DISTRIBUTOR
NOTE: Eclipse, Mirage 1.8L, Montero, Montero Sport 3.0L and 3000GT
DOHC use Distributorless Ignition System (DIS). All other
models use distributor type ignition systems with
non-serviceable distributors on which only the rotor and
distributor cap can be changed.
FUEL SYSTEM
* PLEASE READ THIS FIRST *
WARNING: Always relieve fuel pressure before disconnecting any fuel
injection-related component. DO NOT allow fuel to contact
engine or electrical components.
FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE RELEASE
Relieving Fuel Pressure
1) On Diamante, disconnect fuel pump harness connector at
fuel tank from underneath vehicle. On Montero and Montero Sport,
remove cargo compartment carpet, remove access plate and disconnect
fuel pump harness connector. On all other models, remove rear seat
cushion and remove access plate (if required) to disconnect fuel pump
harness connector.
2) On all models, start engine. Let engine run until it
stops. Turn ignition off. Disconnect negative battery cable. Connect
fuel pump harness connector. Reinstall rear seat (if necessary.)
FUEL PUMP
Removal & Installation (Diamante, Eclipse, Galant & Montero)
1) Fuel pump assembly is located inside fuel tank. Release
fuel pressure. See FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE RELEASE . Remove access panel
under seat, in trunk or in rear cargo area. Disconnect electrical
connectors and fuel hoses at fuel tank.
2) Remove fuel filler hose from fuel tank. Remove fuel pump
assembly. To install, reverse removal procedure. Tighten nuts to
specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS .
Removal & Installation (Mirage, Montero Sport & 3000GT)
1) Fuel pump assembly is located inside fuel tank. Release
fuel pressure. See FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE RELEASE . Raise vehicle on
hoist. Drain fuel into suitable container. Disconnect electrical
connectors and breather/fuel hoses at fuel tank.
2) Remove fuel filler hose from fuel tank. Support fuel tank
with transmission jack. Remove nuts securing fuel tank. Remove fuel
tank from vehicle. Remove fuel pump assembly. To install, reverse
removal procedure. Tighten nuts to specification. See
TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS .
FUEL RAILS & INJECTORS
WARNING: Use a rag to cover fuel hose connection before disconnecting
high pressure fuel hose at fuel rail. Some residual fuel
pressure may still be in system.
CAUTION: DO NOT drop injectors while removing or installing fuel rail.
Removal (Diamante, Montero Sport 2.4L & 3000GT)
1) Front HO2S is mounted in exhaust pipe below exhaust
header. Rear HO2S is mounted behind catalytic converter. HO2S is
equipped with a permanent pigtail which must be protected from damage
when HO2S is removed. Ensure HO2S is free of contaminants. Avoid using
cleaning solvents of any type.
2) HO2S may be difficult to remove when engine temperature is
less than 120
F (48 C). If using original sensor, always use anti-
seize compound on threads before installation. New sensor threads are
precoated with anti-seize. Tighten HO2S to specification. See
TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS .
THROTTLE BODY
Removal
1) Relieve fuel pressure. See FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE RELEASE.
Drain enough coolant to ensure coolant level is below throttle body.
Disconnect air intake hose.
2) Remove accelerator, cruise control and A/T throttle valve
cables (if equipped). Disconnect fuel vapor hose, electrical harness
connector, vacuum hose and coolant hoses. Remove throttle body
retaining bolts.
Disassembly
Remove throttle position sensor. Remove idle air control
motor. Remove throttle bracket and connector bracket (if equipped).
Remove idle position switch and adjusting nut (if equipped).
CAUTION: DO NOT remove throttle valve. DO NOT use cleaning solvents
on throttle position sensor, idle air control motor or idle
position switch.
Cleaning
1) Clean all parts except throttle position sensor, idle air
control motor and idle position switch in solvent.
WARNING: Safety glasses MUST be worn whenever compressed air is used
for parts cleaning.
2) Check vacuum port and passage for clogging. Clean vacuum,
vapor and fuel passages using compressed air.
Reassembly
To reassemble, reverse disassembly procedure.
Installation
To install, reverse removal procedure.
THROTTLE POSITION (TP) SENSOR
Removal & Installation
Throttle Position (TP) sensor is located on throttle body.
