Altezza Sick

Noel · January 26, 2006

Hello all,

Just have my Altezza now for nearly two weeks and today as it went for it's NCT(MOT) it started to vibrate badly, by the time i got to the test center it was like driving a tractor....i put it through the test anyway knowing she would fail, can't cancel test without notice,

It passed everything but the emissions.......I had explained to the tester that it wasn't well this morning...afterwards he said that it was probably the COIL PACK? that was worn out....

I had it serviced last week at main Toyota dealers.........do you think if they fitted the wrong type off spark plugs would this cause the vibration.....

what kind of money am i looking at to get it sorted

Vibration when car is ticking over ...rocks the whole car

help

MacRS200 · January 26, 2006

Sounds like it's running on three cylinders.

Take the engine cover off and you will see the tops of the 4 coilpacks, they are each held in with 2 10mm hex bolts. Check that they are all seated correctly and that all the wires are securely connected.

Noel · January 26, 2006

Ok done that, all seems ok with connections and such, didn't have a long enough plug wrench to check the plugs condition though, could it be the plugs?

Also there is a clicking noise coming( i think) from the throttle body....kinda like someone (in the movies) sending a telegraph....is this noise always there?.....

star a · January 26, 2006

one possible cause of the misfire and 'clicking' noise is a loose or incorrectly seated (cross-threaded) sparkplug, be careful if you have the engine running and you are near to the engine as a sparkplug being fired out of it's hole is enough to put a hole in the bonnet.

Noel · January 26, 2006

Im not sure exactly if the Toyota garage put in new plugs or not, what are the correct plugs for an RS200 ?

Any quick way to tell which cylinder is not firing?

thanks

MacRS200 · January 26, 2006

Im not sure exactly if the Toyota garage put in new plugs or not, what are the correct plugs for an RS200 ?
Any quick way to tell which cylinder is not firing?

thanks

Disconnect the wire to each coilpack in turn till you find the one that makes no difference to the running. The good ones will reduce it down to 2 cylinders the bad one will leave it on three :D

Drummerboy · January 26, 2006

one possible cause of the misfire and 'clicking' noise is a loose or incorrectly seated (cross-threaded) sparkplug, be careful if you have the engine running and you are near to the engine as a sparkplug being fired out of it's hole is enough to put a hole in the bonnet.

I'd be bringing it straight bact to the Toyota boys and if its something they did or overlooked in servicing the car I'd make them pay for the re-test

Noel · January 26, 2006

Disconnect the wire to each coilpack in turn till you find the one that makes no difference to the running. The good ones will reduce it down to 2 cylinders the bad one will leave it on three

Can that be done with the engine running???

not going to get great big shock am i....

EDIT ...just found the Toyota receipt....and they didn't change the plugs?

mmmm......

MacRS200 · January 26, 2006

Disconnect the wire to each coilpack in turn till you find the one that makes no difference to the running. The good ones will reduce it down to 2 cylinders the bad one will leave it on three

Can that be done with the engine running???

not going to get great big shock am i....

EDIT ...just found the Toyota receipt....and they didn't change the plugs?

mmmm......

Don't think you will do any harm with the engine running and you should not get a zap as it's low volts and all is insulated.

As they did not touch the plugs it probably is a bad coil pack.

Noel · January 26, 2006

Ok will try that....can the coil packs be swapped around?

logic....if i find which cylinder is not firing and i swap a working coil pack ....will tell me if it is the coil pack thats really the problem...yes

MacRS200 · January 26, 2006

Ok will try that....can the coil packs be swapped around?
logic....if i find which cylinder is not firing and i swap a working coil pack ....will tell me if it is the coil pack thats really the problem...yes

Yes you can swap them around, should have said that would be the next logical thing to do as it will tell you if it is defo the coil pack.

Noel · January 26, 2006

Ok diagnosis complete.....and yes it is a faulty Coil pack......thanks for all the advice......

Now where can i get a new one and how much.......?

Should they all be changed and keep the old ones as spares ?

didn't expect to have trouble this early i must say...

Is it safe to drive with a cylinder not firing........

thanks again

Noel · January 26, 2006

Anyone know where i should try for a new coil pack?

thanks

MacRS200 · January 26, 2006

I would imagine that they are a standard Toyota part so should be fairly easy to get hold of. Try your nearest Toyota dealer as they will be the same as the MR2 failing that PM Chris S and he will get you a price and a part number.

Wouldn't drive the car with one cylinder U/S apart from anything else you will be blowing unburnt fuel down the exhaust pipe which won't do the cat much good.

Noel · January 26, 2006

Ok thanks again.........

back to the starlet 2morro then

Zee007 · January 27, 2006

Ok thanks again.........
back to the starlet 2morro then

Hang on - I thought I saw one one eBay the other day for a fiver...

Let me check...

cyborgguy · January 27, 2006

There is 1 for an is200 on eBay but the coil pack is different on the altezza.......

Hang on - I thought I saw one one eBay the other day for a fiver...

Let me check...

Zee007 · January 27, 2006

There is 1 for an is200 on ebay but the coil pack is different on the altezza.......

I don't think it is. How is it different?

cyborgguy · January 27, 2006

I dont know how but It's a different part number from toyota

There is 1 for an is200 on ebay but the coil pack is different on the altezza.......

I don't think it is. How is it different?

Noel · January 27, 2006

Hi guys,

searched eBay but no hits.....i'll take it with me to toyota and hope they have one in stock ( unlikely)....

How much is a new one?

Noel · January 27, 2006

Ordered a new one through Toyota.....€ 130.00 inc vat. each ...so i won't be changing all of them just yet.

Managed to borrow one off my nearest Altezza dealer to check.......

very nice people, considering i didn't buy from them ...will probably take it to them now for timing belt change...

Oh on timing belts...are there different types, mine at present is not the full width of the cogs but on the other car it was almost....

gds · January 29, 2006

Ordered a new one through Toyota.....€ 130.00 inc vat. each ...so i won't be changing all of them just yet.
Managed to borrow one off my nearest Altezza dealer to check.......

very nice people, considering i didn't buy from them ...will probably take it to them now for timing belt change...

Oh on timing belts...are there different types, mine at present is not the full width of the cogs but on the other car it was almost....

hello, in june 2003 i paid £59 for a new coil here in the uk can`t believe £130, you should get the belts changed, labour will be the main cost, cheers, gds

Noel · January 30, 2006

130 euro which is about 100 pound give or take a few quid, still pricey though...

Worst bit is my car is sitting outside and i can't drive it till at least Tuesday ( hopefully )......aaarrrgghhh

Ya i think i'll order the timing belt and plugs and other bits from the net from now on and them get a price for labour only......

Worst thing about owning a "different" car is when things go wrong....Had an integra a long time ago and before i got rid of it hardly nothing worked in it.........Everywhere i went for parts..." A Honda WHAT???".....

speedo cable snapped and the main honda dealers ordered a new one for me from Japan.....six weeks later it arrived and....IT DIDN'T FIT....

So you would think i would know better than to buy another "Different"

car....but thats me....

Lots of fun though when they work.....which makes it all worthwhile