Distributor problem??????? HELP!

Was the fuel pressure checked?
When it did not start, what was missing, ignition sparks or fuel?
Seems somebody is not checking the correct place or item.

HAVE YOU NARROWED IT DOWN TO

SPARK

OR

FUEL?

REMOVE PLUG WIRE AND SEE IF YOU HAVE SPARK.....BELOW IN MY LINK IS AN EZ WAY

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_electrical-tester--in-line-spark-plug-checker-dorman--conduct-tite_22144233-p?searchTerm=spark+tester

GOT SPARK????



FUEL TEST---SHOOT A 2-3 SECOND BURST OF "STARTER FLUID" INTO THE THROTTLE BODY....ATTEMPT TO START

DOES IT TRY/ SPIT/ SPUTTER/ NUTHIN' ?????

DO THE TESTS SEPARATELY WHEN YOU KNOW IT'S GONNA ACT UP (YOU KNOW HOW THAT'S GONNA GO!)

THIS MAY NARROW DOWN WHAT TO CHECK NEXT

THE MEDIC

OK...guess i left out some stuff...i THINK the fuel pressure was checked, but i'm not sure. Will ask tomorrow. Also, a new igniter and computer was put in, but that didn't take care of the problem either. I can't believe Toyota can't solve this one..we are ALL frustrated! I know there HAS to be an answer to this...why does it start the first time once, then take 15 tries the next time, then start on the first time later on....ARGGGH!!!!!

That is why you need to check what is missing when it could not start. It could be a relay that is working intermittently.

WITHOUT THE "REST OF THE STORY"

COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS A BAD IGNITION SWITCH

THEN THERE'S STUFF THAT'S LEFT OUT OF THE EQUATION....LIKE THE "WELLS FARGO NATIONAL BANK QUALITY SATELLITE CONTROLLED AFTERMARKET SECURITY SYSTEM" THAT WAS INSTALLED

KEEP US POSTED WITH THE MISSING BITS AND PIECES, AND HOW THINGS ARE PROGRESSING

......SORTA GIVE US A "REAL" ANSWER TO OUR QUESTIONS!...WHEN YOU FIND OUT ANYWAY

GET YOURS FIXED 1ST, SO YOU'LL HAVE A GOOD TRADE IN

THE MEDIC

I already have a Jeep Wrangler, Medic! I've given all the info I have for now, since i am not the mechanic. Will speak to him tomorrow about all the answers given tonight.

ROGER

GLAD YOU HAVE SOMETHING "REAL" TO DRIVE---I WON'T WORRY ABOUT YOU AS MUCH

WE UNDERSTAND--YOU PROBABLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL THEY HAVE BEEN SLINGIN' AT YOU AT THE SHOP

WE JUST WANNA KNOW IF IT'S A LACK OF SPARK.....OR A LACK OF FUEL THAT IS THE ISSUE

US KNOWING, AT LEAST THIS MUCH INFO, MIGHT GIVE US A DIRECTION TO FOLLOW

THEN WE MIGHT OFFER SUGGESTIONS ON STUFF THAT THEY MAY HAVE NOT HAVE CHECKED...WE HAVE ACCESS TO ONLINE SERVICE MANUALS...WE CAN SEND DIAGRAMS AND WIRING DIAGRAMS...ETC

OTHERWISE, WE WOULD BE WRITING YOU A FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL FOR THE WHOLE CAR....SOMEBODY ELSE HAS ALREADY DONE THAT!.....WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT PAGES TO GO TO!

POST A PIC OF YOUR WRANGLER!....LIKE MY '46 WILLYS?...I HAVE '77 CJ 5 TOO.

THE MEDIC

OK, guys, today we made the observation that the Celica starts beautifully when the weather is cold (cool like it was this morning, but when we have our "warmer" days in Texas,(like later this week) it starts acting up. Still considering putting back the old distributor back in because we're not sure it was ever really the problem. This is nuts. Still checking out other suggestions that you mentioned last time.

Medic,

I have a 1998 Jeep TJ...chili pepper red, but I have also owned a 1990 Wrangler and a 1997....attached is a picture from Go Topless Day in Galveston this past May...

