Hi guys! hoping y'all can help me out. I have a 90 runner 3vze that has intermittent spark fail. i have done plugs, wires, dizzy cap and rotor, coolant temp sensor, coil, and ignitor (its a used one from ebay, but tests good) and circuit open relay. it happens when cold or at running temp.

Perfect example:

Yesterday i replaced the COR at the suggestion of a friend who has runners and landcruisers. It started right up, drove it about a mile down the road, jumped out, got back in started right up after 2-3 minutes in a 7/11, drove back down the road and it stalled out as i pulled into the parking lot of my work. checked everything and no spark from coil.

Several years ago the distributor was replaced with a junkyard one. Im not sure if THAT has gone bad again or if my VAFM has bitten the dust.

Is there an easy way to test either one short of spending the 200.00 each to just replace 'em? i am at my whits end here...

Thanks in advance!

 

The VAF won't cause a spark fail. Neither will the COR. Which leads us to ask: How do you know it's spark, and not one of the 999 other things that will cause an engine to die?

If you have an IGF failure, you should have code 14. Even if you don't have a CEL, you should check for codes, as some of them can "store."

You can test the distributor. http://web.archive.org/web/201212070...12onvehicl.pdf

Probably the MOST likely cause of a mystery spark fail is a bad igniter. You say your used one "tests good": how did you test an igniter? https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...gniter-287857/

 

The COR I replaced at the suggestion of a friend who has nothing but runners and cruisers and had one go bad and would shut down the EFI system. That's what we thought at first was going on because of it being the new coil and igniter replaced. The used igniter was tested using multimeter and readings from FSM and everything was within specs.

I FINALLY had it stall out on me just sitting and idling it for abt 20 min yesterday morning and immediately pulled one codes. Code 13 & 12, which if I read FSM right and stuff I found here and another forum points to failing signal coil in distributor. That was replaced a couple of years and abt 65-70000 miles ago with a junkyard one because I couldn't afford a new one at the time. Ordered a new one and putting it on this weekend so hopefully that takes care of it. I am just trying to keep this running for another month or so while I finish work on a Chevy K1500 I got, then gonna start rebuilding this one for daughter. She is 11 but has decided she wants it so it gives us a project to work on together without a huge rush and spending some quality time

 

Well, he sounds like the go-to guy! Yes, a bad COR can keep the fuel pump from running, and I guess you could say that shuts down the EFI. Fortunately, CORs are VERY easy to test. And if they test bad, you can get after-market ones from RockAuto for about $100. How much did you pay? (for the one you didn't need)

Yup, go-to guy. As you know from the link I cited, I've never been able to find multimeter specs for the igniter in the FSM. Do you have a link? Page number?

Yes, both 12 and 13 point to a problem in the G and NE CIRCUIT. Given the iffy provenance of your current distributor, I would start by testing the distributor, then examining the rest of the circuit. Or, you could just go ahead and put in a new distributor, and hope that takes care of it. I show a new Toyota distributor as well north of $500. RockAuto carries a reman (not new) Nippon Denso for about $167. How much did you pay? I hope it works for you ...

Get her her own FSM for ... Easter. As you've found out, trucks aren't just big Legos. Replacing parts because your friend thinks that might be the one thing you need will bankrupt you long before she reaches age 16. The FSM gives you (her) everything needed to diagnose problems in a step-by-step manner. It takes a little more time, but it costs a lot less, and you'll be much more sure of the repair.

 

I also support the diag before you replace it logic, unless you have endless amounts of money and are willing to throw it away for no good reason, and in that case, throw some my way lol.

Also subbed for the ignitor test procedure and source. I've only found the signal back to the ecu should be 6 or more volts when running and under 6v not running, but that's for a 3.4L.

 

Thanks guys!!!! Yeah i have been slowly replacing stuff on this one and the Chevy 1-2 things a month since last summer. lol. In all honesty I cant complain because I paid 1500.00 for it 8 years ago. The guy i got it from bought it from a junkyard sale for him and his son to rebuild and son lost interest quick. I havent really put alot of work into except the last year. Other than that the most expensive thing was had the clutch, rear main seal, clutch master and slave, and some other work done about 3 years ago. worst thing was had that stupid crack that tend to happen in clutch pedal bracket and replaced that stupid thing twice before i realized a bolt had fallen out allowing it to flex and crack lol

He tested the igniter for me. I thought thats what he said he did but maybe i misunderstood him. The Circuit open relay i found on Amazon
The distributor i found a reman on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/171770432396?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageNa me=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Also found that the large hose that runs across the top of engine and connects to breather was cracked under the clamp so replacing that. I got everything pulled apart and distributor put in today, but wasnt able to finish putting it all together. Gonna finish Tuesday morning and HOPEFULLY thats what it was. I checked the one i took out and it looked like it was pretty beat up on the inside.
Then gotta do some work on wifes Protege and then focusing on my Chevy because I want that bad boy on the road by summer because I gots plans! lol

Thanks for the tips guys! I really appreciate it!