83pingpong

83 SR5 22R- turns off like the ignition is getting switched off. If revved, you can usually keep it running (switches back on before stops turning over). Really seems like someone is turning it off/on with the key intermittently. No pattern to it-seems random. When on, everything seems very good-just cuts out like a switch!

I thought it was a fuel problem, but it there's no sputtering. It really turns off (and back on again) like a switch.

This started when I drove around the city for about 20 minutes. Out of the blue, i was cruising along and it "turned off", then "turned on" again. Then it did it again. Next time, it took just fifteen minutes to start doing it. Now, it happens right away, so getting worse.

What the heck? I know intermittent problems are the worst. Any ideas? Has anyone out there experienced this type of problems?

83pingpong

I think the igniter might be going. It's $400, so I don't want to spend it unless it really needs it.

If you had to replace an ECU, what were the symptoms? I'll check the coil resistance, but it runs great, then shuts off, then turns on, then cuts out again! It is like a switch, and nearly random.

1stgenboy

I had a problem like this and all the ignition parts tested out good. I replaced the coil a couple of times with used ones and that was not it. Did the igniter to GM ignition module conversion and that was not it. Finally I found a guy with a distributor about 80 miles away and paid him extra to drop it off and that was it. Again, everything tested out normal as outlined in the factory manual.

1stgenboy

83pingpong

Not Far From Par

PM Sent
If it IS the ECU..
There is always the easy fix..
Header & Weber 32/36

83pingpong

Thanks Rob... I pulled it out and inspected it. It is a PCB card, transistors/resistors on one side, and embedded circuits (flat laminated metal banding under epoxy on the other). No sign of any cracks at all. I did not know Fujitsu Ten supplied these! Plain as day, says emission control on the grey plastic case!

I thought it might be oxidized spade connector(s) on the old ECU connector bus. Cleaned spades, reconnected with some wiggling. It ran fine, but then back to stalling after a while. Classic ignitor symptoms (coil checks out).

I will wait for the ignitor and hopefully that will fix it. Maybe by Wednesday or Thursday it will show up. I'll post results.

Kiroshu

As rare as they are to go bad it sounds just like the ignitor. Have you tried giving the ignitor a few slight "wacks" It my cure it and it may not. It helped on one of my pasted trucks and a friend of mines 4runner. ^_^

83pingpong

I confess I did thump it with the rubber handled end of a sizable screwdriver, while it was running yesterday, to see if it would stumble. Nope. Then I shut it down, and minutes later started it, and it began the stalling routine again!! If it isn't the ignitor, I don't feel like spending a bunch of money on a distributor. But the ignitor I bought is used, and may not fix it. Maybe the next step will be to do the GM ignition/coil conversion. I have a half dozen auto parts stores within ten minutes (South Kansas City) to get the parts. We'll see...

Thanks for the suggestion.

Gov't Mule

What about worn contacts in your ignition switch?? I had a Honda Civic that drove me CRAZY with the same symptoms as you're having. Finally replaced the switch and it was cured! Stay on it...you'll find it.

83pingpong

The used ignitor/coil showed up yesterday, and guess what? The wires come out in a different way. Connections to the coil appear to be identical, but the ignitor has a flat wiring in/out bus, whereas it is a round in/out rubber wiring port on my truck. (double face palm)

I will have to inspect colors, and those green round connectors to see which are the same. At least one-connection to the distributor, seem to have a different method of connection. That would be the trigger, I imagine. It is a double wire green connector at the coil. The only double connector from the ignitor is too short to get there. Also, I see now that the one in the truck appears modified (not original), and a short wire was used to patch from a green connector to a green connector (both male side I guess, or both female). It was running fine for a couple thousand miles, so I think it was OK. Gee. I may end up just doing the GM ignition conversion after I connect this wrong and fry it

83pingpong

I searched for this part number on the web, and get 83-85 Celica 2.8L 6cylinder application, not 83 truck. Don't you just LOVE fleabay?

The ignitor is NOT the problem (replaced, below...)

Distributor also NOT the problem. Runs great long enough to check and reset timing close enough (not really quite warm), then stalls when it gets to running temp.

BMcEL

If the seller's description was in any way misleading, I'd try to return it. You can source a used ignitor/coil from car-part.com for as low as $25 and most yards will ship these days. I found one for $40 at a local yard.

If you said it already I missed it, but have you checked all of your grounds?

83pingpong

I'll loosen and wiggle, retighten ground wires. And also recheck connections.

As far as returning it... I can relist it and resell it for more than I paid. Might take a couple of listings, but much easier than fighting with the seller. Who knows, maybe the one I got is also used on a 2WD 83 truck. I'll never know I guess. I can relist WITH part number!

Unfortunately, I can't just read the part number I should buy (on "failed" unit in there now), because previous owner installed a different Toyota igniter! One connector is not in use (loose green connector, single wire), and another is jumped with a short wire (between two female or two male green spade connectors)! It worked fine, but obviously NOT original part.

