Okay..

So I'm buying this '90 pickup (3vze), guy said the fuel pump was dead, so I wasted 2 hours dropping the tank off my 4Runner to find the access panel on the top.. Also wasted 5 more minutes removing the fuel pump from the Runner... I should have maybe checked the truck out before all of this but it's quite far on the other side of the city so I just took the guy's word for it.. Anyway, fuel pump is working fine after jumping the test connector, so, next thing I do is check for spark.. No spark!

Now, I'm pretty good with figuring things out but I've never had to mess with an ignitor or coil, so, what could be up?

I've checked all the fuses and they seem fine, if I just swap out the ignitor / coil, should be fine right? Are parts from an '89 4Runner compatible?

I want to be 100% prepared to get this truck running, if I'm going to take the train and a cab across the city, I really want to be able to drive it home.

All feedback much appreciated. Cheers yt.

 

After googling the forums I found the quote below.

When I cranked her over tonight, y'know, I really did have the feeling that the cams were not turning, seemed to crank fast and reminded me of what my Supra sounded like when the belt went. It would also explain why it died suddenly on the previous owner.

Maybe I just have to do the belt tomorrow and the ignition is fine.. I dunno, I'm used to working on my 5MGE...

 

Or maybe it isn't -- I just thought about it, and this is how I'm thinking it works, remember I am a bit newbish but..

So, no belt = no cams turning distributor = no spark to cylinders..

Except, I'm not getting spark from the ignitor even, so, if it's the ignitor/coil spark wouldn't hit the distributor anyway so it wouldn't matter if its moving.

 

The distributor has a "pick-up coil" in side of it which essentially is how the computer reads rpms. If theres not rpm signal.. theres not fuel or spark.

Take the top half of the timing cover off and have a look

 

Sorry if I'm posting the obvious, but could you just pop off the distributor cap and crank it over to see if the rotor is spinning?

 

Of course, it's just, the trucks on the other side of the city in the previous owner's parent's driveway - actually quite far, I need to bring everything possible with me to get it to run so I don't have to leave the truck again and have to come back - I don't have a vehicle or a ride until this thing fires up, and it's particularly far from just about anything (civilization?) as well.

 

Best prices I can find: (I need this running today so I can't wait for parts)

$40.33 for a timing belt @ autovalue
and
$115 for a coil @ partsource (has to be ordered)
- or -
$159 for a coil @ toyota (has to be ordered)
- or -
$166 for a coil @ autovalue (might be in stock)

Igniter is apparently the same as my '89 4Runner (which I can take parts from as the 3vze is gone and it's getting a 5mge) but the coil is a different part.. What's the difference in the coils? Can I run the stuff from the 4Runner?

I'm still not sure whether its the ignition, timing belt or some wiring somewhere.

 

I admire your ambition, but I don't think I could replace a timing belt sitting in some stranger's driveway, and I've done it before. Twice.

Add to that, the timing belt is only one possible problem -- you aren't even close to diagnosing it yet. I'm not sure how you diagnosed bad spark, but assuming that is correct it could be caused by the timing belt, the distributor, the ignitor, the ignition switch, more than one relay, and so on. It could be something as simple as bad plug wires!

Before I started dropping $100+ on an ignitor I (probably) don't need, I would try to find a good deal on getting it towed over to my place.

Then, when you've got the time and the place to work, I would be systematic. For bad spark, I'd use a timing light to check plug wire #1, then the wire from the coil to the distributor. If no spark there, I'd use a voltmeter and the FSM to check for voltage to the coil, ignitor, and distributor. Then I'd use the FSM for the method to check whether the distributor can trigger the ignitor. You get my drift ...

Good luck!

 

I really want to know if the coil from my 4Runner will work..

I've done it before in a strangers driveway - twice, haha..

Plug wires definitely could be replaced but I don't think they are the problem. I thought I had said but I took the high tension wire off the coil and held it near a ground while cranking it over and got no spark. I checked the primary and secondary resistances - the secondary was good, the primary was not I believe but it was dark I could be mistaken.

I can't afford that at the moment.

 

Seller ˟˟˟˟ed off on me today, let's hope I can get the keys tomorrow and fix it.

 

Towed it, was timing belt, can't get crank bolt off.

 

Air wrench it off and replace it.