Disconnect TP sensor electrical connector. Remove TP sensor screws and
TP sensor. To install, reverse removal procedure. Tighten TP sensor
screws to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS. For TP sensor
adjustment procedure, see D - ADJUSTMENTS article.
TURBOCHARGERS
Removal (Eclipse)
1) Disconnect negative battery cable. Drain engine coolant
and oil. On models equipped with A/C, remove condenser fan motor
assembly. Remove front heated oxygen sensor. Remove oil dipstick guide
and "O" ring.
Excessive cylinder wear Rebore or replace
block
Excessive valve guide Worn or loose bearing
clearance
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Gap Bridged Deposits in combustion Clean combustion
chamber becoming fused chamber of deposits
to electrode
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Blistered Engine overheating Check cooling system
Electrode
Wrong type of fuel Replace with correct
fuel
Loose spark plugs Retighten spark plugs
Over-advanced ignition Reset ignition timing
timing see ENGINE PERFORMANCE
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Pre-Ignition or Incorrect type of fuel Replace with correct
Melted Electrodes fuel
Incorrect ignition timing Reset ignition timing
see ENGINE PERFORMANCE
Burned valves Replace valves
Engine Overheating Check cooling system
Wrong type of spark plug, Replace with correct
too hot spark plug, see
ENGINE PERFORMANCE
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Chipped Severe detonation Check for over-
Insulators advanced timing or
combustion
Improper gapping Re-gap spark plugs
procedure
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Rust Colored Additives in unleaded Try different fuel
Deposits fuel brand
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Water In Combus- Blown head gasket or Repair or replace
tion Chamber cracked head head or head gasket
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NOTE: Before diagnosing an electronic ignition system, ensure that
all wiring is connected properly between distributor, wiring
connector and spark plugs. Ignition problem will show up
either as: Engine Will Not Start or Engine Runs Rough.
BASIC ELECTRONIC IGNITION TROUBLE SHOOTING CHARTS
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CONDITION POSSIBLE CAUSE CORRECTION \
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Engine Won't Open circuit between Repair circuit
Start distributor and bulkhead
connector
Open circuit between Repair circuit
bulkhead connector and
The noid light is an excellent "quick and dirty" tool. It can
usually be hooked to a fuel injector harness fast and the flashing
light is easy to understand. It is a dependable way to identify a no-
pulse situation.
However, a noid light can be very deceptive in two cases:
* If the wrong one is used for the circuit being tested.
Beware: Just because a connector on a noid light fits the
harness does not mean it is the right one.
* If an injector driver is weak or a minor voltage drop is
present.
Use the Right Noid Light
In the following text we will look at what can happen if the
wrong noid light is used, why there are different types of noid lights
(besides differences with connectors), how to identify the types of
noid lights, and how to know the right type to use.
First, let's discuss what can happen if the incorrect type of
noid light is used. You might see:
* A dimly flashing light when it should be normal.
* A normal flashing light when it should be dim.
A noid light will flash dim if used on a lower voltage
circuit than it was designed for. A normally operating circuit would
appear underpowered, which could be misinterpreted as the cause of a
fuel starvation problem.
Here are the two circuit types that could cause this problem:
* Circuits with external injector resistors. Used predominately
on some Asian & European systems, they are used to reduce the
available voltage to an injector in order to limit the
current flow. This lower voltage can cause a dim flash on a
noid light designed for full voltage.
* Circuits with current controlled injector drivers (e.g. "Peak
and Hold"). Basically, this type of driver allows a quick
burst of voltage/current to flow and then throttles it back
significantly for the remainder of the pulse width duration.
If a noid light was designed for the other type of driver
(voltage controlled, e.g. "Saturated"), it will appear dim
because it is expecting full voltage/current to flow for the
entire duration of the pulse width.
Let's move to the other situation where a noid light flashes
normally when it should be dim. This could occur if a more sensitive
noid light is used on a higher voltage/amperage circuit that was
weakened enough to cause problems (but not outright broken). A circuit\
with an actual problem would thus appear normal.
Let's look at why. A noid light does not come close to
consuming as much amperage as an injector solenoid. If there is a
partial driver failure or a minor voltage drop in the injector
circuit, there can be adequate amperage to fully operate the noid
light BUT NOT ENOUGH TO OPERATE THE INJECTOR.