83pingpong

I decided against the Celica igniter. I think it would work fine if I could decipher the wires (no 84 Celica to look at -would have made it easy).

So I just got a GM igniter. I whipped up a wiring harness that will bypass the stock igniter but use the stock coil. Haven't mounted or tested yet. 'll just leave the dead coil there to hold the coil, and tape up the wires. Heck if this fixes it, maybe I'll clip off those green connectors and use the for the new setup.

Question... What the heck is there a black wire (maybe 16-18 gauge) that connect to the stock igniter and goes into the wiring harness (same place switch 12V power comes out). Is that a tachometer sender wire? Other gauge or dash ignition light or something? It has one of those green locking connectors. What the heck??

I don't thnk it will prevent it from running, but will I lose something like the tach?!?

83pingpong

It was cold this morning, and it ran great until it warmed up. It’s electrical, and fails when it gets hot.

Progress- the igniter and coil are not causing this…..

I assembled wiring to bypass the igniter only, using the same coil. This is the GM replacement coil, with tabs labeled B, C, W, and G. All I needed was ignition switched power to ignitor (B) and coil, ground to coil (C), and a pair of wires from the distributor (W and G).

It runs, and fails exactly the same way (!). So the igniter is NOT the problem. I swapped the coil with a spare (the one that came with the Celica igniter (@#!#@!), and got exactly the same symptoms, so it is NOT the coil.

All this cost me ~28 bucks for the GM igniter and some time making the wiring setup (which may get used in the future anyway). Not bad really.


SO, onto the distributer as the next contestant.

Here is the bypass setup:





Distributor trigger patch:





OH, and by the way, the "other" connection from the igniter that goes into the harness where the switched power comes out??? The one that is connected in the photo below (to the apparently good igniter)??? It is in fact the tachometer sender. No tach movement while running on the GM igniter (out of the loop).
AT LEAST THAT MYSTERY IS SOLVED!!!

This is what it looks like (not apparently the original igniter, so patched in):

83pingpong

The "fails after heating up" thing suggests something under the hood. I't pretty consistent there. I have to leave it with hood down idling for a while to get it to start shutting down.

I got a distributor coil/sender, but the damn thing is crooked and I need to pull it off and see if it was bent (vertical metal "bar" tilts top toward four winged trigger, if you know what I mean). It may have been bent after manufacture. I will take it out and take a closer look. If it is just a bent mounting plate, I can starighten it. As it is, it won't fire. I think it needs the full length swiping past the four winged thing at same distance, within .06mm (.024 inch).
This is getting old...

Lons81

iTrader: (2)

Just a suggestion from a past experience similar to yours. I had a Ford Fairlane that did the same thing, and found the problem to be the distributor cap. It had a crack in it and when heated up, the crack opened up and created an open from the coil, thus no fire.

Kiroshu

Stalling after warm-up is more than likely in the distributor. Inspect distributor components. Pick-up coils are bad about this as well upon heating up.

83pingpong

Yup...I am focusing on the pickup coil right now. The cap/rotor look OK. The guy at autoparts ordered two more from the warehouse. It is a BWD (Borg Warner) parts box. But we are going to inspect the two he gets to see if they have straight/vertical pickup bar. The one I got there Monday is badly crooked, and I can't gap it properly (nearly touching on one end, too far away on the other). I showed it to him (and the one from the distributor (OEM Toyota with green connector), and it isn't just bent in shipping, it is just defective. Crap. Advance has a different brand (Beck\Arnley) but costs more than twice as much. For now, I just want to see if replacing the pickup coil eliminates the symptoms. If a cheap BWD part fails at least I will know what to replace next time.

If one of the BWD parts looks straight, I'll take it home and try it. Could be fixed by dark tonight, I hope

83pingpong

So far...swapped distributor, swapped ignition control module (OEM replacement igniter), no change in symptoms. So yesterday, I let it warm up (running excellent!), and sure enough, like clockwork, the temperature gauge creeps up and poooff! stalls, catches briefly on restart attempts, and stalls again. Won't run. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SEEMS STABLE (shows near operating temp). AND, timing is perfect-reset with timing light after distributor swap.

ONLY FAILS AFTER WARM UP, RUNS GREAT UNTIL WARM!!!

SO, I disconnected the temperature sensor (shorted maybe?!) and tried again. No change...seems to catch, and fails. So I pulled the second sensor lead (another temp sensor?), and tried... Same thing. It just sputters when warm... fails. RECONNECTED THEM, and turned ignition on again-temp gauge moves up to temp so sensor probably fine.

What the heck. I am getting a new coil today. When that does not fix it, does ANYONE have a clue? The symptoms are so consistent. Will start when cold, runs fine, and then POOOF! stalls and just won't start after 5 10 minutes warmup.