I'm confused. So if it happened after you replaced the distributor, what was the rationale for swapping the distributor? I.e. what were you trying to fix before this happened that caused you to then replace the distributor?

The symptoms you are describing are very typical for a bad distributor.

I doubt you'll see any change with new injectors. Make sure you don't just throw parts at the problem.

 

The reason I thought "Injectors" is this:

The car had fuel pressure, etc. Fuel injectors (failing due to high resistance when hot) is why it would always crankcrankcrank when hot, but not start.

My mechanic friends suggested it could be:

1. Vacuum leak in air intake tube
2. MAF sensor (that I believe the Toyota doesn't have)
3. Timing chain or belt jumped a tooth or two

I thought it could be:
1. Bad fuel/water-in-the-gas sabotage (at the funeral)
2. Fuel delivery .

?

Oh.. you asked "Why was the distributor changed" - Get this, it was changed because the car decided to die and need a tow on the way home from my Girlfriend's Mom's funeral. Never gave me any major issues, sure it needed new exhaust manifold and AC recharged, but it always, always ran... The mechanic jipped her. Charged $500 price, that to install new distributor. There sure is a new distributor on there, but I imagine the old one is just fine....... Now, he feels bad and wants to help solve the problem.

I wonder if I can tap on the fuel injectors with a screwdriver, and put Heet and cleaner in the gas.... large amount.. ?

 

Most likely bad ignition-coil or ignitor inside distributor. Clue is it dies when load increases. Another clue is when hot.

Please read this sticky and all threads linked within.
List of confirmed distributor-at-fault issues

 

^ Thanks, all, so much.

It sure would be the easiest scenario if that brand new distributor was put on is no good. Seems like there is a decent chance of that. (I also thought you didn't touch the timing if you are simply taking off, and putting back on, a new distributor, in the same orientation and all as the new one. Unless you suggest spark plug wires put on in incorrect spots at the distributor.)

Let's see if I am brave enough to do this today. I have a car service call.. On two cars, actually.

Would be the best case if this ends up in a "list of confirmed distributor issues" thread. Let's find out...

 

Yes, you can swap distributors without changing ignition-timing too much. But you have to mark original rotation very accurately before removing.

 

No spark.

?

 

(On a lark, after not starting on starting fluid, I pulled the wire for Cylinder #4 the one right next to the distributor and there was no spark into the screwdriver right up in the thing with like 1/16" gap.) The gas and its delivery seems fine. Weird that I don't hear the fuel pump buzz, but gas comes, so... (it floods out after 5 or so tries of starting with no spark...)

Should I order another distributor, or get an "ignition module?" Might just change it right there in the parking lot and fix this thing.

 

Could be many causes of no spark. Don’t replace perfectly working parts with brand-new working parts because nothing will change. Confirm 100% that something is bad before replacing.

1. Key ON, test for +12v going to distributor, to ignitor, to ignition coil
2. Measure impedance of G and NE distributor sensors, at sensors’ plug AND at ECU connector
3. Verify G and Ne sensors’ waveforms match FSM
4. Distributor rotor and cap
5. Spark plug wires, what is resistance of each one?

 

It's not the fuel injectors.

[ame]https://www.amazon.com/Ignition-Distributor-1990-1993-19030-16140-1903016140/dp/B07C4XTQHN/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Ignition+Distributor+for+1990-1993+Toyota+Corolla&qid=1555158601&s=gateway&sr=8-3[/ame]

^ Tempted to get at least one more of those....

Will post back, going out there today/soon, have to finish Saturday morning breakfast before I rush off...

 

I have same problem on my 93 corolla the only thing i change is the temperature sensor it fix the problem..sensor is bad, ECU think is overheating thats why it wont start when is hot. easy fix good luck
t

 

Hi, everyone. I did not abandon this thread.

Tomorrow morning is showtime.

I have confirmed there is NO SPARK the other day, no spark jumping to the screwdriver from Wire #1... I see the following two videos, about how you can see spark, where is, should jump an inch, etc: (He has a 7AFE but same thing, the fix comes in Video 2, I suspect I flooded out the engine too)

** Temperature Sensor fail? Noted. I will change the distributor, plugs and wires (because "why not") OR change the distributor first and see what that does.. Maybe see spark jumping from a point on the distributor to my screwdriver and then fire it up...)

I have to charge my battery up a bit, it's a little low (especially now) and I see how he changed just the coil.. but, these parts are all in the distributor!

 

What is the location of the Temperature Sensor?

