Ignitor/Ignition Failure Sensor keeps blowing

onnzo · Post by **onnzo** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:58 pm

Hi guys,
Has anyone come across the problem before where you ignitor/ignition failure sensor keeps blowing?

I have replaced 4 sensors now and something keeps causing them to blow (new sensors arent cheap!). It is at an auto electricians currently and they are trying to investigate the cause.

The sensor is part of the ignition system and tells the ecu to fire the coils.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

Post by **Bennoz** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:29 pm

Hmmm might be a bad earth somewhere or one of the coils themselves is shorting back.... that's about all that comes to mind

They'll probably have to test the circuit from all the coils back.

onnzo · Post by **onnzo** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:57 pm

They suspected the earth and have replaced that.

They have also checked the coils, crank and cam angle sensor and have given them the all clear.

Hmmm - well ill give them a bit more time to troubleshoot. It is doing my head in. I hate auto electrics!

Post by **Bennoz** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:08 pm

I hate electrics as well... not my strong point

bigpitty1 · Post by **bigpitty1** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:38 pm

there are 2 capacitors one near the coils and one near the ignition failure sensor, I reacon they might of died, they absorb high voltages produced from the coils when the magnetic fields collaps, something on those lines anyway.

to test them get a digital multimeter, hook one lead to the wire and the other lead on the body of the capacitor, have the multimeter on ohms, the resistance should go from low to high then read OL, if it doesn't do this then its dead.

This one is for the coils located on the inlet manifold.

This one is located next to the ignition failure sensor, you said you have replaced you ignition failure sensor, make sure the capacitors are bolted to the engine so they are earthed.

onnzo · Post by **onnzo** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:25 pm

Thanks Bigpitty,
I did notice the capacitor when replacing the sensor (but i didnt know what it was at the time). I did bolt it down when I replaced it (the one on the ifs) and noticed that it was grounded to that "metal plate with the thing on it" is what I called it

I will call the auto elec tomorrow and ask him to check it.

Has this happenned to you before?

Mike

bigpitty1 · Post by **bigpitty1** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:48 pm

it hasn't happened to me, I'm only having a rough guess.

onnzo · Post by **onnzo** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:52 pm

cool - well thanks for the suggestion. You would think that auto elec would think of it- i have gien him the workshop manual and the electrical wiring diagrams too!

Mike

Edit- for reference, if anyone else has this problem - mine was casued by one of the wires to the sensors being grounded. Engine movement was casuing the loom to rub against the bracket holding the condensor resulting in a short.

It cost me $900 all up for an auto elec to trace the problem! $550 of that was labour, $130 for tow, $185 for sensor (this is more expensive then genuine at $140, but genuine was 4 weeks ex japan.) $50 for other misc stuff.