GOOD PIC!.....I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT CJs SINCE I STARTED DRIVING ON THE ROAD IN '81....6 CJ 5s AND MY WILLYS

I'M NOT MUCH ON THESE CYBER CONTROLLED VEHICLE...I'M TRYIN' TO LEARN (WIFEY DRIVES NEWER STUFF...SO DO MY PALS)

KHLow2008 THROW IN YOUR OPINION......

I CAME ACROSS THESE....RECKON IT COULD BE ONE OF THESE????

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_air-charge-temperature-sensor-bwd-intermotor_18480936-p?searchTerm=sensors

HERE'S THE OTHER ONE

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_map-sensor-bwd-intermotor_20470216-p?searchTerm=sensors


SEE MY 6th AND 7th ANSWER IN THIS POST...MAY HELP YOU WITH FUTURE STUFF TOO!

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1977-jeep-cj7-front-wheel-wont-into-4-low

THE CODE IN THE ABOVE LINK ALSO SAVES WITH SMALLER AMOUNTS TOO, JUST NOT AS MUCH

THE MEDIC

I did not see anything topless in the pictures.

Since problem is temperature related, check the Engine Coolant Temperature sensor.

KHLow2008...will have Toyota look at that (engine coolant temperature sensor). Also my daughter noted today that when she brings the car to a stop and starts to put it in park, the RPM needed starts bouncing up and down and clicking. She has observed this a few times, along with today, for about a second, the check engine light came on, but then quickly went off. SIGH....

ALSO, where would a good place to go to sell a distributor that was only used for 24 hours, but is not now needed? Is there anyone that would buy something like that? Are distributors for car specific, or will they go in any vehicle?

THE DISTRIBUTOR IS MOST LIKELY USED ONLY IN THAT ENGINE....THAT ENGINE MAY BE IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT VEHICLES

THIS MAY BE A WAY TO DO IT--YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO MAKE THE PRICE SOMEWHAT APPEALING---THEY'LL COME TO YOU---AT LEAST YOU WON'T HAVE TO "EAT" THE WHOLE THING AS A LOSS

SOMETHING THAT "ELVIS" HAD TO DO WITH IT MAY MAKE IT MORE DESIRABLE IN YOUR DESCRIPTION!!!

SORRY I AIN'T BEEN MUCH HELP WITH YOUR CYBER CAR

MAYBE I CAN OFFER SOMETHING "JEEP" ONCE YOU GET DONE WITH THIS

I PREVAIL BEST OVER IN THE CJ5 & 7 FORUMS...HERE'S JUST TWO EXAMPLES

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1977-jeep-cj7-front-wheel-wont-into-4-low

RIGHT NOW, IN THIS ONE, TOWARDS THE END, I'M ATTEMPTING TO HELP HIM SAVE A CHUNK OF $$$ ON PARTS

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1985-jeep-cj7-inconsistent-curb-idle-low-power-hi-rpms

I'LL LET KHLow2008 CONTINUE ON WITH THIS...AS I AM SORTA USELESS

THE MEDIC

Aww, Medic...you aren't useless if you love Jeeps like I do...i still have a lot to learn about using them offroad since I don't have anyone to help me with offroad stuff...just now learning how to use the four wheel drive...that I REALLY need help with!

YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO "UNDERSTANDING"....I HAVE BEEN THIS WAY SINCE THE ONE I REMEMBER SEEING FOR THE 1ST TIME...AND MY TOYS...ETC

THIS IS MANY TIMES, THE 1ST QUESTION I ASK THE QUESTION ASKER....SCROLL DOWN AND SEE WHEN I ANSWER IN THIS ONE

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1975-jeep-cj5-ignition-switch-issue


.....ONE REASON I HATED TO WATCH THE "A-TEAM" ON TV, THEY WOULD DESTROY MANY JEEPS ON EACH EPISODE. I WROTE TO THE SHOW AND BEGGED THAT THEY "SPARE" JUST ONE OF THEM, AND SEND IT TO ME. I WAS IN THE ARMY AT THE TIME, I'D HEARD THAT STUPID REQUESTS SOMETIMES COME TRUE!.....I'M SURE MY LETTER WAS LOST OR LAUGHED AT.

THE MEDIC

I can't STAND to see any vehicle destroyed needlessly, must less our precious Jeeps! Never really watch A-Team, but to hear your description of the destruction of Jeeps, it would have made me cringe, also. I would love an older one, but that will have to wait. I will baby this one as much as possible. No one else in my family drives it because it is a 5 speed...i guess that is good, in a way.