 

What is the location of the Temperature Sensor? https://www.amazon.com/Coolant-Temp...ehicle=1993-76-1013------------&vehicleName=1993+Toyota+Corolla#customerReviews

First of all, test the sensor before you replace it. Secondly, please don't get a random Chinese brand part for such an important sensor. Go Denso or OE Toyota.

There are three temperature-related sensors in the coolant system:

- Thermostat switch that controls the cooling fans. You'll see it close to the thermostat near the distributor.
- Temperature sensor that reports temp to the ECU. You'll see that close to the thermostat as well.
- Temperature sensor that reports temp to the temp gauge in the instrument cluster. This sits on the piece of elbow pipe behind the water pump, below the air intake.

It's the temp sensor reporting to the ECU that matters for this.

 

These cars have as much in common to a Corvette as chicken-dinner to T-rex. Only use guides having 7th-gen Corollas as examples. Nothing else compares.

Ignition system is weak in these cars. Might be able to jump 3-4mm at most. Use spark-plug laid on top of engine to test for spark.

Most likely problem is crappy aftermarket igntion-coil, maybe ignitor. Nothing else is implicated in tests you've done.

 

I CHANGED THE DISTRIBUTOR!!! And it looks promising.

The battery was knackered... Went weak, just from sitting and a lot of cranking. It is on the charger now. Sounded like it was gonna catch, though, but the battery was very very weak and for some reason my booster didn't make contact on the terminals. New Li-Ion booster. Schumacher Red Fuel, 100% charge... weird..

My biggest issue now is that my new NGK plugs (I pulled the old plugs and sure enough I smelled gas, that has likely evaporated now so the new NGK plugs are in) DO NOT want to fit on the Distributor points of new distributor. I had them loosely on.. they would not "click" and honestly seemed to not fit, no place to anchor. Where can I find plugs that fit the cheap dizzy? Worst case.. Change the cap? (NGK blue wires)

It honestly sounded like it dwas going to catch/turn over, but when i say that battery was dead, i can tell you it was so bad that it died/wound down just before it did... very poor cranking due to low battery voltage. Sounded like it would have started given one or two more seconds then the weak battery just gave out.

The distributor: (and the points look as they do in the photo.) https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07C4XTQHN?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

The wires: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000C5M272?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title THEY WON'T FIT

New plugs: 4 NGK G-power #7090

 

That could be a failing igniter module inside the distributor,,,, This is the clue that you gave:

"- About an hour later it did"

mine did that, although it was on a 4AF with electronic distributor but the symptom were the same.... 1st start good.. ran for about an hour then died... 15 min cooldown, it started again.... etc.

also check the resistance of the ignition coil just to make sure its not the coil that is failing.... autozone.com has specs for this.

 

Yes.. I thought this lived inside the distributor, as well? My issue now is that the spark plug wires wont fit on the points!

And for anyone that wanted to read the Densos that came out of it (that I never looked at since I had it, until now...)

Cylinder #1 is at the bottom, looking at the plugs not upside down they were #1-4, left to right (passenger side to driver side,) same as they were in the car.

I'm close, y'all. It almost started...

 

Take wire-brush to those plug-tips and clean them. Inspect their gaps and re-gap if necessart.

While plugs are out, do compression test.

Put your old plug-wires back in.

Return everything that wasn’t needed:
- injectors
- “new” distributor mechanic installed, check your state’s lemon laws and warranty for auto service
- plug wires
- temp sensor

 

Take wire-brush to those plug-tips and clean them. Inspect their gaps and re-gap if necessart.

While plugs are out, do compression test.

Put your old plug-wires back in.
They weren’t problem in 1st place

Return everything that wasn’t needed.

Are you thinking it was a compression problem? There was no spark.

The wires wont fit on the distributor cap now and all I have is this new one (that appeared to produce no spark) and this one.. the shop (I wasn't there) never gave back the original one.

 

If the wires aren't clicked onto the plugs then you'll surely have weak spark and a hard time starting.

How did you set the base timing when you installed the new distributor? If it's off by several degrees it will have a hard time starting.

 

Installed new distributor. New NGK wires would not fit on Amazon distributor. This is a first. The holes (distributor points) were too big, with no place for the plugs to clip.

Ok. SO! I'll just put on a cap.. where they will! Off to Advance Auto Parts I go. $50 cap. They fit. GREAT! $50, Advance Auto. Out the door.

Now, all I do is three screws, cap on, NGK plugs on.. Success!!! Right!!??

.... NOPE! Cap won't fit on distributor. ...

Now Advance tries to a run a game "No we wont refund you!"

Girl at register: "Come back when the coil comes." (They offered exchange.)

