**Resolved** 1FZ-FE poor cold starts and wont idle (3 Viewers)

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mudgudgeon said:
I adjust the throttle cable so the slack is only just gone.

You don't want tension on it as it can hold the throttle body slightly open.
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yep for sure, mine just has too much slack as it is right now. Is there a trick to adjusting these properly? 2 x 14mm spanners and back off the rear nut then turn the front nut to shorten the cable, then nip back up the rear nut?
 
robnicko said:
this is the correct measurement to use. the end of the stopper protrudes just a fraction out

adjust it before removing the slack from the accel cable

View attachment 3779594
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Hey @robnicko and @mudgudgeon .. having a lot of difficulty adjusting this cable. When I adjust per the FSM the cable is way looser.


Please have a look at my videos below:





GridArt_20241207_133505367.jpg
 
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Does anyone have a picture of where your distributor bolt sits for factory timing? I've swapped the VAF with a spare and now the car won't idle. It'll start, idle for 1 or 2 seconds and then stall, even when giving it gas. Might be timing, might be a bad VAF, but would like to see what factory timing position is on the distributor first.

**UPDATE** dad's spare VAF was bung.. I have another 2 spares I bought in recent weeks, so installed another and it's starting and idling again. I've removed the IACV while on the vehicle, using my new super long JIS screw driver, worked super well. Now I'm about the clean the IACV. A quick check of timing in diagnostic mode, using the pin jumper @Malleus the legend sent me in his care packing, shows I'm running 10 degrees. I'll leave it on this and keep working at trying to find a solution.

I have noticed that the radiator overflow bottle is low again, after topping it up (and the radiator) only a few weeks ago... I have no visible coolant leaks, so this is concerning. Compression and leak down test next I think.
 
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iacv wasn't really dirty, but cleaned it with carby clean anyway and reinstalled. I'll check cold start again tomorrow. I think the more concerning thing here is the fact that its using water/coolant without a visible leak.. so there could be a pinhole leak in the headgasket 😞
 
petegangies said:
Does anyone have a picture of where your distributor bolt sits for factory timing? I've swapped the VAF with a spare and now the car won't idle. It'll start, idle for 1 or 2 seconds and then stall, even when giving it gas. Might be timing, might be a bad VAF, but would like to see what factory timing position is on the distributor first.

**UPDATE** dad's spare VAF was bung.. I have another 2 spares I bought in recent weeks, so installed another and it's starting and idling again. I've removed the IACV while on the vehicle, using my new super long JIS screw driver, worked super well. Now I'm about the clean the IACV. A quick check of timing in diagnostic mode, using the pin jumper @Malleus the legend sent me in his care packing, shows I'm running 10 degrees. I'll leave it on this and keep working at trying to find a solution.

I have noticed that the radiator overflow bottle is low again, after topping it up (and the radiator) only a few weeks ago... I have no visible coolant leaks, so this is concerning. Compression and leak down test next I think.
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10deg is alot of timing

have you removed the spark plugs to inspect as yet? they tell alot and if youre running the recommended red coolant should be pretty visible if one or more cyl's are drinking it, the plug should have a reddish tinge to it. No6 is the usual suspect & try to avoid removing the plugs on a hot motor - aluminum heads are best to remove spark plugs when cold
 
robnicko said:
10deg is alot of timing

have you removed the spark plugs to inspect as yet? they tell alot and if youre running the recommended red coolant should be pretty visible if one or more cyl's are drinking it, the plug should have a reddish tinge to it. No6 is the usual suspect & try to avoid removing the plugs on a hot motor - aluminum heads are best to remove spark plugs when cold
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This has green coolant in it and will have had for a very long time. I believe I've posted pics of the plugs earlier in this thread. There was no signs of water or coolant on them. Also the timing issue on this motor is peculiar as it was running significantly more according to the timing light, and likely for a very long time. No audible pinging, no knock sensor faults etc. When I adjust the timing to anything closer to 3-5 degrees the car runs like an absolute dog and wants to stall. Go back through the thread from the start for the complete journey.
 
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Update. Have tried to perform TK head test twice now, but even with 40mins of idling with the radiator cap off, I'm not positive the thermostat was open as both top and bottom hoses were easily squeezed. When the cap is on and after a drive the system has pressurised the hoses are harder to squeeze (as you would expect). So I'm not sure how accurate the test is, which was negative. The blue solution only changed hue slightly lighter but wasn't yellow or green at all. I would have thought 40mins of idling would allow the thermostat to open given they operate on temperature. I took it for a spirited drive, so I'll check the cold start tomorrow.. if it starts hard that means it's opening with a lot of heat and then leaking overnight into the combustion chamber. Since I swapped the VAF I haven't had a hard start but also haven't driven it apart from swapping car spots. It also ran today on 5/6 degrees timing with new VAF whereas it would stall with the previous. I still don't have different timing readings whether in diagnostic mode or not which is weird. Not sure what to make of that, but I'm using a quality jumper and the Check Engine is flashing so it's definitely in diagnostic mode but timing is the same regardless of whether I'm in it or not.

I did not see the bubbling in the radiator that I witnessed last week with the cap off after only 10mins of idling... so I'm completely perplexed.

Thoughts?
 
Pete, the only sure way to know your thermostat is working is to pull it out and boil it a per the service manual. Other than that, I got nothin'.
 
Further update:

Confirmed the ecu has definitely been replaced (I'm guessing when he fried the ecu loom). Good news is the part numbers between both ecus match (found the old one in his shed).

Also confirmed the old air flow meter has been modified with a fuel trim adjustment screw. This would have been done by a workshop here to muck around with fuel side of things so that they could up the timing for the LPG but still have it safe on petrol. This explains why it was running 20 degrees of timing. I've dialed that back to 5 degrees with a factory VAF now.

Continuing issues:

- no cold start rpm
- cold starts are a bit rough
- using coolant

Next steps:

- pressure test cooling system (might show a drop in pressure over a few hours)

- work out why ignition timing is the same despite being in diagnostic mode or not. This is quite concerning and could be the root cause of a lot of this.

- test iacv per fsm (did initially test resistance but not operation)

- flush and service cooling system. Replace thermostat, engine coolant temp sensor and radiator cap.

Will report back when done next week.
 
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Could any of you reading this thread please take a picture of your distributor adjustment screw position and post it?
 
Here's a link with some more distributor photos starting at post #6 (@flintknapper):

forum.ih8mud.com

Timing Marks Won't Align

I finally got my 1FZFE motor from the rebuild shop and installed in the 93 LC (gas). Identified some leftover bolts thanks to all the input from this forum, and cranked it up. It ran ok despite a high idle so I left it for the night. Today I tried to set the timing and that's when I hit a wall...
forum.ih8mud.com forum.ih8mud.com
 
CharlieS said:
With the diagnostic jumper in place, is the gearshift in neutral (wheels chocked)?
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no it's not. I didnt realise it needed to be in neutral.. doh.. just saw this in the service manual. Thank you! I'll double check timing again today and report back!

No need for chocked wheels, I'm on flat ground, can just use handbrake as a precaution.
 
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Having the car in neutral made no difference at all. All readings still the same whether in neutral or not and whether in diagnostic mode or not... :-(
 
Don't make me come over there...
 
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