Got a question for you? I didn't realize the day I bought this Jeep that the heater didn't work. It blows air, but never gets warm even after 2 1/2 hours of driving. I've been driving it without heat for two years now without heat (brrrr!), but would like to remedy that. Any suggestions on what it would be? Thanks, Medic Jeep Guy!

LET ME SEE WHAT I CAN FIND OUT ON THE HEATER---I CAN!

....MEAN TIME, FEEL THE HEATER HOSES AS THEY GO INTO THE FIREWALL (WHEN THE JEEP IS RUNNING AND AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE)

ARE THEY HOT?

WATCH OUT FOR THEM PESKY MOVING PARTS UNDER THERE!!!!


THE MEDIC

OMG, Do NOT destroy the Jeep! I think I will start a group called SPCJ...those actions ought to be illegal!

Wow...don't think i've seen the open to that show for at least 20 years...Mr. T...where is he now! I will need to go more into Youtube and find the scenes of destruction and "flag" them as inappropriate, LOL!

I will check on the hoses as you suggested...thanks!

HERE'S YOU SOME DIAGRAMS OF THE HEATER AND A/C

I'VE NOT DEALT WITH A TJ's HVAC

I DO SORTA KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR/AT

http://www.jeep4x4center.com/air-conditioning-heating/wrangler-tj.htm

LOOKS LIKE IT'S VACUUM OPERATED---SEE # 13...THERE'S 3 OF 'EM

THESE CONTROL DOORS INSIDE THE BOX

IF YOUR HOSES ARE GETTING HOT....THE HEAT IS "THERE"....YOU JUST GOTTA TURN IT LOOSE!

HERE'S WHAT COULD BE GOING ON

1) NO VACUUM TO THE CONTROLS---THIS MAY BE A LOOSE LINE UNDER THE DASH OR UNDER THE HOOD (A VACUUM LEAK)

2) NO VACUUM FROM THE CONTROLS TO THE ACTUATORS....BAD CONTROLS...LOOSE LINE

3) VACUUM ACTUATOR(S) BROKE OR STUCK...OR THE VACUUM HOSE IS OFF (BASICALLY A VACUUM LEAK WHICH MAY BE AFFECTING ENGINE PERFORMANCE)

4) ACTUATOR LINKAGE CAME LOOSE FROM A DOOR (ACTUATOR WORKS, BUT DOES NOTHING)

5) DOOR HAS COME LOOSE--OR IS STUCK (I'VE SEEN SPILLED SOFT DRINKS SORTA GLUE 'EM SHUT)

ALL THESE ACTUATORS SHOULD WORK ON CERTAIN CONTROL SETTINGS (I DON'T KNOW WHICH CONTROLS WHAT)

A HAND MIRROR AND A FLASHLIGHT MIGHT LET YOU SEE WHATS GOING ON UNDER THE DASH....AS YOU RUN THE CONTROLS THRU THEIR SETTINGS

REMOVING THE VACUUM HOSES FROM THE ACTUATORS, ONE AT A TIME, WITH YOUR FINGER OVER THE HOSE'S HOLE...OPERATE THE CONTROLS TO SEE VACUUM DOES REACH THE ACTUATORS (IF THEY WERE NOT MOVING).....MAYBE A BAD ACTUATOR?

YOU MIGHT ALSO "GENTLY HELP" THE ACTUATOR LINKAGE, TO GET A DOOR UNSTUCK

TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON!


SEE MY "1ST PROTOTYPE HEATER" FOR "WILLY", MY '46 WILLYS....ON NOVEMBER 6th IN THIS POST

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1994-ford-ranger-alternator-quit-charging-tried-4-other-alternators-worked-came

SEE MY SHEET METAL VERSION...BACK-UP HEAT FOR "MR JEEP", MY '77 CJ 5

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1998-jeep-wrangler-heater

THE MEDIC

So has the Celica problem been rectified?

............SEEMS SO DISTANT NOW.....

LOL!

WELL..... caymangirl63, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH IT?