I get back.. "It won't let me process your exchange! The only way is to refund you, and we buy it again."

They refund me, I sign the receipt of theirs, I keep the one printed for my records, politely decline the new sale, and walk out the door. So they refunded me.

Now I have another complete distributor, with points that look like they have clips, on the way.

I WOULD HAVE tested coil, etc, but. With this luck, it wouldn't fit in the defective $230 distributor from the shop......

That's the latest.

 

 

top dizzy cap is for a 4AFE 2nd gen (notice the plug towers, the yellow one has smaller holes than the bottom one), bottom one is for the carbed 4AF (or a 1st gen 4AFE).... wires used are different as well. You have to get one for the distributor that you have... and the plug wires you are using.

if you use wires for the bottom cap, you really need to buy a dizzy cap for that... its friction fit. The top cap uses a plastic cap on the plug wires so it does not pull out without pulling on that plastic cap over the plug wires.

 

I appreciate this very very much.

I have a new unit on the way.. visually sane as the 4AFE cap.

I was debating on this, vs used OEM from a scrap yard.. I will know very soon.

 

So. I put in the battery and took my multimeter and DannoXYZ I did have voltage to multiple points on the larger of the two connectors that plug in to the distributor.

I am presently putting a new coil in the old unit.

 

Heh. Charged it up and *click*

Where is the starter ?

 

You're not going to like it.




The starter is under the intake manifold an the driver side. When I changed mine out, I went at it through the passenger side wheel-well with some long socket extensions. It's not at all what I'd call easily accessible...

So before spelunking after that starter, I would either try a different known-good battery in the Corolla, or I would try the Corolla's battery in a different car.

A few months ago I suspected a dead battery in my truck and walked a mile to get the Corolla's battery and walk a mile back with it, and...click! It turned out to be a loose terminal elsewhere in the circuit...

 

check the battery voltage at full charge.... it has to be between 13.8 to 14.4V but I prefer voltages to be lower than 13.8V... stand by voltage (after charging leads have been removed and wait for 1 to 2 hours) should be no lower then 12.2V... under load (using a battery load tester) should not go no lower than 11V and should almost go back to stand by voltage a few minutes afterwards.

 

I have a Walmart ValueStart battery I bought for my old 7th gen almost three years ago for $49.99. It will live out the rest of its days in my truck. I just topped it off with distilled water last week.

I was so satisfied with that purchase that I just bought another $49.99 ValueStart for my Mustang, as 7th and 8th gen Corolla batteries are too tall for it...

 

Yes!!! You read my mind... my local WalMart has 3 LEFT of ValuePower 26R battery and I am going to get one tomorrow. I wonder if they want the old one (which I am almost sure has a shorted cell, it says 12.72-12.14_12.61-11.4-12.61V in rapid succession and I have to really hold the DVOM leads in one spot.. I got it on the CTEK for no real reason) ... but yes! That one!

My car did the same exact thing when i first got it July 2017, and was afraid of idiots on the Internet. I'm not anymore. There's nothing to there's afraid of. The battery was going weak, I was in a panic, "it's got to be the starter, damn. It's got to be the starter, damn damn. Damn. Who is going to put a starter in on this. Damn." I charged it up full on a CTEK for days... brought it to the car.. a couple of weak cranks and *click.*

Brought a brand new battery and it started and ran fine.

Time to repeat.

try to find ones that are about 227mm high... both the 1SNF (55B24LS) and the 2SM (95D26L) are that high and fits on corollas... 2SM are better because these have way more capacity than 1SNF for basically just 20mm+ wider and about 22mm longer, so more plates and bigger plates per cell than 1SNF does.

I'm not quite sure what you mean here. As to the 26R from Walmart? Or.. what brand

So. Who thinks it will start Wednesday ?

 

try to find ones that are about 227mm high... both the 1SNF (55B24LS) and the 2SM (95D26L) are that high and fits on corollas... 2SM are better because these have way more capacity than 1SNF for basically just 20mm+ wider and about 22mm longer, so more plates and bigger plates per cell than 1SNF does.

 

^ Oh, almost forgot.. it's got a two or three day SeaFoam Piston soak going on. Cold, yes, but, still in there. I was going to turn the engine by hand and then probably again with the key and starter ! before putting the plugs back in, this all started over no spark... there will be a smoke show, but that has to go away as soon as possible so since it is in an urban area.. blowing it out the spark plug holes first. But want to turn the engine by hand first.

I'll probably use the alternator pulley go do so. What is it, 19mm to get on there? (From top of the engine, there are no jacks etc and I hope the alternator is not seized.)