My son's 1989 Tercel died on the highway. He said he smelled something burning, the car began to chug and then died. As he was pulling it to the side of road he said he saw white smoke. When I tried to restart the car it would crank, but it wouldn't turn over. The car has ample fuel, but just won't start. About a month ago, the guy he bought it from fixed a crank seal leak, but no other major work has been done. I can fix a car if I know what's broken, I just don't know how to diagnose a problem. I know that's vague but any thoughts?

You checked the basics? Air, fuel, spark? Was the white smoke from coolant loss?

Hi mwgrigs Im having the same problem with my wifes paseo its a 5efe.We got both the crank seals done then the wife said it started to blow white smoke in the mornings. I didnt listen thought it was condensation. Then the rocker cover gasket went fixed that then huge amounts of white smoke on start up tinged with blue. I pulled the head myself thinking head gasket it was also blowing bubbles out the radiater fill cap. I put new valve stem seals and head gasket put it back together and fired her up NOT HAPPY the valve stem seals fixed the blue smoke and no white smoke for about 2 minutes and then it came back and wont go away. Ive pulled the head again the head bolts didnt seem tight at all but they were torqued to manufactures settings 45Nm and a quarter turn Ithink it should be closer to 60 or 70 Nm and now theres oil no top of all four pistons. Im sending the head to get checked for cracks just to be safe but I think the white smoke is excess unburnt oil going out the exhaust valve and down the exhaust pipe. It also started to chug from the plugs being fouled.
White can also be brake fluid in the inlet via a faulty bellows being burnt or coolent getting into the combustion chamber through a faulty head gasket or cracked head.
I think the first thing for you to do is clean the plugs and see if it will fire up and then check the radiater for bubbles and the oil for a milky appearance from contamination with water. If you have any of these signs pull the head,and get it crack tested like I should have done in the first place.To pull the head toyota have used a lovely 9mm 12 point spline head bolt The tool for which I cant get here in australia so I used an 8mm hex impact socket with a 100mm shaft but you can get the right tool in the USA but they wont post it anywhere else. Ill keep you posted with my progress and hope you do the same. Clive.