[Mk2] [NA] Won't start in damp - tried everything we can think of.. desperate!

[Don Cool]

My motor has been in the garage for a few weeks now and I'm posting this in the hope that anyone on this board can give us any pointers.

It cut out on me on the motorway - not raining hard - mainly spray - and I managed to get it damp-start the plugs twice and get it back to the garage. Have been provided with a list of things that the garage owner has done. He's been looking after the car for the past 4 years and we've never had a problem like this

*Check crank / cam timing. Ok. No movement since timing belt replaced ( approx 15k miles ago)

*Check cylinder compressions. Good. Between 13 to 13.75 bar.

*Check ignition timing. Ok

*Aftermarket alarm + immobiliser removed by professional auto electrician. (We thought this might be the problem.)

*New distributor cap fitted. (japanese manufactured)

*New rotor arm fitted. (japanese manufactured)

*New ignition HT leads (5000 miles ago)

*2 different types of spark plug tried. (NGK BKR6EYA @ 1.0mm gap and NGK BKR6EP -8 @ 1.0mm gap)

*Great fuel pressure to fuel filter.

*Great fuel pressure out of fuel filter.

*Fuel present in combustion chamber.

*As new fully charged battery. (150 amp booster pack in addition, when required)

*No fault codes stored. EML lamp not flashing.

*When running starting ok, starts instantly off the key, hot or cold. Drives without issue and pulls like a train!!

*Starts hot and cold when stored inside workshop.

*When left outside (damp or not????) just cranks over......not even an attempt at firing...........slight smell of petrol..........check all plugs for sparking when resting on cam covers. Huge fat blue sparks, great!

*Work carried out by professional motorsport workshop.

*Checked by diagnostics expert.

*Double checked by professional auto electrician.

*Triple checked by another professional workshop.

The problem seems to be related to the wet but we can't work out how.

Any one got any ideas?

(If any further info is required I'll get it for you.)

Thanks

[Razor04]

Ok here's the deal.....................
your problem is the N/A engine lid cover it has flat vents not raised vents like the turbo.

on the dizzy cap the uppermost ht lead gets water dripping onto it through the open peice on the underside of the engine cover.

toyota design flaw, distributor directly under the only open section of the engine lid undertray.

pull the uppermost ht lead off and spray it inside with wd40 refit the lead.

problem solved

constructing some sort of rain shield for the dizzy on an n/a is desireable if not you can wrap the distributor in plastic to sheild it from moisture.

i had a G limited n/a before my turbo and had similar troubles.

[JOHNM400]

Sounds like youve checked pretty much everything there.

Personally if youve done all that and still nothing then id speak to Paul Woods the MR2 wizard! Not a million miles away from you either.

[JJ]

Something to check :

When the car wont start and you say its firing... need to check to see if fuel is actually going to the rail.

diagnostic port :

Bridge B+ and FP

This will activate the fuel pump... and listen for fuel movement around the rail. That will confirm if fuel is being reached and the pump hasn't developed an intermitant fault with it ( ecu wont store the code )

IF there is no fuel pump issue... its possible theres a problem with the coil on the car.... check connections / conditions ... occasionally, although you've change the leads.. the coils king lead can get corroded up ( in the coil ).. check and clean. What this will do is provide an intermittant spark.. which wont register on the ecu fault codes either.

What you should also try.. when the engine is running... pull on the loom in places... its might be co-incidental that when damp it wont start.. its possible that you may have a bad earth / connection - which pulling the loom about will recreate a running issue.

Couple of options to check there.....

[Don Cool]

Thanks everyone for your help. Will pass the info on and let you know what progress is made.

Cheers

Don

[blue2]

As someone has already mentioned it is an ht lead issue. I had a similar problem. It turned out to be the king lead from the distributor cap to the coil, water got inside it. Get some waterproof tape and tape up the connections.

[Don Cool]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Got a pm from Paul@Woodsport and he diagnosed that the problem was a duff coilpack without even seeing the car!

What a guy!

I now have my motor back and it is now driving better than ever.

Am well happy!

[PW@Woodsport]

Back of the net

[JOHNM400]

Back of the net

Nothing new there then, id call you a freak but you might take offence and never help me again

They should shut the forum down and just have a message- PM Paul Woods with any problems

[PW@Woodsport]

lol no i think you really did just call me a freak there john

The correct advice is priceless,the wrong advice is worthless as they say.

[JJ]

The correct advice is priceless,the wrong advice is worthless as they say.

Trust an irish man to come up with that !!

[PW@Woodsport]

shut it you

[Leon.]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Got a pm from Paul@Woodsport and he diagnosed that the problem was a duff coilpack without even seeing the car!

And to think I was about to say the exact same thing, as a process of elimination

[jason_pmr2]

I had this exact problem, turned out to be the igniter pack was badly earthed on the bracket the ignition coil is also on. Just replaced the whole bracket and igniter and coil with a cheap (£10) scrapyard set and has been spot on since!

[jimGTS]

lol, funny i was going to say coil pack, then i carried on reading and saw it mentioned....

id like to know how best to protect this from happening??

am sure ive read of lots of folk who have had this issue....

clearly spray from the road is easily finding its way to the coil and getting it damp....

perhaps a wire tuck? tho extreme....lol

any easy solution to protect these connections??

[GMLMR2]

lol, funny i was going to say coil pack, then i carried on reading and saw it mentioned....

id like to know how best to protect this from happening??

am sure ive read of lots of folk who have had this issue....

clearly spray from the road is easily finding its way to the coil and getting it damp....

perhaps a wire tuck? tho extreme....lol

any easy solution to protect these connections??

Yea I would of regrounded the coil, with the amount of water that travels though there in time it will corode it all and will happen again if you don't channel the water some where else.

The rev 2 NA engine lid is the $hitte$t cover around , water can go anywhere it likes making for mega electrical problems later on, water runs down the back of the wall which the coil is bolted to also the main ECU loom comes though this wall and also get dripping wet, when ever it rains the coil and wiring on my car was always dripping wet, so i've put in an engine lid seal similar to the rubber seals on the doors this way no water can leak from the engine lid straight down the wall and onto the coil, also any water that comes through the vent holes is also taken safley away via a funnel system and pipes and with all the rain we've had my bay is a dry as a bone now