Car dies Timing belt recently replaced, exhaust manifold had repairs recently done. new starter put in also at same time. Now when I use my turn signals the car will die. also when in drive and the car idles the rpms drop too low and it sputters and eventually dies but if put in neutral rpms shoot up to about 1500. what is causing these things to happen? especially the turn signals.

There are several things that could be happening here - how many miles do you have on the car, and have you ever changed the Timing belt ( typically done around 60,000 to 70,000 miles)? Does the starter turn over strong or does it struggle ( slow wow.....wow....wow.....kind of sound) ?Do you smell rotten eggs under the hood? Is the battery wall swollen out or bulging?
Are your battery or starter wires/connections corroded, or do they have lumpy sections in them? depending on the miles and whether or not you had the timing belt changed, I would probably first check to see if the timing belt broke. If it did, you need to find out if you have an interference motor or not ( call your local Toyota dealer and have your Vehicle identification Number ready ( VIN). Also ask them the factory recommendation of miles to change the timing belt.
If you do have an interference motor, you may have just broken some exhaust valves when the belt went - meaning an advanced repair is needed, possibly replacing the cylinder head.( I hope its not the head !) This type of repair is serious and complicated, with many precision steps and specialty tools needed to complete.
After checking these things, if you want to let me know what you've discovered I can advise you from there.
Hope this helps and thanks for using Fixya!!

could be timing belt but could also be a problem with the starter. a bad seal on the starter, loose wire on the starter solenoid. if the car is still cranking then the problem is most likely the timing. timing belt should be replaced every 60,000 miles

Won't turn over or won't start?

Has to turn over fairly fast

Check for fuel pressure & either spark or
injector pulse while cranking

2.6L Engine

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the precautions in the beginning of this section.
2. Drain the cooling system.
3. Relieve the fuel system pressure.
4. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Negative battery cable
   • Hood
   • Accessory drive belts
   • Accelerator cable
   • Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve and hose
   • Air intake duct
   • Fuel pressure regulator vacuum line
   • Canister hose
   • Brake booster vacuum line
   • Engine wiring harness connectors at right wheel housing
   • Ground cable connector at the intake manifold, starter and firewall
   • Heated Oxygen (HO2S) sensor connector
   • Alternator wiring connectors
   • Oil pressure switch connector
   • Starter motor harness connectors
   • Ignition coil connector
   • Spark plug wires
   • Distributor
   • Exhaust front pipe
   • Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) gas temperature sensor connector
   • Air pump
   • EGR pipe
   • Heat shield
   • Exhaust manifold
   • Throttle Position (TP) switch connector
   • Cooling fan
   • Water pump pulley
   • Power steering pump
   • Intake manifold
   • Crankshaft pulley
   • Front cover
   • Timing belt. Refer to the Timing Belt unit repair section.
   • Valve cover
   • Rocker arms
   • Camshaft
   • Cylinder head

Cylinder head bolt loosening sequence - 2.6L engine

1. To install:
2. NOTE: Refer to Section 1 of this manual for the cylinder head torque sequence illustration. The illustration is located after the Torque Specification Chart.
3. NOTE: Lubricate the cylinder head bolts with clean engine oil for assembly.
4. Install the cylinder head with a new gasket. Tighten the bolts in sequence as follows:
5. Step 1: 58 ft. lbs. (75 Nm)
6. Step 2: 72 ft. lbs. (98 Nm)

1. Install or connect the following:
2. Camshaft

• Rocker arms
• Valve cover
• Timing belt
• Front cover
• Crankshaft pulley. Tighten the bolt to 87 ft. lbs. (128 Nm).
• Intake manifold
• Power steering pump
• Water pump pulley
• Cooling fan
• TP switch connector
• Exhaust manifold
• Heat shield
• EGR pipe
• Air pump
• EGR gas temperature sensor connector
• Exhaust front pipe
• Distributor
• Spark plug wires
• Ignition coil connector
• Starter motor harness connectors
• Oil pressure switch connector
• Alternator wiring connectors
• HO2S sensor connector
• Ground cable connector at the intake manifold, starter and firewall
• Engine wiring harness connectors at right wheel housing
• Brake booster vacuum line
• Canister hose
• Fuel pressure regulator vacuum line
• Air intake duct
• PCV valve and hose
• Accelerator cable
• Accessory drive belts
• Hood
• Negative battery cable

