1986 toyota 4x4 pickup, 22re, no spark despite strenuous efforts.

7-8 years ago I had replaced the igniter / coil with an igniter and box style coil from a 1995 truck using butt connectors to plug in the newer unit (˟˟˟˟ty, I know) because I liked the clip-on plug wires that the newer units used. With that I also updated to newer style distributor cap.

The problem started when I went to fix a bad front timing cover oil leak a week ago. I had gotten it all put back together, it was idling fine (making some noise, I think it was coming from water pump - will get to that in a minute), burping the radiator, and then just all of a sudden died, and would not fire back up. Checked all fuses, all connections, grounds, and had 12 volts on both ends of the primary coil lead, but no fire at the spark plugs.

I eventually replaced the coil, and it fired right up.

So I took it to my friends house to diagnose the noise, and when I tried to leave, no spark again...replaced coil again...fired right up. On my way home, while accelerating, something suddenly happened AGAIN and it just stopped accelerating, despite throttle input. I pulled over and it just died...no spark.

I elected to take the truck back to factory style igniter and coil. Ordered everything from Oreillys - factory style igniter with plugs that match factory style plugs (eliminating ˟˟˟˟ty butt connector wiring), got an Accell super coil (round cylinder type coil), original spec cap, button and wires.

Go to crank - no spark. swap the positive / negative leads on the coil - no spark. Block ground to chassis / body is good. Fuses are good.

Any ides / helpful pointers from any of the guru's out there? I am at a total loss...solving electrical gremlins are not my strong suit.

Thanks yall!

 

How are you checking for spark? at the coil or at the plugs?

 

I'm checking for spark at the plug wires ground to a header bolt. Also checking the end of the primary coil lead by grounding to a screwdriver that connects to a header bolt.

Also, I have been doing some research, and heard where someone had an issue with the distributor not sending a signal to the igniter, therefore no spark coming from the coil.

I forgot that I did have to replace my distributor during the timing cover leak repair, as the stem that inserts into the block that houses the distributor gear shaft broke at the o-ring seal. The truck ran just fine before the timing cover leak repair and I never fired it up before installing the autozone reman'd unit.

Could I have gotten a faulty autozone reman unit? I do think the distributor was spec'd for the newer rigs (grey signal plug instead of green), are there any remarkable differences in the internals between older units verses newer units? Autozone spec'd a very slightly different part number (off by the last digit only).

 

Im not 100% on the differences between older and newer models i would just shoot for a factory replacement. this is a tough one. im leaning toward it being the igniter. Maybe try getting an OEM toyota one from the junk yard. Some junk yards will tell you which cars have the same part number part from factory to make the search for a replacement a little easier.

when it was running did it have any indicator lights on in the dash? im wondering if your voltage regulator on your alternator went out. if it did your "Brake" and your "battery" lights would be on at the same time.

 

Okay, time for an update, sorry it has taken me a little while to get back. To answer your question, there were no indicator lights on the dash while running before starting the timing cover leak repair; alternator was working properly.

As far as my plan of action, I did go ahead and replace the alternator with another unit...and voila! it fired right up. So, problem solved, it was a bad remanufactured distributor, right? Wellllll....

So now it runs, however now it tends to die way too easily at low RPMs under light / moderate load, and after idling for a bit at a truck meet, it suddenly died out of nowhere again...the coil was extremely hot. After about 20-30 minutes, it fired right up and ran, however it has some sort of cut / backfire / lack of spark at anything above 4000rpms. Not that I am running her that hard most of the time, but I think the two problems are related. Also, spark cut / bad running happens more frequently across the RPM range after about 30 minutes of consistent driving / engine on time, and I think it's also due to the coil getting hot.

I replaced the coil with a factory-style coil from oreillys, and then checked all my grounds, and made sure none of the signal wires were catching interference with the primary coil wire, and am still experiencing the same problem with engine / spark cut / poor running above 4000k, have not driven it long enough to test for the coil getting hot and other related symptoms.

Any insight on what might be going on now? Possibly another bad distributor? Maybe a bad injector?

 

dixiemuddtoy said:Just for clarity, what did you replace?

 

Alternator (twice, both AZ reman'd units), coil / igniter / cap / button / wires, all from oreilly's. Mostly Import Direct brand.

 

Have you checked the gap of the pick up sensor in the distributor I just had the same problem on my friend's 85 Toyota where it would crank but wouldn't fire and we replaced the coil, pick up sensor, rotor bug, and cap first off and still wouldn't fire then replaced the ignition module and got it to fire and run then when shut the truck off it quit firing again so pulled the distributor cap and checked the gap Gap of the pick up sensor and ended up adjusting the gap and now the truck runs like it should