Differential Diagnoses for Ignition Failure

[Lextreme II]

I am in the progess of writing an article on Differential Diagnoses for Ignition Failure. I would like to have your imputs and experience of the following failures:

* Coil Failure
* Rotor Failure
* Distrubutor Cap Failure
* Wire Failure
* Spark Plug Failure.

Can you give us detail discription of the signs and symptoms of the above failures or malfunction. Also what are the diagnostic tests can be done to determine the failure.

Your contribution will greatly appreciate and your experience and feedback will help others. This article will be posted in our site under www.lextreme.com/tech.html under general repair section.

Thanks

david

 

[SC400DAVE]

Coil failure

Eratic idle. sputtering.struggles to accelerate. rpm needle goes haywire jumping around lik crazy. cant go over maybe 5mph. burnt smell coming from engine bay. feels like there is major trouble with the car. very scary experience. You do not want this to happen on the freeway or in traffic situation. engine revs in neutral or park, but put it in gear and forget it. I thought the tranny went out. Luckily my wife and I were in Solvang cruising the town really slow. I managed to limp back to our timeshare and I got it towed to Lexus of Oxnard. Was helped out by a guy named Phuong. really nice guy and owns an SC. no charge for the diagnosis, but I got raped for 277.50 to replace the Left coil. I would highly suggest replacing at maybe every other tune up.:veryhappy

 

[turbosix]

are you telling me the 1UZ does not use a DIS??

 

[LexTite]

yeah, i thinki fried mine once by sprayin NOS wit plat 4's instead of iridium. Pushed car home to driveway, and then it would start for two days. after praying one night, it started, of course w/ sputter and all that. But anyway, it was obvious after that. Check coil on top first since it was easiest to reach, resistance was jumping all over tha place, problem solved. Went to Discount Auto figuring a spark is a spark., picked up the benson for 19 and change.

 

[ABDULLAH D AFGHAN]

sypmtoms

spudderring/knocking at 1500-1800 rpm. Also I noticed it doesnt do it as bad when car is cold. I changed the coils plugs, wires, rotors. The left side coil is waay to hard to get to. Its mounted to a bracket of some sort but i couldnt get to it.

 

[White ls400]

spudderring/knocking at 1500-1800 rpm. Also I noticed it doesnt do it as bad when car is cold.

As in knocking do you mean that light metallic rattle(pinging)?
Do you reckon the rotors or coils were more the problem?