2nd Cylinder Not Firing.

[adendis]

Hi everyone, my first post.. and no its not going to ask how to turbo a rolla :)

 

Thought I would stop lurking, reading FAQs and pulling my hair out and ask some people that might know.

 

I recently bought myself a 81' KE70 XX, with what seems to be a strange problem.

My second cylinder doesnt seem to fire (no difference in idle when the plug is disconnected and.. well you can just hear its wrong)

 

I have checked the leads, the plug, the dizzy. the ignition system is working fine, the spark plug is sparking.

 

I have done a compression test on my cyclinders.. all about 210-220. (seemed high but they were all within 10 or so psi of each other)

 

Took the rocker cover off, and checked to see if the valves are stuck.. rockers seem to be moving fine...

 

I am kind of at a loss to what could be causing this..

 

I bet its something simple.. Anyone have any ideas?

 

 

Adendis

Edited October 21, 2006 by adendis

[lappy]

have you checked the order the leads are in just check they are in the order of 1-3-4-2

[adendis]

have you checked the order the leads are in just check they are in the order of 1-3-4-2

 

Yeah they are in the right order, I am going to replace the leads soon anyways and i have some soldering to do on a HEI kit and with that and a new coil and new points.. i am hoping.. it will be fine.

 

If that does nothing then I guess i start pulling off my intake manifold and looking inside

 

Adendis

[love ke70]

sounds like you have got the ideas worked out.

replace all those pesky components that wear out, and get fatigued. splash out and do the plugs aswell, they don't cost alot for 4k's

 

i had a similar issue on an astina one time,

 

oh, that reminds me, is lead no.2 sparking? if you put the spark plug in the wire does that spark too? (just hold the lead in a pair of pliers, and hold it near the rocker cover, should see it arc to the rocker cover. do same but with the plug in the lead) (I'm not sure how much you know, so rather tell you how to do it rather than you sittin there scratchin your head feelin silly :jamie: )

 

 

anywho, back to the astina, lead was sparking, plug was sparking (oh, you can also just swap the plug from one cyl to another and see if the problem stays on that cylinder to eliminate it being the plug. if it moves, then it must be hte plug...ill get to my story eventually)

so yeah, lead was sparking, changed order of plugs and it stayed on cyl.3. so thought fuel, had fuel, pulled injector rail off, had fuel, thought compression. rule of thumb compression test came up good. so gave up.

went back next day. said f@$k it.

ordered new leads.

hey presto, problem solvered. the lead was sparking, but over time the lead increases resistance (should be around 25K ohms, the astina ones were over 80K :P )and it couldnt deliver the power of spark to fire properly.

 

 

umm, so yeah, swap the plugs around to eliminate them being the problem.

get new leads, points, dizzy cap etc and see how u go

:jamie:

 

p.s. well done on coming to us with a problem you have made some attempt at :P

rules out alot of things, like sticking valves :lolcry: or pushrods out of place lol

 

must be rambling by now, goodluck mate :wink:

[adendis]

Yeah lead was sparking (even grounded it on the rocker cover to make sure), but it didnt shock me as much as the others when i pulled it off.. nice scientific test i know.. but it made me think there was something wrong there, swapping leads made no difference.

 

I think i might just replace the leads anyway while i am at it, might as well.

 

Adendis

[love ke70]

so when you swapped leads it was no. 2 that was still not firing?

 

pull the plug out and check if thats sparking...hold with pair of pliers with plastic grips to avoid the holy f@$k my arm is about to blow off sensation recieved from pulling leads off...(or is that just my mallory ignition system...;))

[adendis]

The lead swap made no difference, and I had the plug out sparking so it seems that number 2 is definately getting a spark.

 

The coil seems kind of old and crappy and i remember it making a strange noise briefly when i first got the car. However it sounds normal now. I am thinking of getting rid of it, but a coil isnt exactly cylinder specific. But i might as well, leads and plugs too.. then i know the ignition isnt the problem :D

 

 

so when you swapped leads it was no. 2 that was still not firing?

 

pull the plug out and check if thats sparking...hold with pair of pliers with plastic grips to avoid the holy f@$k my arm is about to blow off sensation recieved from pulling leads off...(or is that just my mallory ignition system...;))

[love ke70]

are you sure the valves are what they should?

done a compression check?

[adendis]

Yeah did that first, all 200-210 (a bit higher than the ole haynes indicates, but they were within 10 of each other) so it seemed ok. Next step in my brain is the intake manifold, having not taken one of i guess i was reluctant to do so, but a couple of friends have offered to help so it will be coming off very shortly.

 

thanks for the help btw :lol:

 

Adendis

 

are you sure the valves are what they should?

done a compression check?

[love ke70]

keep us up to date ;)

 

i think, if you are still using stock intake and exhaust manifolds they both have to come off and are attached to each by three bolts in a triangle under where the carby bolts on.

 

I'm sure you will work it out tho :lol:

[Raven]

Undo the mounting bracket that bolts to the bellhousing for your exhaust, and then remove the bolts for both the inlet/exhaust and then pull away.

 

Pretty easy stuff. :lol:

[Corolla Test Pilot]

Mallory ignition....hehe.

[adendis]

Heh been awhile, havent had time to do anything with it, but i just bought a new gasket cause it looks like its a manifold leak. (Thanks Raven!)

 

So looks like i got to get my ass in gear and change it :-)

 

Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

Adendis

[tas_ae71]

if its not a mani leak, maybe just a distributor cap/button away from being fixed, unless the conerctors look in very good condition. as my old datto had a miss, parobaly a little diffrent from yours but yeah..

[adendis]

Well new gasket on there, $7 and a couple of hours i should have spent ages ago and she is running fine now. Thanks everyone for the help! :)

 

Adendis