1. Fill the cooling system.
2. Start the engine and check for leaks.

I hate to say it but it sounds to me like it jumped time, or may have broke a timing belt. in that engine this would allow the pistons to actuate(pushing the oil out of the spark plug holes). but the cams are not turning so the engine will turn over but not fire. have him pull a valve cover, and see if the valves are moving as the engine cranks if they don't its probably a broken timing belt. if they do move, the timing belt probably stretched and jumped time at high speed causing the engine to no longer run. the backfire during cranking is probably due to the fact that the fuel delivery system is still functioning and the spark is erratic enough due to the lapsed timing that the ignition of the fuel in the combustion chamber(cylinder) is happening while the exhaust valve is open and is forcing the combustion out through the exhaust. i hope this helps

Install the cylinder head bolts. Starting at top center, tighten all cylinder head bolts in sequence as shown in illustration, using the Cylinder Head Bolt Wrench (09221 - 32001) or equivalent. Repeat the procedure, re-tightening all cylinder head bolt to the specified torque. (torque spec is Cold Engine 105-115 Nm (76-83 ft lb) )
. Install the timing belt tensioner pulley.
. Install the timing belt on the camshaft sprocket, making sure that the tension side is tightened by turning the camshaft sprocket in reverse, all timing marks are in alignment.
. Adjust the timing according to "Timing Belt"
. Install the rocker cover and tighten the bolts to the specified torque. Tightening torque: Rocker cover belt:

2.5-3.5 Nm (25-35 kg.cm, 2-3 ft. lbs.)

. Install the timing belt cover.
Install the new intake manifold gasket and the intake manifold. Tighten the nuts and bolts to the specified torque.
Install the new exhaust manifold gasket and the exhaust manifold. Tighten the exhaust manifold attaching nuts to the specified torque.
. Install the surge tank and tighten the nuts bolts to the specified torque.
. Install the power steering oil pump and bracket.
. Install the ignition coil.
. Install the air intake hose.
Connect the vacuum hose, fuel hose and water hose.
. Install breather hose.

Check the compression, if it doesnt sound right, thats what you need to check first. If it has a bad timing belt, then you have bent valves for sure. Thats why timing belt needs replacement every 90k miles, along with the tensioner and water pump.

Cylinder Head Removal & Installation SOHC To Remove:

1. Relieve fuel system pressure.
2. Remove timing belt cover. Camshaft timing marks
   
   
3. Turn crankshaft until timing mark on front housing and the arrow "2" on the camshaft pulley align.
4. Loosen lock bolt on tensioner.
5. Pry tensioner away from timing belt and tighten lock bolt to relieve tension on the timing belt.
6. Remove timing belt from camshaft pulley.
7. Disconnect battery negative cable.
8. Remove 3 bolts that secure accelerator cable and air intake hose to cylinder head cover.
9. Detach accelerator cable and place off to side.
10. Remove the following;
    • Air hose
    • Air ISC air hose
    • Breather hose
    • Vacuum hose from air intake hose
11. Disconnect mass air flow sensor electrical connector.
12. Remove air intake hose.
13. Remove PCV valve from cylinder head cover.
14. Remove ISC air hose from idle speed actuator.
15. Remove air hose from behind intake manifold.
16. Remove 2 screws from high tension wire protectors.
17. Detach wire loom from holder at rear of cylinder head cover.
18. Detach vacuum tube at rear of cylinder head cover.
19. Remove vacuum pipe. Cylinder Head Cover
    
    
20. Remove 7 cylinder head cover bolts.
21. Remove cylinder head cover and gasket.
22. Disconnect 2 ignition coil electrical connectors.
23. Disconnect 2 fuel injection electrical connectors at rear of cylinder head.
24. Disconnect the following electrical connectors;
    • Oxygen sensor
    • Throttle position sensor
    • Idle speed actuator
    • Oil pressure switch
    • EGR vacuum solenoid valve at intake manifold
25. Disconnect heater hose from elbow.
26. Disconnect brake booster vacuum hose and cruise control vacuum hose from surge tank.
27. Detach wire harness from rear of cylinder head.
28. Disconnect purge control solenoid vacuum hose from intake manifold.
29. Disconnect fuel hose from fuel connector assembly.
30. Remove grounding bracket.
31. Remove 4 bolts and intake manifold bracket.
32. Remove starter.
33. Detach water bypass hose from bypass pipe.
34. Disconnect water hoses from oil cooler.
35. Disconnect fuel hose from fuel pipe.
36. Remove exhaust manifold heat shield.
37. Remove exhaust flange nuts and front exhaust bracket bolt.
38. Lower exhaust system. Cylinder head bolt loosening sequence
    
    
39. Loosen cylinder head bolts in 3 steps in proper sequence.
40. Remove cylinder head bolts and washers.
41. Remove cylinder head, intake manifold and exhaust manifold as an assembly.

