Okay I took my 1985/1986 Mini Cruiser out for its first shakedown, and it failed. Like MUCH less power than I had been warned about and it felt like MUCH less power than it had on a couple other test drives. A concerning lack of power... 32k actual miles on the clock.

It is a 1 ton like mentioned in my other thread. It might be considered a 1st gen truck, I don't know. But it has the IFS front. So apologies if this should really be in the other forum.

My system is the Toyota EFI with the one digit flash codes from what I have been able to determine. I have the two round plugs on the fender. Check engine light comes on for bulb check, and goes out. When I jumper the smaller plugs two terminals, I get nothing. I think I tried every combo of engine on/off and inserting jumpier before and after. Truck idles nicely, but with a random pop now and then after it warms up. I was trying to see if it had EGR codes in it, but the EFI system doesn't throw any EGR related codes. At least nothing is listed in the code keys online. I stopped when I realized that it wouldn't tell me anything about the EGR. I didn't verify TPS/throttle zero setting.

I have a jumble of wires by the airbag and some things appear to have been disconnected. There is a smaller round plug with a rubber cap and electrical tape on it. Another plug that looks like it would go on top of a coil. Probably some other random bits. I didn't look too hard as the truck has seemed to run fine in the driveway and around the block... Out on main roads though, ZERO power.

My question is, how does the igniter module work? I understand that the smaller round plug that sits in the fender cup when jumper not only gives the CEL codes, but if left in and running, locks the timing to I think 5 degrees. I think I saw somewhere that if the igniter doesn't see the IGT pip/saw control output from the ECU, it defaults to 5 tor 10 degrees. (I know the Ford EDIS systems of this era worked this way.)

I am trying to figure out if something is simply disconnected, or if my lack of ability to bring up codes points to an internal ECU issue, and explains the lack of power. When I think about it, it sure does feel like ignition timing is locked...

I am having trouble finding this information since it is such an oddly specific random question. I could probably figure most of it out with some decent wiring diagrams and related Toyota technical articles. My diagrams at the shop an Aldata all keep printing to one page making reading it impossible. Identafix didn't help either.

If I can prove there is something wrong either with my ECU or wiring harness, beyond something simply unplugged or perhaps a blown fuse, I will gut the wiring harness and go ahead with the MegaSquirt install in the next couple days.

 

I was talking to a good friend tonight who somehow didn't know about my Toy RV project. In all fairness he has never been over to my house and we probably worked together BEFORE I bought the RV. He's all "WOW project sounds fun if you need any Toyota knowledge let me know." So I did and BOY did he surprise me and deliver on that!!! And he has a weakness for the 22RE platform. He wants to build an AE86 and stuff a 22RE into it!

Anyways he was able to answer my questions well enough I can get to the next stage. Apparently, the Toy ECU needs to see the "at idle" input to lock timing. So most likely either a bad TPS, or just misadjusted. If it is off that point with the jumper in, it will also through the code.

15 degrees without the jumper, 5 with if the jumper is activating the lock. Goes off lock when you blip throttle.

Not sure on some of the other details, but this is enough to know what I need to do next, and then I can do a bit of exploring.

Jimkola posted up a response on my CT20 vs T3 and ebay manifolds on Mini Cruiser RV thread, that sounds like it is going to confirm exactly what I am thinking. His test procedure sounds like it will give me a really fast answer on if the TPS is bad and getting it correctly setup if not.