THE MEDIC

Well, KHLow2008 an Medevac, not only has the problem NOT been fixed, its gotten much worse. Now when you come to a stop sign, you STAY stopped until you try and start the engine again. The RPM indicator bounces up and down LOUDLY when bringing the car to a stop and the check engine light comes on briefly. I think this car is possesed! All this on top of the car not starting the first time. It was working fine in the cooler weather, but then summer returned and so did the car problem. I am suppose to take it back to the Toyota dealer Monday or Tuesday to have the old distibutor put back in because that obviously is NOT the problem! GRRRRRR!!!!! As much as they are probably tired of looking at this car, i think their curiosity is getting the best of them...they have put many hours into this car and have not charged me anything extra...

WAY UP AT THE TOP---I ASKED YOU TO PERFORM 2 TESTS.....SEPARATELY

ONE WHEN IT IS ACTING UP

THE OTHER THE NEXT TIME IT IS ACTING UP

.....I DON'T MEAN TO PERFORM THE TESTS ON TRY 23 OF THE KEY----I MEAN LIKE ON TRY 4, BEFORE IT CRANKS UP ON IT'S OWN

IT DON'T MATTER IF YOU PUT 5 FUEL PUMPS ON IT OR 4 SETS OF SPARK PLUGS......AND HAD THE POPE BLESS IT

DURING YOUR CARS "STUBBORN PERIOD".....SOMETHING IS MISSING.....WE SORTA HAVE RULED OUT "COMPRESSION"

SO EITHER YOU HAVE A "LACK OF FUEL"

OR YOU HAVE A "LACK OF SPARK"

.....FOR WHATEVER REASON!....A SHORTING WIRE, A STOPPAGE, ALIENS, SNAKES, KAMOTO DRAGONS, ETC....

WITHOUT YOU DOING THE TESTS.....AND GIVING US THE RESULTS

WE DON'T KNOW WHICH GHOST TO CHASE

.......CAN YOU HELP US OUT?

THE MEDIC

when it wont start try spraying starting fluid in the throttle body does it start then?

I will attempt to try out all your suggestions this weekend, but I also feel I need some help in doing some of these things...i'm not a mechanic, so some of the request are going to be foreign. Let me see what I can come up with...

I'VE BEEN LOOKIN' THRU VIDEOS FOR JUST THE RIGHT ONE...SEEMS THERE ARE MORE MIS-USE VIDEOS FOR STARTER FLUID THAN THE CORRECT USE

OK---A FIRE EXTINGUISHER IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE CLOSE BY--A BIG WET TOWEL MIGHT EVEN BE BETTER FOR A TINY FLARE UP

IN THIS VIDEO--HE SHOOTS IT IN A PORT--THIS IS FINE, IF YOU HAVE A PORT.....TAKING THE BIG HOSE OFF (FROM THE AIR CLEANER) AND SHOOTING IN A 2 SECOND BURST...THEN SHOVE THE HOSE BACK ON (NO NEED TO TIGHTEN IT YET)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=064Ilsz8Fzg

OK CHECKING FOR SPARK---SEVERAL WAYS---I LIKE THE LITTLE LIGHT AS I LINKED YOU TO.....IN FACT I KEEP 2 ON HAND, THIS GIVES ME CONFIDENCE THAT THE BULB IS NOT BURNED OUT IN THE ONE I TRY 1ST

NO CHANCE OF BEING SHOCKED EITHER!

IT WILL TAKE TWO PERSONNEL--ONE TO CRANK--THE OTHER TO TEST

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZceAZgZBn9E

THE ONLY THING THIS VIDEO LACKS IS THE GUY ACTUALLY TURNING THE ENGINE OVER....USING THE EXTRA SPARK PLUG IS HIS BEST METHOD

YOU MIGHT TRY THIS, JUST TO SEE HOW IT SHOULD WORK ON YOUR CAR WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING RIGHT....OR YOU CAN TRY IT ON ANOTHER VEHICLE

OR MY WAY--PULL THE PLUG WIRE OFF--INSTALL THIS LIGHT ON THE WIRE---PLUG IT BACK ON YOUR PLUG (IT'S BASICALLY A PLUG WIRE EXTENSION W/ A LIGHT INSIDE IT)

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_hands-free-in-line-ignition-spark-tester-s&g-tool-aid_22985359-p?searchTerm=ignition+tester



THE MEDIC

Get the code again and see what code comes up.