coil pack
05-07-13, 10:24 AM
#1
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coil pack
hey guys, trying to diagnose a problem I been having for a little while. should my car be able to start on only one coil pack? meaning, if I disconnect the coil pack on the driver side, should the car still be able to lease start on the other one? Even if itd idle terribly? Thanks guys
05-07-13, 11:41 AM
#2
If you try to start the car without a coil, it probably wont happen. There will be no spark to the plugs then the fuel cannot be ignited. Even if you somehow do get it started, why the heck would you wanna drive like that? Surely not healthy for the car. It's a Lexus, try it on a Dodge maybe, but not Lexus. 
05-07-13, 11:41 AM
#3
I'm guessing you mean the 1uz with 2 coils, and yes you can start it and drive on one coil pack most of the time, idle will be low and fuel smell and cats burning up will happen if you do it for too long. the test is to unplug and see if you notice a change plugged vs unplugged though that means the coil is alright, its when you unplug it and there is no change it is suspect.
maybe if you tell us the actual problem we can help you figure it out.
maybe if you tell us the actual problem we can help you figure it out.
05-07-13, 11:54 AM
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guys, the reason why I'm asking is cause my Lexus will start and it will idle, but when I pull off the driver side pack it won't start at all... leading me to believe that my passenger side coil pack may not be functioning properly? Am I looking at this correctly?
the car will start in run very poorly with both coil packs plugged in, but when I disconnect the driver side, it won't even start anymore.
this leads me to believe that my passenger side coil pack is not doing its job, correct?
thank you so much for all the help guys you guys help me fix my problem last time and I really do appreciate it
the car will start in run very poorly with both coil packs plugged in, but when I disconnect the driver side, it won't even start anymore.
this leads me to believe that my passenger side coil pack is not doing its job, correct?
thank you so much for all the help guys you guys help me fix my problem last time and I really do appreciate it
05-07-13, 11:55 AM
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If you try to start the car without a coil, it probably wont happen. There will be no spark to the plugs then the fuel cannot be ignited. Even if you somehow do get it started, why the heck would you wanna drive like that? Surely not healthy for the car. It's a Lexus, try it on a Dodge maybe, but not Lexus.
I'm not saying that because I want to drive on one coil pack, I'm trying to diagnose my problemsbefore i spend 760 on the timing belt and water pump
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05-07-13, 12:26 PM
#9
I'm sorry, I meant the passenger side. Have you tried disconnecting the pass side to see if the idle changes? (using logic what Ali mentioned) If your pass side coil pack has no affect on the idle, it could mean that it is out. Sorry for the confusion...
05-08-13, 08:06 AM
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also is it possible for the car rev to 6,000rpms in neutral with a bad coil pack or poorly or functioning one? Than once in gear, struggles to produce any power at all. I have new plugs and wires, caps and rotors
keep in mind it will idle at normal rpm's, not erratic or anything, just still sounds kinda "off", also gass smell, ect.., and there is a bit of lag when revved in neutral, but does rev up there...
back in the day, I had another thread here, called "help, my sc400 is dieing"
same symptoms as that, which we fixed with a simple rotor change... the old one was TOAST (driver side)...
when On my way to work, same symptoms as before, so I automatically replaced the passenger side, rotor.. no difference. still running like crap ( no I am not driving it like this)
thanks guys
Last edited by soflo99; 05-08-13 at 08:10 AM. Reason: more detail
05-08-13, 08:24 AM
#13
The 1uz runs surprisingly well with 4 cylinders, thats the biggest problem in diagnosing these cause people will say it runs fine, but the motor runs so smooth it can make due with 4 cylinders. It should struggle to produce power though as you mentioned, and should be idling low like 400-600 range, but the ecu is smart sometimes it can raise the idle enough to not notice or someone before you messed with the throttle body to let more air in some time ago, which moves the adjustment range of the ecu up some and makes those problems alot less noticeable cause the idle will be closer to normal, it will rev alright, but wont have the same power.
some people will try and sell a car with a bad coil like that, but what they dont realize is its easier to fix the coil than mess with letting more air into the engine.
its entirely possible and likely its another ignition issue. the problem with having a rotor that is really worn is that the spark has to jump further and further each time. this extra stress on the coil doesn't help it last a long time and they fail for various reasons. you should always replace the caps and rotors in pairs. if one has failed from wear and they are both the same age the other one is very likely to fail soon.
