[vikenabm]

OK, had a spare ECU for an automatic transmission, same grey plugs. I have a M/T with a converted A/T harness, so I swapped the ecu anyway and it cranks fine. STA actually not checked once it cranked ok. Other voltmeter tests for the ECU and the "ignition on" were all correct, including all 3 injector channels, KSU signal, MREL, and ISC1-4.

Now the symptoms are back to before the explosion: With injector resistor connected I'm getting something. It chugs for a second and sputters, seems like it will almost go, but won't start all the way. When it was doing this before I managed to get it barely running a a few times and that's when it exploded and stopped, so I'm afraid to keep trying to start it without a clearer idea of what is wrong. Timing is set approximately according to the TSRM instructions for installing the CPS, which usually is enough to get it started.

Timing light didn't work in the injector wire. I put the magnetic pickup that normally goes on a plug wire over one of the two wires going to injector 1. Didn't trigger the light with old or new ECU.

Timing light does flash on plug wire #1, maybe not perfectly regularly, but better with the new ignitor than with the old ignitor, I think. STill not sure the spark is 100% regular. checked coil resistances - all ok. Plug wires (MSD) checked a month ago - some were close to 20K ohm, which is in spec but barely. I have some old stock plug wires left, as well as stock injectors and stock AFM, and an extra coil pack.

1)Should I focus on trying to get the timing more accurate by having someone crank while I check timing? Or do I need to double check anything else before going further. Not sure about these RC injectors, Lexus AFM, AFPR: haven't worked with this setup before.

2) Should I scrap the setup and go back to stock AFM, injectors, and plug wires just to test it? That's of course a couple of hours converting, and a couple more changing it all back later, but well worth it if I learn something from the exercise. Actually, I crimped the new injector pigtails and heat shrunk the connections, so I can't really go back to stock injectors very easily. I could make a adaptors of the old injector pigtails and some crimp on female terminals, I suppose. I'd do that if it would help.

3) should I go back to stock on just the plug wires, maybe swap the coil pack?

4) Should I continue with the A/T ECU? How much difference will it make?

At this point I don't want to shoot from the hip. I'd just be picking at random from the list.

Thanks.