My son's 97 Lego went into the body shop where they worked on the hood, right front fender and left rear quarter panel, replaced left headlight and both bumpers.

 

It was running fine before.

 

We had pulled the plugs and alternator, when we thought it was totaled and going to salvage and reinstalled them when we realized it was going to be repaired,.

 

Now, it cranks, sputters and won't stay running. I'm told it has spark on only two cylinders, and the code said the coil was bad. Put another coil in it, no change.

 

 

I have not looked at the car yet- it is 12 miles away at the body shop.

 

Any ideas?

 

Now, it cranks, sputters and won't stay running. I'm told it has spark on only two cylinders, and the code said the coil was bad. Put another coil in it, no change.

 

which 2 cylinders, left vs. right or front vs. rear?? if it is really a spark issue (it's amazing how many reports of no spark end up being something else), and front vs. rear, check the igniter which is mounted on the fire wall beside the dog bone, just left of center. if it is left vs right, look for a timing issue, check the belt and cam marks.

 

are all of the vac lines connected, especially the one under the plastic intake that runs from the air filter box to the throttle body?? probably disconnected when removing plugs and hard to see unless you look for it because it is underneath.

Edited October 7, 201015 yr by johnceggleston

Okay, the shop that has the car says it is the front two cylinders. They got no spark at the coil.

Edited October 7, 201015 yr by eppoh

Okay, the shop that has the car says it is the front two cylinders. They got no spark at the coil.

 

How did they test for spark? Just pulling the plug wire off and looking for a spark doesn't always work on wasted spark systems.

I would guess the coil was bad if there was no spark on the front half. Did they use a Subaru coil or some cheap after market?

How did they test for spark? Just pulling the plug wire off and looking for a spark doesn't always work on wasted spark systems.

I would guess the coil was bad if there was no spark on the front half. Did they use a Subaru coil or some cheap after market?

 

 

The coil was replaced with a Subaru coil off another car that was running. I don't know how they tested it.

 

The body shop owner's brother is a mechanic, so he says, who brought over a scanner and checked it.

 

I will try somehow to get an arc from the coil to a grounded wire or something- any ideas on a good way to check that without shocking myself?

Need to find out why there is no spark. Did they mess with the igniter? The path is basically ECU->Igniter->Coil->Wires->Plugs.

 

If your coil has no spark, then check the igniter. If that is fine then check the ECU.

 

And engine grounds. Don't forgot those.

Went and checked it out for myself.

There is spark on all cylinders.

 

The engine will start if the throttle is held cracked open slightly, and will very slowly accelerate if you push the accelerator ever so slowly.

 

I have seen this before on a Camry. In that case it was the MAF. I jiggled the connector with the engine running and it seemed to respond. I disconnected the MAF and nothing changed.

 

So, I figured maybe since they worked on that left fender maybe the got some spray or paint dust up in there booering up the sensor.

 

I removed the pipe with the sensor in it and blew it out with air OOPS, now it won't start at all.

 

I am ordering another from a yard. Hopefully that is it.

 

I was getting battery voltage to the connector on the harness.

[...]So, I figured maybe since they worked on that left fender maybe the got some spray or paint dust up in there booering up the sensor.

Very possibly. Even a slight contamination can cause a problem.

 

 

I removed the pipe with the sensor in it and blew it out with air OOPS, now it won't start at all.

The '97 has a hot-wire type MAF. MAF wires are pretty fragile -- as you found out, compressed air of any significant velocity damages (breaks) them. The replacement, if a good used unit, will probably resolve the problem.

Yup, the MAF is definitely your problem. When mine went bad, the last stage of its demise was that the car was reluctant to start and then finally didn't start at all.

 

Compressed air is NOT the way to clean a MAF. MAF cleaner or a gentle method.

Replaced the MAF and all is well.

 

The breather hose was also disconnected from the airbox, which made it idle badly, once it started.