1987 2wd Van intermittent starting

[mrbill]

Hi Folks:

Recently I had trouble starting my van that had been parked outside for about 3 weeks since I had last driven it. I cranked for 20 seconds at a time, 3 times before the engine caught and ran, although slightly roughly.

I then drove it a short distance, but long enough to fully warm the engine. While driving the engine would sputter at low rpm (e.g. immediately after up-shifting from 1st to 2nd while accelerating). I parked the van for about 15 minutes before attempting to start it again, but I couldn't get it started.

I tried another 4 or 5 20-second cranking, but nothing. By this point I could tell the battery was getting a little tired.

I ended up calling for a tow to my local Toyota mechanic where I left the van for the next 2 weeks. Each day he tried starting the van, and each time it "started right up". He even drove it a short distance on some of those occasions and never noticed any of the problems I had noticed.

I spoke at some length with the mechanic who has experience working on these older vans, and he thought based on the electrical system tests and my description of the symptoms that the igniter was working intermittently, but without observing the failure he can't be 100% certain.

In spite of that I asked him if he could proactively replace the igniter, but he has been unable to find the new or new aftermarket part and is hesitant to install a used part as he said these frequently failed on these vans. I'd like to avoid another tow or getting stranded somewhere inconvenient when I'm driving it.

Questions:

1) Are my van's symptoms consistent with a failing igniter, or could it be something else?
2) Could I substitute a different Toyota igniter from the same time period, one that might be available new or new aftermarket, in my van?
3) Anyone have a compatible igniter (new or used) they'd be willing to sell me?

I might carry around the spare part in the van so it's easily available if the igniter fails completely when I'm away from home.

Thanks.

[trestlehed]

Oh no Mr. Bill! No, noooo!

Sorry, Old SNL reference. (I Couldn't resist).

I'm an old, mostly inactive member here. I bought an '87 van which had the same problem.
After spending way too much money on random mechanics, experts from Toyota Van People (which was later replaced by this current website), helped diagnose my problem. There are at least 2 potential issues to look into first.

1) These vans are old. My eventual and trusted personal-friend mechanic diagnosed a voltage drop in the starter system.
After chasing it for too long, he installed a remote starter switch/button on the rear of the engine hump. This allowed for the van to start every time without fail.

2) Some of the original fuel pulsation dampers (if i remember correctly) would fail to deliver enough pressure which would
cause the fuel injectors and fuel system to not work properly and thus, a no-start situation. Apparently a newer version of this part resolved the problem (which I believe my mechanic friend did indeed install eventually to cover all bases).

Sure, you could have a bad igniter and other things, but I would advise you check the above items first in order to avoid installing other new parts indiscriminately like I did after I first bought my van.

I sold my van van back in June of 2021 so, I might be off a bit with some terminology here.

Anyway, you can search the terms above which should lead you to plenty of info.

Good luck!

P.S. Shout out/hello to Van Gurus timsrv, llamavan and all the other old-school TVT members!

[mrbill]

Hi trestlehed:

Thank you for your followup post. I will save it and refer back to it if I continue to have starting problems.

I may have found the fix for my starting problem. Here's the story:

I left my van with my local mechanic for about two weeks while I recovered from a COVID infection. Each day my mechanic started up the van without any problem.

At the end of two weeks when I was well enough to be out and about I collected the van. It started up fine in the parking lot. I drove it home and parked it outside on my driveway, then left it parked for the next 5 days.

When I started it up the next time I had to crank the engine for two tries of 20 seconds each. At the end of the second try, the engine started, but it sputtered and hesitated immediately after up-shifting from 1st to 2nd, while accelerating at low RPM, until the engine had warmed up.

I drove the van, parked it and restarted it a couple of times later that day, and had no trouble restarting it or driving it.

After I got home I disconnected all electrical connections to the igniter except for the one under the passenger seat that I had trouble reaching. That one goes to the distributor coil, I think. I sprayed some WD40 on the conductors, wiped off with a Qtip any crud that might have been there, but I doubt there was much. The connectors may have looked filthy from the outside, but they have a rubber seal to keep out contaminants, and the conductors looked as good as new to my naked eye. I smeared dielectric grease on the conductors, then plugged the connectors together again.

Then I noticed a ground point on one of the mount screws of the igniter looked corroded. I disassembled the lugs attached to this screw, sanded off the corrosion from all metal parts, then smeared dielectric grease on same, then re-assembled the lugs onto the screw, and tightened the assembly.

I have now parked my van for several days at a time outside, rain or shine, and each time it has started up immediately and now warms up without hesitation or sputtering. The problem appears to have disappeared.

I'm suspicious the problem was the corrosion on the grounding lugs was intermittently causing a broken circuit, but I can't be certain. For now I'm happy.

[trestlehed]

MrBill,

Hopefully your fix has solved the problem.

Keep your fingers crossed and May The Force Be With You!