If this is not clear, picture a battery with a lot of
corrosion on the terminals. Say there is enough corrosion that the
starter motor will not operate; it only clicks. Now imagine turning on
the headlights (with the ignition in the RUN position). You find they
light normally and are fully bright. This is the same idea as noid
light: There is a problem, but enough amp flow exists to operate the
headlights ("noid light"), but not the starter motor ("injector").
How do you identify and avoid all these situations? By using
the correct type of noid light. This requires that you understanding
the types of injector circuits that your noid lights are designed for.
There are three. They are:
* Systems with a voltage controlled injector driver. Another
way to say it: The noid light is designed for a circuit with
a "high" resistance injector (generally 12 ohms or above).
* Systems with a current controlled injector driver. Another
way to say it: The noid light is designed for a circuit with
a low resistance injector (generally less than 12 ohms)
without an external injector resistor.
* Systems with a voltage controlled injector driver and an
external injector resistor. Another way of saying it: The
noid light is designed for a circuit with a low resistance
injector (generally less than 12 ohms) and an external
injector resistor.
NOTE: Some noid lights can meet both the second and third
categories simultaneously.
If you are not sure which type of circuit your noid light is
designed for, plug it into a known good car and check out the results.
If it flashes normally during cranking, determine the circuit type by
finding out injector resistance and if an external injector resistor
is used. You now know enough to identify the type of injector circuit.
Label the noid light appropriately.
Next time you need to use a noid light for diagnosis,
determine what type of injector circuit you are dealing with and
select the appropriate noid light.
Of course, if you suspect a no-pulse condition you could plug
in any one whose connector fit without fear of misdiagnosis. This is
because it is unimportant if the flashing light is dim or bright. It
is only important that it flashes.
In any cases of doubt regarding the use of a noid light, a
lab scope will overcome all inherent weaknesses.
OVERVIEW OF DVOM
A DVOM is typically used to check injector resistance and
available voltage at the injector. Some techs also use it check
injector on-time either with a built-in feature or by using the
dwell/duty function.
There are situations where the DVOM performs these checks
dependably, and other situations where it can deceive you. It is
important to be aware of these strengths and weaknesses. We will cover
the topics above in the following text.
Checking Injector Resistance
If a short in an injector coil winding is constant, an
ohmmeter will accurately identify the lower resistance. The same is
true with an open winding. Unfortunately, an intermittent short is an
exception. A faulty injector with an intermittent short will show
"good" if the ohmmeter cannot force the short to occur during testing.
Alcohol in fuel typically causes an intermittent short,
happening only when the injector coil is hot and loaded by a current
high enough to jump the air gap between two bare windings or to break
down any oxides that may have formed between them.
When you measure resistance with an ohmmeter, you are only
applying a small current of a few milliamps. This is nowhere near
enough to load the coil sufficiently to detect most problems. As a
result, most resistance checks identify intermittently shorted
injectors as being normal.
There are two methods to get around this limitation. The
first is to purchase an tool that checks injector coil windings under
full load. The Kent-Moore J-39021 is such a tool, though there are
others. The Kent-Moore costs around $240 at the time of this writing
and works on many different manufacturer's systems.
The second method is to use a lab scope. Remember, a lab
scope allows you to see the regular operation of a circuit in real
time. If an injector is having an short or intermittent short, the lab
scope will show it.
Checking Available Voltage At the Injector
Verifying a fuel injector has the proper voltage to operate
correctly is good diagnostic technique. Finding an open circuit on the
feed circuit like a broken wire or connector is an accurate check with
a DVOM. Unfortunately, finding an intermittent or excessive resistance
problem with a DVOM is unreliable.
Let's explore this drawback. Remember that a voltage drop due
to excessive resistance will only occur when a circuit is operating?
Since the injector circuit is only operating for a few milliseconds at
a time, a DVOM will only see a potential fault for a few milliseconds.
The remaining 90+% of the time the unloaded injector circuit will show
normal battery voltage.
Since DVOMs update their display roughly two to five times a
second, all measurements in between are averaged. Because a potential
voltage drop is visible for such a small amount of time, it gets
"averaged out", causing you to miss it.
