[Mk1 NA] Car Cranks/No power

[SuperRedMR2]

Hello there, i have a 1985 mr2 mk1.

on sunday i started the car in the evening, and it sounded pretty rough (has been for a while i thought because it has been colder) it started eventually. full revs, normal cold condition start. went round my mates house, then 10mins later decided to go home. turned key, it wudnt start. starter motor was going round, but didnt do anything.

my mate who is in his 3rd year of motor technician took the plugs out to test for a spark. there was none. tried on all plugs, there was no spark. my mate has a white 1985 mr2. so we took out my ignition module and coil and spark plugs and put them in his car. his car started straight away.
but they didnt work in my car

decided to take it up the garage or tow it on monday night. garage said its the ignition module (sounded strange to me). so i got a second hand one. my dad dropped the module off to garage, as he got it for me. then as i got home from work, i dropped by garage to ask if it was fixed they said "we put the module in, it started fine first time, but wen we turned it off then went to restart it, it didnt and hasnt started since (two days later).

they dont know what is wrong with it?!!! fat lot of good that is!

can anyone help? i havent had a car for a week now, and its really inconvinient, so please help asap!!!

many thanks

Mr Gager

[jimi]

Try swapping the "circuit opening" relay with your mates. Its in the boot beside the ECU (behind the trim panel on the engine bulkhead) if this has bad contacts the engine would crank but wouldn't start. A Might also be worth checking the main EFI relay, its in the relay box in the engine compartment 2nd relay from the front IIRC should be marked on the fuse box cover.
HTH
Jimi

[SuperRedMR2]

have already tried swapping those. even swapped the ecu's over!!

i have read on here that if the distributor is knackered, then i wont get a spark (obviously) i know the coil and module work as it has been tried on my mates car, so all that is fine.

just there must be something stopping the car starting. maybe a bad connection on the battery connections. all fuses and relays have been swapped and all work

i am mindboggled

[jimi]

Have you checked if the ECU is showing any fault codes ? How-to here
CLICKY

[SuperRedMR2]

well we did the diagnostic check thingy. and it was 6 and 11 codes that came up.

and one of them includes the RPM sensor which my mate thinks is rong with it, and the other codes does include the ECU. plugging his ECU into mine didnt start the car. i am not mechanically and definitely not electrically minded.

has there ever been a time where the wiring loom has corroded or keeps tripping out the ignition? i dont want to buy a loom!

thank you for your replies, keep them coming! and ill congradulate you when something works!

Mr Gager

[jimi]

Rpm sensor is built into the distributor and have been known to fail, code 11 is also the TPS which would be worth checking, its on the back of the throttle body(nearest the boot bulkhead) at the intake end (black round with a plug in it)

[SuperRedMR2]

so could the RPM signal sensor good be a good bet for the cause of the engine not starting?

or would it be a good idea buying another distributor just in case?

you have been very helpful. admittedly this is the only thing that has gone rong with my car in the 9months that i have owned it. i did spend alot of money on replacement rear calipers x 2, clutch, throttle cable and front valance. but when it runs its lovely! many people my age (21) just cannot keep up with the blistening performance.

so if this problem gets sorted out, ill definitely buy another one soon.

keep comments coming!

[jimi]

I pretty sure you can't change the rpm sensor , you need to replace the distributor if its faulty There's one on ebay just now
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Toyota-Mk1-MR2-Di ... dZViewItem
There's 2 pickups in the distributor, 1 ( NE pickup ) sends a signal to the ignitor and the other (G) sends a signal to the ECU. The resistance of the pickups should be approx 160 ohms (140-180) also the air gaps between the pickups and rotors need to be between 0.2-0.4mm (8-16 thou)
If any of these not correct then you need to replace the distributor
hth
Jimi

[SuperRedMR2]

yes you are right, you cannot remove the rpm sensor cable. my mate thought it was attached to the gearbox, which is clearly isnt. i picked up a second hand distributor from my local scrappy. £35 but with a guarentee which is good. so the garage are going to put it on tomorrow. i am crossing every part of my body praying the sod works! it better work as i will be screwed not having a car, and ill have to cancel the bodywork restoration that im having done to it on the 1st feb.

so everyone keep everything you've got crossed as i am!

thank you for your help!

Mr Gager

[SuperRedMR2]

Hello all.

Good news. i rang the garage today, and the car works! the garage said it is running as it should. the bad news is that its gonna cost me alot. although they didnt know what was rong with the car they spent alot of time on it. but i will point out that the knowledge i got from imoc really sorted the car out as i went and bought the part that was needed to make it run!

but thank you all so much!!

Mr Gager

[jimi]

Thats good news, glad its running Hopefully won't be too expensive since you got the parts and pointed them in the right direction
Jimi

[PW@Woodsport]

only just read this,glad you're sorted and as jimi says shouldnt cost much...fitting a dizzy is no more than a 20 minute job including setting the timing back up.....you did all the work finding out what was wrong so i dont see how they can possibly hand you a big bill,you found the fault,you sourced the part.

Mind you if they arent mk1 experienced i can imagine it taking them hours working out how to time the distributor back up,but you shouldnt pay for their incompetance if thats the case,30 mins labour max.

[SuperRedMR2]

Hello.

The way the garage said on the phone sounded like it was going to cost alot. and you are right, they had no idea that the rpm sensor was inside the dizzy. thats why it took ages. thankfully you guys knew! they charged me £60 which i suppose is fair. i had my timing done, all my earths were cleaned up which is good as a couple of them were poor.

i am getting the ignition module back, the one they told me to get as they said that was the problem! that one will be going on ebay in the next few days. what do you think i could get for it? my old red spoiler will also be going on there aswell. i am having bodywork done next wednesday, so thank god the car is running. i am looking forward to having a rust free (visually) mr2

i have set myself a £3500 budget just before or during the summer for a car. i am looking at nissan 200sx S13 & S14, but if a supercharger comes along i will be definitely considering it, or another low mileage mr2, as mine will clock 120k this week

you know of any mr2 gatherings anytime soon?

again many thanks for your help. i was a miserable xxxxxx all week before i asked you guys. my car makes me happy, sad i know lol.

Many Thanks

Mr Gager

[PW@Woodsport]

whatever you do dont buy a 200sx! big lumbering barges with inadequate power,driven them a lot....very dissapointing.