To Install:

1. Install NEW cylinder head gasket.
2. Install cylinder head, intake manifold and exhaust manifold as an assembly.
3. Tighten cylinder head bolts in 3 steps in reverse sequence that was used during removal. Tighten bolts to 62 ft lb (84 Nm).
4. Install front exhaust bracket bolt. Tighten bolt to 20 ft lb (27 Nm).
5. Install NEW lower exhaust flange gasket and 3 nuts. Tighten nuts to 24 ft lb (31 Nm).
6. Install exhaust manifold heat shield. Tighten nuts to 35 in lb (4 Nm).
7. Connect fuel hose to pipe.
8. Connect 2 hoses to oil cooler.
9. Attach water bypass hose to bypass pipe.
10. Install starter and bolts. Tighten bolts to 34 ft lb (46 Nm).
11. Install intake manifolds bracket and 4 bolts. Tighten bolts to 32 ft lb (45 Nm).
12. Install grounding bracket.
13. Connect fuel hose to fuel connector assembly.
14. Connect the following electrical connectors;
    • Oxygen sensor
    • Throttle position sensor
    • Idle speed actuator
    • Oil pressure switch
    • EGR vacuum solenoid valve at intake manifold
15. Connect purge control solenoid vacuum hose to intake manifold.
16. Attach wire harness from rear of cylinder head.
17. Connect brake booster vacuum hose and cruise control vacuum hose to surge tank.
18. Connect heater hose to elbow.
19. Connect 2 fuel injection electrical connectors at rear of cylinder head.
20. Connect 2 ignition coil electrical connectors.
21. Install cylinder head cover.
22. Install 7 cylinder head cover bolts. Tighten bolts to 60 in lb (7 Nm).
23. Install vacuum pipe and 2 bolts at rear of cylinder head cover. Tighten bolts to 60 in lb (7 Nm).
24. Connect vacuum tube to pipe.
25. Connect loom holder to rear of cylinder head cover.
26. Install 2 screws to high tension wire protectors.
27. Install air hose to behind intake manifold.
28. Install ISC air hose to idle speed actuator.
29. Install PCV valve to cylinder head cover.
30. Install air intake hose.
31. Connect mass air flow sensor electrical connector.
32. Install the following;
    • Air hose
    • Air ISC air hose
    • Breather hose
    • Vacuum hose from air intake hose
33. Attach accelerator cable.
34. Install 3 bolts that secure accelerator cable and air intake hose to cylinder head cover. Timing belt pulley timing marks
    
    NOTE: Timing belt pulley timing mark and timing mark must be aligned.
    Camshaft timing marks
    
    NOTE: The arrow at "2" on camshaft pulley must be aligned with timing mark on front housing.
    
35. Install timing belt.
36. Install timing belt cover.
37. Pressurize fuel system.
38. Start engine and check ignition timing.

Just to clarify i asked what size motor was in his car. The reason for that statement that removing the timing cover ,chain and exhaust wasent required to change the water pump is that on 3.4 V6 engines none of that is required. To change the water pump in my car ( 99 grand am gt 3.4L) all you need to do is remove serpentine belt, remove the 4 bolts holding on the water pump pulley, then remove the 5 water pump retaining bolts and it out. Then you just need t remove any traces of the old gasket clean the surface put a new gasket on following it with the new water pump torque the 5 retaining bolts , water pump pulley torque its 4 bolts put the serpentine belt back on fill and bleed the coolant system and your done. All the work done easily from the top of the motor without any special tools. It took me a hour and a half. So there is a huge difference in changing water pumps on a 4 cylinder engine and a 6 cylinder engine this is why I asked what engine he had in his car.

did you use aftermarket crank sensor? if so that might be your problem. dealer has several different ones, by providing vin number, but there is only one after market for all optimas 01-05. try to connect thick pink wire and thick orange wire together on the ignition failure sensor. you might have the same problem as me. good luck.