davefarr

I'm new to Toyota's although mine is an old horse- 1990 4 Runner 22re bought for fuel mileage (I found out it doesn't get any either). Any way I'm more of a Chevy guy and am amazed at how under served the Toyota speed market seems to be- after being spoiled I guess. Prior to putting a nice new ported head and Comp Cam in the slug I had a chance to pick up a HI-6s (6000-6300) box and LX-91 coil. There are only general instructions on the hookup but it's pretty basic plug in connectors, ground, rev limiter input to switched +12v, and the white/red to which I disconnected the old coil and spliced brown to red and black to white- I wanted everything to be able to switch over to stock easily so I didn't cut and solder- a hold over to my old MSD days. The problem is hard starting at cold temps (0deg/-20C) and when stopped at a light for a minute and a quick stab on the gas gives slight pinging and lots of hesitation, other than that it seems to run OK at idle and highway. I'm using OEM fit NGK wires until it runs good enough to throw better cables at it and runs the same with Bosch plats or NGK g-powrs...wtf. I haven't checked base timing yet as I would have to borrow a gun. The red led runs on the unit. Truck ran fine without the Crane and shows enough pep on the highway for me to want to keep it. Any tricks- do I have the trigger wired right- not sure what an 'igniter' is I assume it's the mudule.
Thanks would appreciate an email davefarr1967@gmail.com, by the way put an identical system on my 1989 K1500 vortec/TPI same thing only worse- had to take it off and it was a straight plug in harness.

desert-rat660

igniter is the ignition module

Hilux808

Not sure what your hard start problem is, that could be a number of things, not just the Hi-6. I've never been in that cold weather but the colder it gets the harder batteries are able to pump out the current needed to start your vehicle. Double check all wiring and make sure your battery is in good condition and then go from there. You could have a fuel problem for all you know.

I just recently changed my starter motor wire from the positive terminal and also the engine ground to negative terminal on the battery to 4GA wire. The stock is wimpy 8GA. This might help you out being in such cold weather. I definitely know you're not using the Hi-6 to it's full potential by using stock NGK spark plug wires. I would get a set of thicker wires, at least 8mm. I run MSD 8.5mm Super Conductors for my set up. Your Hi-6 pumps put a lot of current, don't bottle neck it by using OEM wires. I was told by MSD to use stock plugs ONLY and gap them up to .15 higher then stock. Your combustion chamber temps are already higher because of the Hi-6 and plugs like platinum's/etc. will make your 22RE ping. I also use a "colder" plug (NGK standard plugs - Stock # 7632, BPR5EA-L : The #5 designates the heat range, normal would be a #6). I also use a higher octane, I'll switch to 91 when the summer hits. Doing both of this helps with pinging. Setting ignition timing to 5 degrees before top dead center helps too, I wouldn't advance it beyond that.

The best advice I can give you since you have a CD ignition is to ground the cylinder head! Take that useless 8 gauge wire off the back of the rear cylinder head hook and replace it with a 4GA wire. I also have a 4GA wire on the front cylinder head hook going straight to the negative terminal (the secondary side of your ignition is really pumping tons of current through the cylinder head now compared to the stock ignition and that current needs to find it's way back to ground). I just recently lost another cylinder head to a problem that up until now I was not aware off. Read up on Electrolysis and take it very seriously.

davefarr

A few good points:
- I did change the ground as you suggested some time ago- funny, the 22re has such a good reputation out there- it definitely has some issues- but they have been in service for decades. I bought a wreck and took off the head- was disappointed at the sloppy machinework- I bought a head off ebay and upsized the valves, some porting cleanup, machined the intake shrouding, nice little CCam, ported the intake...can't wait for that extra 15hp to kick in") Just too expensive to turbo- the truck is just not worth it.
- The truck ran fine with the stock ignition- down to -40C/F the only problems have been with the install of this system. I'll try the stock plugs- and I know about the wires but it should run well enough with them until it justifies a set of fatties.
- This is a HI-6s which is different from the HI-6.

davefarr

Well, rolled back the timing from 8 to 5 deg (liked 8 better) ordered 1 range v-power NGK's. But just the timing trick didn't work. I'm suspecting I didn't wire the trigger right off the module.

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

I've used that same system and I used Accel 8mm wires and had it set up with the rev limit settings. It seemed to work fine, but I just couldnt tell the difference. I went back to stock ignitor but retained the Crane coil. I'm also running 89 octane and MAN the truck runs GREAT!

davefarr

What plugs you running, I tend to favor the G-Powers in everything I own, I had a set of lightly used Bosch Plats I put in for kicks and they work good to. I meant to say that I ordered 1 range cooler in an oem plug and will open the gap to .045. I also have to say I bought the Crane off Ebay so maybe I bought somebodies else's problem. I tried this for an experiment and I read that it's tough to beat the original system- I'm thinking I'll just run the LX coil as well. Do you have a photo of how you wired your box in? My bad luck that Crane's gone under and no tech support. Funny that Crane lists a trigger module to work with this and LCE doesn't seem to think their kit needs it. Plug wires are a rip off too Summit wants more money for just 4 universal wires (crane/msd/accel) than they want for a full v8 set of universal straight plugs- I need an extra wire for the coil anyway.