so my question is what happens when you disconnect the passenger side.
also did you replace the cap, replacing the rotor is only half of the battle, if your rotor was worn, the contacts in the cap are probably worn also.
some people will try and sell a car with a bad coil like that, but what they dont realize is its easier to fix the coil than mess with letting more air into the engine.
its entirely possible and likely its another ignition issue. the problem with having a rotor that is really worn is that the spark has to jump further and further each time. this extra stress on the coil doesn't help it last a long time and they fail for various reasons. you should always replace the caps and rotors in pairs. if one has failed from wear and they are both the same age the other one is very likely to fail soon.
so my question is what happens when you disconnect the passenger side.
also did you replace the cap, replacing the rotor is only half of the battle, if your rotor was worn, the contacts in the cap are probably worn also.
05-08-13, 08:34 AM
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The 1uz runs surprisingly well with 4 cylinders, thats the biggest problem in diagnosing these cause people will say it runs fine, but the motor runs so smooth it can make due with 4 cylinders. It should struggle to produce power though as you mentioned, and should be idling low like 400-600 range, but the ecu is smart sometimes it can raise the idle enough to not notice or someone before you messed with the throttle body to let more air in some time ago, which moves the adjustment range of the ecu up some and makes those problems alot less noticeable cause the idle will be closer to normal, it will rev alright, but wont have the same power.
some people will try and sell a car with a bad coil like that, but what they dont realize is its easier to fix the coil than mess with letting more air into the engine.
its entirely possible and likely its another ignition issue. the problem with having a rotor that is really worn is that the spark has to jump further and further each time. this extra stress on the coil doesn't help it last a long time and they fail for various reasons. you should always replace the caps and rotors in pairs. if one has failed from wear and they are both the same age the other one is very likely to fail soon.
so my question is what happens when you disconnect the passenger side.
also did you replace the cap, replacing the rotor is only half of the battle, if your rotor was worn, the contacts in the cap are probably worn also.
some people will try and sell a car with a bad coil like that, but what they dont realize is its easier to fix the coil than mess with letting more air into the engine.
its entirely possible and likely its another ignition issue. the problem with having a rotor that is really worn is that the spark has to jump further and further each time. this extra stress on the coil doesn't help it last a long time and they fail for various reasons. you should always replace the caps and rotors in pairs. if one has failed from wear and they are both the same age the other one is very likely to fail soon.
so my question is what happens when you disconnect the passenger side.
also did you replace the cap, replacing the rotor is only half of the battle, if your rotor was worn, the contacts in the cap are probably worn also.
Cap and rotor is 7 months old on driver side, brand new on passenger side. All new plugs and wires for both sides... I actually bought a new coil pack for passenger side, but the wire that leads into it doesn't quite have the snug fit it should as the one I pulled out...
I should also mention I have some sort of rattle near the front of the motor that a mechanic thinks is the idler bearing ( or some sort of bearing that is shot and causing timing to be way off)
a couple weeks up to this most recent failure I experienced the following about 3 times. the car would sometimes accelerate slow, than all of a sudden pick up speed/power. than like I said on the way to work one day it just quit, ran it to work @ 20 mph.
thanks guys
edit: have not had a chance to disconnect the passenger side, hopefully <24 hours.
05-08-13, 10:55 AM
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also just a heads up, I gutted both cats and straight piped my resonator last week, thinking that could be the issue...... soo much broken element came out, and resonator was melted pretty bad... still didn't help the problem though, but something caused those cats to get hot....
it's obviously timing/ignition (hopefully).
I bought the car with 88,000 miles, now at 121,000, never did a timing belt change. ( if the miles were true, of course, if they were, I doubt they did their 90,000 maintenance early then sold the car, ya know?)
so either one of the coil packs are dusted, or I need new timing... any other thoughts with what has been presented? if not it's ok, but multiple minds are greater than one. (especially ones far more experienced)
thanks guys
it's obviously timing/ignition (hopefully).
I bought the car with 88,000 miles, now at 121,000, never did a timing belt change. ( if the miles were true, of course, if they were, I doubt they did their 90,000 maintenance early then sold the car, ya know?)
so either one of the coil packs are dusted, or I need new timing... any other thoughts with what has been presented? if not it's ok, but multiple minds are greater than one. (especially ones far more experienced)
thanks guys
