Toyota Previa No Spark

[The Surge]

Hi all

I have a Toyota Previa II 2.4i 16v 1991 which was running very ragged after 15 mins (or when warmed up). I was advised to get hold of a new coil and No. 1 HT lead, which I duly did and also I added a new Battery. I fitted the Battery first and then found that I couldn't get the car to start at all.

Believing that the new power in the Battery has possibly finished off the coil, I replaced the coil and HT lead and find that it still wont start. I have been told by the mechanic that there is no spark at all from the coil, so i would like to know 1) if anyone has a workshop manual 2) what is the next step up the electrical line on this model 3) Could I have nudged an emergency/accident cut off/immobiliser if there is one fitted (& where would the reset be?) and 4) Does this car have a CDI/ECU and where would be the best place to get one?

Many many thanks to anyone with the answers to one or all of these annoying dilemmas....

Regards

surge0n66

[KPARRIS-JONES]

Welcome to the club mate.

Do none if the cars electrics work?

[The Surge]

everything else works fine, the car turns over no probs, just doesnt fire any more. Hence i wondered if there was an emergency/impact cut off/immobiliser i could reset.

[KPARRIS-JONES]

hhhm have you had the codes read off the ECU then? Should get an idea of what is wrong.

It could be an immobiliser issue as you say but I cannot imagine how to fix it so Toyota will have to deal with it. :(

Sorry that I couldn't be of much help.

I guess you can check the obvious, connections are made properly and the right leads are connected to the right plugs etc.... but it's a very odd situation.

[The Surge]

Youre right there, its an odd one. I have only just bought all the right leads so i am pretty sure they are all correct, and the prob occurred just B4 I fitted the leads so the original ones were there that had been working up til the Battery change. Where could I read the ECU codes, and with what? I wouldnt know where to find it! Sorry to be so stoopid!

[KPARRIS-JONES]

lol don't worry everyone starts somewhere with their knowledge!

To get your OBD codes read off go to a garage and they should have the necessary kit to read off the ECU fault/diag codes. They will give you the codes that get read off, type them into google and see what it says. You should get more of an idea about what is causing the problem.

[The Surge]

Oh well, thats me scuppered then. Thought you mioght say that. I cannot drive the old girl nor can I tow her as it is illegal to do that here in Spain., Would cost over £100 to get her to a garage so i may end up scrapping her instead. :(

[KPARRIS-JONES]

Ok if you are more of a handy man or have some confidence then you can get and OBD II reader kit yourself and do it at home.

A good on costs £70-£100 though but better than scrapping it.

DON'T scrap it! I like people to keep older cars going, just look at mine and you'll see!

[The Surge]

Your passion is inspiring! I really dont want to scrap her but I simply cant afford to keep spending on a car that has an indeterminate problem that no-one seems to have much of an idea about.

I think what i really need is some pdf pages from a Haynes manual on the electrical system for this vehicle so i can get my mechanic to go through it. Is there anyone who might have these pages??

[KPARRIS-JONES]

hhhm I will be going out on tuesday and I am doing rounds for the next set of tools I need for my project car, I will take a good look for a manual for you and if I find one for say under £15 I can buy it and send it to you, as long as you would be prepared to pay me back. I don't have any money to spare lol.

I do understand your woes, it does get very agitating and tiring when you keep trying to deal with an intermittent problem that totally incapacitates your car. :(

[The Surge]

That is a very kind offer!

I have had a look around and found a copy under £15, I have to decide if I want to make the order and then find that I have to spend loads more on the repair when I really just need a few pages. It would take a week to get here too in the south of Spain.

I sound so negative against your upbeat outlook, I have already had an Estima explode after buying a new engine, A brand new replacement Mitz Delica Turbo blow and now I have bought a new Battery, coil and HT leads for this car and I still have an unspecified problem, and withoujt the basic info as to whether it has a points or CDI system, etc, i could end up buying wrong parts etc etc.

I apologise if i sound like a moaning git but I have to get more info on this model before i spend any more on her.....

[KPARRIS-JONES]

ha you should see how depressing I get when my GTi goes wrong... I totally understand it mate.

Don't go to Elite Manual mate, they rip you off. They just send you a disc with a few random PDF's of a car that isn't yours. They just look to make a quick £5 so don't bother. ;)

If you have had this much trouble then it looks to me that you should take it apart and sell it for spares, then get a different car. Don't loose faith in Toyota though! Still, it may be better to keep yours going if you do get to the bottom of the problem. It seems to be an awful lot of waste for one small problem, as annoying as it is.

Just let me know if you want me to keep a look out for one and buy it.

P.S You think you have it bad:

That's what I am dealing with right now. :P

[The Surge]

Wow that is some project!

I still have faith in Toyota, it just gets you down when the simple info you need doesn't seem to be anywhere! The manual i found was doe £10 used on Amazon, The upsetting thing is that she was running OK before i changed the Battery! She always started even though she would run very badly after 15 minutes, so i know the actual engine is fine its just, as you rightly say a small problem in a line I have replaced mostly, i just need to get to what the next bit along is and there isnt much more i can replace!

I do, however wish you the very best in you own battle, lol.

[KPARRIS-JONES]

Yeh it's taken it's toll but some good has come of it. I now write about it in Toyota Performance Magazine. :D

Good luck with the manual and thank you for the kind words.

I hope to see you here again with a working Previa!

[The Surge]

Got a manual from Amazon for £12 delivered. Many thanks for your help and happy building.

[KPARRIS-JONES]

No problem at all mate it's why I am here and why you came here.

I hope everything works out well for you and that there is no more conspiracy about you getting it scrapped!

[quepaisito]

Hola, quisiera saber como ha terminado esta historia de la Toyota Previa.

Pasé por el mismo problema y se ha solucionado, cómo? Nadie lo sabe...pero he cambiado cables, bujias, bobina, tapa de distribuidor y tambien batería. Pasó un tiempo sin que le llegara chispa a los extremos de los cables. Saqué el fusible de 15 Amp. , luego hice una limpieza de óxido acumulado en el cable positivo de la batería, justo debajo de los fusíbles (la caja de plástico negra) y pues, nadie lo sabe, pero ahora arranca!!!!