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

I'm using NGK plugs that were what were required from my '86 FSM. I don't remember what type they were, I can look up the part number again if you want. Yeah, the oem ignitor seems to be pretty bullet proof. You can use the trigger but I don't think you'll need it anyways. I kinda remember that too, but I hooked everything up as per the instruction manual, which was vague anyways.

Hilux808

Not sure if you would want to run MSD with your Crane but this is what I use...MSD Super Conductor Spark Plug Wires (Part # 31949), 90 Degree Boots and Crimps (MSD-3311).

$50 from Summit. The 90 Deg boots and crimps are for one end of the coil wire so it will fit on my MSD Blaster SS coil.

Accel and Taylor wire are in the $30 range. All are less then OEM wires.

davefarr

Well, pulled the box but left the lx91 coil in place....will keep an eye out for the Crane single channel trigger as they recommend and have some Super Conductors on the way from Ebay. On the highway I felt a difference on the hills- but the issues were too much of a bear to live with. So, looking for Crane 6000- 8931.

On a side note- was browsing some items and ran accross a recall for the 89-95, low and behold I checked and mine hasn't been done- this site has already proved its worth")

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

What recall was that?

Why do you need the electronic trigger for again? It's for an OBDII vehicle anyways...

davefarr

Yes I know it's not OBD2- unless the box is defective...I doubt it tho. On Cranes site- they do list the trigger as part of the kit for that year.....and other than LC E I can't find anyone who really knows that system.
When you had yours hooked up- you pulled signal off the module...the brown (+) and black (-) that actually go to the stock coil right? I left it that way and soldered it in and still use the connections for the LX91. Bumped the timing back to +8deg, runs fine but I do notice I'm down a little torque cruising the highway. So in short I feel that I didn't give the system a fair shake but don't want to put another $200 into it- I want to find a used trigger or borrow one to put the issue to bed.

The recall included 1990 for steering shaft linkage defects- check the header on Ford recall- Toyota is in there too. I called Toyota with my VIN and it will be replaced- not bad for a 20 year old truck")

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

Yeah that sounds right, orginally I thought it didn't use the OEM module and I was all confunsed and thought that I needed that trigger thing. My originial intent was to put this on to maximize my fuel burn on the highway since that was my main commute(usually hummin' around 70 mph). By the time I put the system in, utilizing the crane coil and box with oem ignitor module, the truck went from being a daily driver to a wheneverIgetachanceifthewifeletsmeonceamonth driver...So, it was never fully "excercised" for the month or so it was installed. I had the truck at stock timing as per the instructions. I never noticed any real power increase or fuel MPG increase, but actually maybe lack of power.

In hind sight(and this raaaaaambling...), I think the lack of more fuel to the cylinders was the issue. Since my injectors have yet to be replaced or balanced.

davefarr

When I pilled the plugs they were perfect tan colour- but my tail pipe is sooty. My chevy the tail pipe is grey with very little soot. How's yours? I don't understand this...if it is running rich the plugs should show it and I'm striving for mileage so the soot pisses me off.

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

Hmmmmmm, well don't know about the tail pipe thingy. Mine looks black! Soon I'll be doing valve cleance and compression checks on my motor and I'll check my plugs. They looked fine the last time I had them out during my rebuild.

Dirt Driver

The tailpipe color isn't a useful indicator of engine tune and has more to do with the emissions equipment function. Even a late model OBD-II car in perfect tune will have tailpipe soot if the cats are working less than optimally. My '94 runs well, gets good economy, has a tan plug color, and still has a black tailpipe.

davefarr

Yes, the owner before me did no maintenace at all and the O2 was shot for some time- the cat was physically destroyed- I put a new Magnaflow in. I'm just learning my way around these trucks. So it seems that the soot buildup is normal. I hope the cylinder bores are OK, doesn't use oil.

davefarr

I cannot believe this crap, was doing some work on the rig and ran the rpm's to about 1500-2000 and it's got a miss............I plug in the original Denso coil- no miss. Toyota sucks..... you can't have any fun spending money on hop up parts and at least think it's running better.

abecedarian

It's not Toyota that sucks, it's the aftermarket that can't get things right.

Dirt Driver

Right. If the Denso coil works and the Crane doesn't, then Toyota did something right and Crane dropped the ball. Did I mention Crane Cams and all their assets are on the auction block?