labor!

 

Checked TDC on #1 plug. Engine is in time. How can the coolant get into the intake housing if I only removed and replaced the starter?

 

maybe you were overly rough and dislodged the rear coolant bypass?
but that's really really unlikely since then you'd have coollant sort of everywhere.

 

Is it possible for coolant to enter intake through the EGR valve or the IAC valve? After 10 to 15 seconds of idle; foaming gas and coolant starts backing up out of the throttle body.

 

IAC valve definitely, has coolant lines all through it and connected directly to intake!

why don't you use my poor man's IAC valve and find out real fast if that is the problem!

 

Think I am getting close to narrowing in on the problem. Checked my Power Steering level and it was half full. There is a line going to the front of the Intake housing from the power steering reservoir and I believe the fluid is being sucked in through there and mixing with the fuel thus the white smoke coming from the exhaust. Is this possible? Am I getting close?

 

White smoke = coolant
Blue smoke = oil based fluids(oil, trans fluid, PS fluid, etc)
Black smoke = over fuelling

 

The smoke would be blueish white if was ps fluid. Mine was like that at start up till I changed the valve on pump. So is it white or blueish?

 

I would say "you found it" The Idle Control Valve on the bottom of the power steering pump goes bad and leaks. The PS fluid is then sucked into the throttle body which is what causes the white smoke at start-up. Very common problem. Alot of members just remove the ICV and replace with a bolt and then plug the vacuum lines that came off it.