Starting problems

Tiny
DEAVER_92
  • MEMBER
  • TOYOTA COROLLA
1988 Toyota Corolla GTS, 169000 miles, 4A-GE engine: This car is very hard to start when it is cold and doesn't start at all when it warms up. I have replaced the spark plugs, spark plug wires, and the distributer cap and rotor. It cold started a little easier after I did that, but still will not start hot. I purchased an ohm-meter and checked the ignition coil. The secondary resistance is with-in range, but the primary is not. The specs for the primary resistance is 0.4-0.5 and the ignition coil barely gets down to 0.6, so I'm pretty sure that it needs replaced. I'm pretty sure that's not the only thing, however, because after I do get it started it tries to die again. Once it gets down to a about 800 RPM's, which is what it is supposed to be running at, it pretty much dies. It might be a vacuum leak, but I only found one cracked vacuum line, and that didn't fix it. When I rev the engine up it will sometimes stay between 2500 and 3500 RPM's until it fully warms up. After that it will stay running for the most part around 1100 RPM's, but again it will die if it gets below 800 RPM's. I'm hoping replacing the ignition coil will solve all my problems, but I figured I would check first. Thanks for your help.
Monday, April 9th, 2007 AT 4:19 PM

8 Replies

Tiny
MIKE H R
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I don't know that much about the coil not much into electrical as most others. But I have to ask how is the fuel pressure and fuel filter?
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Monday, April 9th, 2007 AT 7:55 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
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Disconnect the coil wire at the distributor-now ground it and crank her over-what color is it. I believe 1ohm and less makes it fine and dandy.

Could be coolant temperature sensor and EGR this one does all kinds of weird stuffs if its ajar.
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Monday, April 9th, 2007 AT 10:44 PM
Tiny
DEAVER_92
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I just changed the fuel filter and as far as I know the pressure is good. The fuel pump is working just fine. As for disconnecting the coil wire, I already did that. The spark was orange. I imagine that means it's not that hot, seeings how it's supposed to be blue. I haven't checked the coolant temp sensor or the EGR valve yet, but that's next on my list. Thanks for your help.
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Wednesday, April 11th, 2007 AT 4:48 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
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Its not suppose to be orange-the coil is weak
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Wednesday, April 11th, 2007 AT 5:07 PM
Tiny
MIKE H R
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Try some throttle body cleaner, there could be some buld up of carbon, inside of the throttle body.
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Wednesday, April 11th, 2007 AT 7:38 PM
Tiny
DEAVER_92
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Ok thanks. I already cleaned the throttle body, but I looked inside where the injectors are and there is a lot of carbon build up. Also there is a lot of blow-by oil coming out of the air cleaner. The car does not have a PCV valve so I know it's not that. I don't know what would be causing this.
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Tuesday, April 17th, 2007 AT 10:13 AM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
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Better recheck for a PCV valve-that's the reason you getting that blowby at the air cleaner. You need o thoroughly check the crankcase ventilation passages-its not an open ventilation type-not fix the crankcase pressure will bllow-out oil seals.
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Tuesday, April 17th, 2007 AT 4:31 PM
Tiny
DEAVER_92
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The car is equipped with a pcv hose, but not a valve. That is standard for this type of engine. I'll check the passages to see if they are blocked.
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Wednesday, April 18th, 2007 AT 3:45 PM

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