95 Camry 4cyl - No spark

Bosco11 · 07-25-2010, 05:01 PM

One night, the camry stopped running, and have not been able to get it to run since.

Before troubleshooting, I replaced the fuel pump and filter.

After that, I noticed that it was not getting spark. A couple of weeks before it quit, it was intermitantly missing, so I changed the spark plugs, rotor button, and distributor cap.

Since it quit running, I have replaced the distributor with a rebuilt distributor twice (coil included). I have also replaced the ignitor with a used one, and then a new one. With the ignition switch in the ON position, I have 12 volts at the coil. Although, the new coil does read a little high on the ohms (.6 ohms) on the primary winding, I figured it is OK. What are the odds of getting 2 bad coils from an auto parts store?

I have searched this forum, I have downloaded the toyota service manuals, and follwed them step by step.

The ECM is not showing any codes. The timing seems to be right where it is supposed to be. With the crank lined up on the #1 TDC mark, the rotor button is set to fire on #1 cylinder. I bought the car 6 months ago, and the timing belt was supposedly changed prior to that.

I checked the IGT signal from the ECM, and it seems to be right on. I tested for a 5 volt IGF signal from the ECM to the igniter, and it was there also.

When I disonnect the wires that feed the coil, I get 12 Volts there while cranking.

I think I have been through this system thoroughly, and I cannot figure out the problem at this point.

A guy had a similar problem that turned out to be the charcoal canister, but I can't find any evidence that it may be my problem, since there are no diagnostic codes present.

Another post told me that if the check engine light was blinking steadily while checking for diagnostic codes, then the computer is OK as well.

Can anyone offer me some help?

Mike Gerber · 07-26-2010, 11:34 AM

"I have replaced the distributor with a rebuilt distributor twice (coil included)"

Can you confirm that the manufacturer of the distributor actually replaces the coil when they rebuild them? Any way to get the manufacturer's name and contact their customer service department and ask? The coil is always my first suspect on any of the first three generations of Camrys, when there is a no spark condition. Do you have a friend with another generation 3 Camry that will let you swap in their coil from a running car for a test?

Mike

Bosco11 · 07-26-2010, 05:45 PM

I will try that. Thank you very much.

Bosco11 · 07-31-2010, 10:48 AM

I am still in need of help.

I have not replaced the coil yet. However, I have replaced the ECM, and cleaned all of the grounds on the ignitor side of the engine, just to make sure that the ignitor is getting a good ground.

I am starting to check relays. Any suggestions on which ones to check, other than the EFI?

Although engine does seem to be getting fuel, because I can smell it after I crank the engine.

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

Bosco11 · 07-31-2010, 11:42 AM

UPDATE

I installed a brand new coil. I still have no spark.

Bob Campbell · 08-05-2010, 12:03 AM

How are you determining there isn't any spark? I use a test sparkplug and connect it directly to a plug wire. I then ground the plug and have someone crank the engine. You should see a spark jump from center electrode to ground. Old school trouble shooting technique.

Bosco11 · 08-06-2010, 10:02 PM

That is how I am checking it for spark.

I guess I am going to start troubleshooting it from scratch tomorrow.

RIP · 08-07-2010, 06:58 PM

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/ar.../t-180870.html

Similar

Bob Campbell · 08-08-2010, 12:23 AM

Bosco11,
Reread your previous posts and you seem to have covered all the bases. I'm not familar with your specific vehicle but taught HS automotives until 2000. When checking for spark did you use a spark plug that wasn't oil fouled? Have you done a compression test?

mcmalloy · 08-08-2010, 12:20 PM

had the same problem with a nissan car , after replacing the computer and still wouldn,t start i put a jumper wire from a key on power wire to the power wire going to the distributer, it started and ran fine, i gess it had a broken wire in the harness but the car was not worth putting that much mony in to , drove it with the jumper wire in place

Bosco11 · 08-08-2010, 02:44 PM

I checked the spark by using a "spark tester". It is a device with a spark plug tip on the top, with a ground clip on the bottom. I adjusted the gap to a distance of a little less than a quarter inch.

I have not checked compression. I am assuming it is ok, since the car was running so well before. I am also assuming that even if it had poor compression, that the car would still spark.

Today, I verified the Ne and G signals all the way to the ECM. If I disconnect the pickups and turn the car over, I get an ECM code of 12. If I leave the pick ups connected and crank the car, I get no codes.

As it stands right now, unless I do something to simulate a code, I get no codes at the ECM. To me, it seems to be pointing at the igniter, even though I have already tried a used on as well as a new one.

Thanks to all for your input.

Mike Gerber · 08-08-2010, 06:45 PM

"I adjusted the gap to a distance of a little less than a quarter inch."

I have never used one of these testers, so I can't say if 1/4 inch is the proper gap to use for this test, but it is much greater than the standard gap on the plug. That's what is making me suspicious that it may not be a spark problem after all. Why not just try the old fashion way of testing for spark. Pull one of the plugs or use an old one lying around. Put it back in that plug's spark plug wire and ground that plug on the engine block somewhere. Then have someone crank the engine while you observe the plug for spark.

Just a hunch here after all you have done.

Mike

Bosco11 · 08-08-2010, 08:15 PM

Making progress.....

After I tried everything, I put the original rotor button and distributor cap back on. The car started. Keep in mind that the brand new rotor button and distributor cap did run on the car priot to it originally breaking down. Perhaps the new rotor button and distributor cap were made by different manufacturers, and did not go together well.

Anyway, I started it about eight or nine times, ran the AC, let it warm up, etc. Finally, the car started running very smoothly. I shut the car down and put the air intake back together. Then I pulled the car out of the garage, and it died. I checked diagnostic codes, and got a diagnostic code 12.

I cleared the codes, pulled the distributor cap off, and reinstalled it. The car started back up, and immediately died. I got diagnostic code 12 again.

Diag Code 12 reads.............

No NE signal to ECM with 2 or more seconds after cranking.

No G signal to ECM for 3 seconds or more with engine speed between 600 and 4000 rpms.

(NE is camshaft position signal, G is crankshaft position signal).

At this point, I suspect a poor connection in the connector that connects the cam and crank sensors to the ecm, on top of the distributor.

I also am leary of the connection between the coil and the distributor cap.

Bosco11 · 08-08-2010, 09:27 PM

I let the car cool down for about an hour after it died. I attempted to start it, and it started right up. However, it is missing a little bit. I let it run for a few minutes, and then I shut it off.

Maybe the fact that it was hot caused the resistance in the path from the coil to the spark plugs to be too high. Perhaps I should have gotten a Toyota coil.

I guess I will investigate the distributor cap more tomorrow. I am also going to investigate the connector on top of the distributor.

Any experiences with distributor cap deficiencies would be helpful.

Thanks again for the help.

Bosco11 · 08-08-2010, 09:30 PM

Another thing is the heat may have caused the "G" and "Ne" connection resistances to increase, perhaps causing the diagnostic code 12 to activate.

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