4age not running right

[Mjh]

Having problems trying to get this motor to run right

Bit of background info first
Purchased a clubman with a Bigport motor and car was running fine having done a few practice days and events. Did have a drama with some burnt insulation and plugs around the igniter and coil and dist when an oil line burnt through and caught fire but apart from that the car had been running fine

Problem started when we loaded the car onto the trailer when it stopped and wouldn't start again. Thinking it was out of fuel we put some more in but had to use carby cleaner to get the car to start as it wouldn't start of the key at first. Got to the event and car started fine drove round the pits etc warmed it up for the first run of the day etc. Got to the start line did burnout lined up and got around first corner and motor just stopped.
Car had spark and fuel getting to the rail but no injector pulse. Had a electrician look at the car and he says comp has shit itself, finds comp on shelf and we try that, car would run but was running mega rich and spitting flames out the exhaust. Turned car off and tried to start it and this time it idled around 1500rpm but revved fine with no flame etc. drove around the car park giving it some revs and had no problem till it came back to a normal idle backfired, stopped and wouldn't start again.

Fast forward to now and tried new dist, coil, igniter , three different computers, two different map sensors, three different tps and checked the wiring.
Car will start and if it runs on a fast idle it will rev fine and sounds just like it should just idles around the 1500 mark
Otherwise car will start after much coaxing and will idle fine but as soon as you open the throttle even a little it will either backfire and stop or struggle to make revs then backfire and stop with the occasional running backwards

As the wiring loom in the car is best described as a dogs breakfast we are going to fit another loom just so we know it is right as well as a lot tidier

Now has anyone had this problem before or think of what else to look for as I'm all out of ideas at the moment
As there seems to be no reason for the car to not run right.

Thanks
Martin

[jondee86]

Sounds like you have a major timing issue. I'd stop looking for electrical problems for the moment, and check...
(1) Cam timing in case the timing belt has jumped a few teeth, then...
(2) make sure the crank pulley is tight (crank pulley bolt should be seriously tight. If you can shift it with a ordinary ratchet handle, it is loose), then...
(3) Check TDC with a piston stop or dial indicator, and make sure the crank pulley timing mark is on zero deg. The outside rim of the pulley can move if the rubber layer loses its grip. Then...
(4) Check your ignition timing. Should be 10 DBTDC with diagnostic plug jumped, or 15-17 deg without jumping the plug.

If you find your crank pulley bolt is loose, best to take the pulley off and check the keyway has not flogged. The 4AGE has a habit of doing that if the bolt is not properly torqued up. Check the crank timing pulley behind as well, because if that flogs it will do weird stuff to your timing.

Cheers... jondee86

[dnegative]

Give jondee86's advice a go first, make sure the mechanicals are ok

Your not mixing ECU's, dizzys and ignitors around are you?
There are 3 different dizzys (4-1, 24-1, 24-4 tooth), three different ECU's and two different ignitors. If you mix and match, you wont get it going as the 4AGE came with two very different ignition systems. Engines with a MAP sensor used Toyota ESA with a 24-1 or 24-4 dizzy and ignitor to suit, engines with a AFM used Toyota VAST with a 4-1 dizzy and ignitor to suit. Wiring is different loom and ECU pinout wise.




The loom you got off me is fairly un-touched bar a plug or two, perhaps sort out what you have, pick a combination and build a good loom?

[Mjh]

Thanks guys
Will check mechanicals through the week

Plan is to use the comp and loom from dgen and go from there
Is def a Map system but will double check the dizzy to see they are the same

Keep the ideas coming need all the help we can get at the moment

[dnegative]

Pull everything off, check and set the timing belt and dizzy, if there is something dodgy or spliced in, get rid of it, make a good loom and put everything back together.
Check all the vacuum lines, put a good set of plugs and leads in, check the fuel pressure and it should fire up perfectly........... in theory

[dumbass]

if u have no injector pulse but u have spark
its either no power to injectors
and maybe power to whole ecu system is poor or earth is bad
ive seen alot fo these kits car put together by fking dickhead backyarders
its a wonder how they get engineered

where bouts is car
if u want to pay someone to fix the electricals im driving to sydney tomorrow for a weeks worth of work
will be around castle hill seven hills area