Only a DVOM that has a "min-max" function that checks EVERY
MILLISECOND will catch this fault consistently (if used in that mode).\
The Fluke 87 among others has this capability.
A "min-max" DVOM with a lower frequency of checking (100
millisecond) can miss the fault because it will probably check when
the injector is not on. This is especially true with current
controlled driver circuits. The Fluke 88, among others fall into this
category.
Outside of using a Fluke 87 (or equivalent) in the 1 mS "min-\
max" mode, the only way to catch a voltage drop fault is with a lab
scope. You will be able to see a voltage drop as it happens.
One final note. It is important to be aware that an injector
circuit with a solenoid resistor will always show a voltage drop when
the circuit is energized. This is somewhat obvious and normal; it is a
designed-in voltage drop. What can be unexpected is what we already
covered--a voltage drop disappears when the circuit is unloaded. The
unloaded injector circuit will show normal battery voltage at the
injector. Remember this and do not get confused.
Checking Injector On-Time With Built-In Function
Several DVOMs have a feature that allows them to measure
injector on-time (mS pulse width). While they are accurate and fast to\
hookup, they have three limitations you should be aware of:
* They only work on voltage controlled injector drivers (e.g
"Saturated Switch"), NOT on current controlled injector
drivers (e.g. "Peak & Hold").
* A few unusual conditions can cause inaccurate readings.
* Varying engine speeds can result in inaccurate readings.
Regarding the first limitation, DVOMs need a well-defined
injector pulse in order to determine when the injector turns ON and
OFF. Voltage controlled drivers provide this because of their simple
switch-like operation. They completely close the circuit for the
entire duration of the pulse. This is easy for the DVOM to interpret.
The other type of driver, the current controlled type, start
off well by completely closing the circuit (until the injector pintle
opens), but then they throttle back the voltage/current for the
duration of the pulse. The DVOM understands the beginning of the pulse
3800 engines were suffering from exactly this. The point is that a
lack of detail could cause misdiagnosis.
As you might have guessed, a lab scope would not miss this.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DWELL & DUTY CYCLE READINGS TABLE (1)
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Dwell Meter (2) Duty Cycle Meter
1
.................................................... 1%
15 .................................................. 25%
30 .................................................. 50%
45 .................................................. 75%
60 ................................................. 100%
( 1) - These are just some examples for your understanding.
It is okay to fill in the gaps.
( 2) - Dwell meter on the six-cylinder scale.
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THE TWO TYPES OF INJECTOR DRIVERS
OVERVIEW
There are two types of transistor driver circuits used to
operate electric fuel injectors: voltage controlled and current
controlled. The voltage controlled type is sometimes called a
"saturated switch" driver, while the current controlled type is
sometimes known as a "peak and hold" driver.
The basic difference between the two is the total resistance
of the injector circuit. Roughly speaking, if a particular leg in an
injector circuit has total resistance of 12 or more ohms, a voltage
control driver is used. If less than 12 ohms, a current control driver
is used.
It is a question of what is going to do the job of limiting
the current flow in the injector circuit; the inherent "high"
resistance in the injector circuit, or the transistor driver. Without
some form of control, the current flow through the injector would
cause the solenoid coil to overheat and result in a damaged injector.
VOLTAGE CONTROLLED CIRCUIT ("SATURATED SWITCH")
The voltage controlled driver inside the computer operates
much like a simple switch because it does not need to worry about
limiting current flow. Recall, this driver typically requires injector
circuits with a total leg resistance of 12 or more ohms.
The driver is either ON, closing/completing the circuit
(eliminating the voltage-drop), or OFF, opening the circuit (causing \
a
total voltage drop).
Some manufacturers call it a "saturated switch" driver. This
is because when switched ON, the driver allows the magnetic field in
the injector to build to saturation. This is the same "saturation"
property that you are familiar with for an ignition coil.
There are two ways "high" resistance can be built into an
injector circuit to limit current flow. One method uses an external
solenoid resistor and a low resistance injector, while the other uses
a high resistance injector without the solenoid resistor. See the left
side of Fig. 1.
In terms of injection opening time, the external resistor
voltage controlled circuit is somewhat faster than the voltage
controlled high resistance injector circuit. The trend, however, seems
to be moving toward use of this latter type of circuit due to its
lower cost and reliability. The ECU can compensate for slower opening