Can't get my car started!

[phill 92]

Need help trying to get my AE86 started after a little bit of time off of the road. I'll give you a little background to help you help me!

Ran the car about 3 days ago after fitting new alternator car ran sweet than slowly choked out as if it was running out of fuel. I assumed it had run out of fuel as I knew it didn't have a lot of fuel when I took it off of the road a few months ago and had ran the engine a few times since.

Replaced my cam shaft oil seals before an MOT on Saturday morning and put it back together, put in a bit of fuel and went to start it. Starter motor was cranking strong but it wasn't firing so I assumed I had sucked some shit in from the fuel tank, replaced the fuel filter and nothing.

Pulled out the spark plugs and turned it over, the plugs have an initial spark when I turn it over but then nothing. Tried running straight from the coil and same story! Luckily my mate had a spare MSD coil so I fitted that and no luck. I have checked all the timing again and all marks line up. Looking at it now it seems as if the only thing it can be is the igniter that sits on top of the coil?

What I don't understand is why this would of packed up so suddenly? I have heard the igniters are hard to test so I don't really fancy spending a fortune until I am sure it is the igniter. Do I have any other options other than sourcing an igniter? nothing electrical has been disturbed on the car and the battery is new and has been re-charged.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks.

[Alex170984]

Hello there,

I had masses of issues getting my AW11 started after a fresh rebuild.

I don't know if the AE86 works the same, but when you turn the ignition to no2, do you hear the injectors clicking on? Check the fuses?

Check the EFI fuse which is for the injectors.

[Rasteirinho]

EFI Relay?

[Alex170984]

There fuse for the EFI and a relay I believe.

[phill 92]

Thanks for the suggestions guys but isn't EFI electronic fuel injection? how would this be effecting my ignition spark? There is definitely an issue with the ignition like I said the plugs only seem to spark once.

Thanks.

[allencr]

Distributor oil free or full, and all its wiring & connectors nice shiny making good contact, not corroded?

[Rasteirinho]

I had a problem in the past, where the vehicle sometimes wasn't starting, there were no spark jumping from the plugs.

I've swapped coil, igniter, distributor, spark plugs, spark cords...
In the end it was simply the EFI relay... It was flowing 8V to the ECU instead of 12V...

[phill 92]

Seems weird how EFI relay or fuse can seems to help people get a spark?

Leads are newish and so is the dizzy, I bypassed the dizzy and wired the plug straight to the coil and still only got one spark, swapped the coil out and same story!

I may have to try swapping the EFI relay if people seem to believe this works ??

[Alex170984]

When I was cranking my car over for the first time since the rebuild I took the fuse out so I wouldn't flood the engine...but I found that I had no spark.

Put the fuse back in and I had a spark and if it wasn't for the timing that was out, it would have fired up as well.

[jondee86]

Generally speaking, the ECU has to receive certain signals from the
distributor and/or igniter before it will allow the igniter to trigger the coil.
Refer http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/h23.pdf for more information.

If you are getting one spark, then nothing, it suggests that the ECU is
not receiving the necessary signals. Check all the wiring connections
and plugs to the distributor and igniter. Look for loose connections, bad
splices, damaged insulation from heat, broken wires from flexing, places
where the insulation has worn away from rubbing against hard edges.

And pay special attention to the point where ther wires enter the dissy
as they flex a lot there... check inside the dissy as well. Good luck

Cheers... jondee86