Car keep stalling. No codes. Ideas?

[Jczajka]

***New Throttle Control Motor fixed it!***


Just got my 2000 LX which besides the bouncy AHC has been running fine.

Driving around the other day the car kept getting sluggish with no response from the accelerator pedal and would then die.

No check engine light, no codes in Techstream (but I'm new to that and it is sluggish and confusing), no idea what's going on.

I cleaned the MAF, cleaned the throttle body, put new plugs and coils in (genuine Densos from Rock Auto and AutoZone), cleaned the air box of debris and put in a new air filter, and charged the battery. Thought it was good until I started driving around and now it's dieing on me again.

I had the parts coming in already to do the timing belt plus other maintenance which is overdue. I've already cleaned and greased my battery terminals and cable ends.

Not sure if what else to check. Fresh tank of 93 octane in there.

Going to buy a Scanguage right now, since I wanted one anyway and found a good Advanced Auto coupon.

The car was running great and then I hooked up Techstream in the VM to my modern Windows laptop running with the latest recommend cable from Amazonto look at my AHC (which is a bouncy, maybe over filled? mess) After that I started having stalling issues, where the car sputters and dies.

Anything else I should test?

I've searched the forum and there are many issues like this that are resovled from plug, coils, cleaning throttle/MAF etc., but I haven't found any resolution for it still happening after o did all the above mentioned stuff.

I have a bit of a coolant leak I believe, (but doing new rad and hoses with timing belt next week) so I added see 50/50 Toyota red and distilled and I can smell coolant when running. Not sure if that's related.

??

 

[Jczajka]

Fuel pump and filter was replaced with OE right before I purchased it.

I'm going to see if Advanced Auto or the Scangauge pull any codes.

Could easily be a vacuum leak, my hoses are definitely rotted and loose everywhere. @beno has new ones on the way for me.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Check all your hoses and electrical connections, maybe in your cleaning you didn't hook something back up.

 

[Jczajka]

Check all your hoses and electrical connections, maybe in your cleaning you didn't hook something back up.

The stalling and lack of pedal response was happening before the cleaning. That's what prompted me to do this maintenance now, rather than waiting for all my TB parts to arrive.

 

[Jczajka]

Well, it's dead.

I stopped at Home Depot to pick up an order on the way to Advanced Auto and the truck stumbled when I started it and shut off.

It wouldn't start again, only crank and struggle.

My MAF looked really clean the other day when I sprayed it with MAF cleaner, but taking a Lyft over to Advanced Auto to get a new MAP, Fuel Pressure regulator, my Scangauge, and some hoses. Then a Lyft back over to HD before I call AAA.

I was waiting for new vacuum lines from @beno but not sure I can wait. They're pretty cooked.

Also missing my breather from my charcoal canister. It was sticking up the other day, so I twisted it to face down... And then it vanished!

Not fun.

 

[ScubaJon]

when my 2000lc was doing that it turned out the crank sensor wires had moved out of place and the serpentine belt was rubbing it. The symptoms kept getting worse till the wires were severed. I tossed all kinds of cash at new parts untill I found the wires against the belt.

While standing in front of the car open the hood look down at the belt above and to the drivers side of the harmonic balancer and see if you can see a wire loom near the belt if so check if its burned through.

I simply soldered them back together heat shrink and stuffed them back in place. It also severed the oil pressure wire and it was not fixed with soldering it back together but the car runs and the oil pressure gauge is pinned to the top.

 

[oakback]

I haven't had this problem with my Land cruiser, but with a different car I had a similar problem. It was something to do with the gas tank vent, loosening the gas cap made it run perfect. Air wasn't able to get into the tank creating a vacuum.

 

[Greenbean]

First step is identify whether or not your red immobilizer light is flashing the whole time the engine is turning over.

If so you have an immobilizer repair to perform/EFI work around.

If not then your headed down the road of checking fuel supply, O2 and spark.

I believe if the Crank Position Sensor is failing it should throw a code. Usually they fail from abrasion on the wires or age and after warming up they fail. Heat soaking and expansion is what I thought I read here.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[ScubaJon]

On my 2000 I never got a code even when the wire harness was 100% severed. That is part of why it to me so long to find and I replaced so many parts.

First step is identify whether or not your red immobilizer light is flashing the whole time the engine is turning over.

If so you have an immobilizer repair to perform/EFI work around.

If not then your headed down the road of checking fuel supply, O2 and spark.

I believe if the Crank Position Sensor is failing it should throw a code. Usually they fail from abrasion on the wires or age and after warming up they fail. Heat soaking and expansion is what I thought I read here.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[snowwjob1]

Just went through a similar issue. Coolant sensor was going bad and burned the wiring up. The sensor would suddenly register coolant temp of -40 deg. Then it would add fuel and Flood the engine. Would restart after a while

 

[Jczajka]

Well, back together, but still not fixed!

It started hard and cut off. It then started and ran for a bit and cut off. Decided just to drive home rather than get it towed. It cut off a few times on the way home, but luckily it was late, so I was able to coast to red lights and restart the car.

So after 4 Lyft rides, 3 auto parts store stops and a bunch of cash gone, I bought a few things that could fix the truck. Luckily I had my socket with a 10mm, and my SOG pliers in the truck. Got it back together in the Home Depot parking lot by flashlight. Big shout out to Sealife Lights for helping me get this done!


Here is what I did in the HD parking lot:

Installed new PCV grommet and cleaned PCV with some contact cleaner I had it the car. The grommet was brittle and the top broke off as I was trying to delicately remove it. Of course it fell into the engine, but luckily being in HD lot I ran in and bought a grabber with little wire claw on the end and some picks and recovered it. I small piece of the grommet may have fallen into the engine, but I didnt see anything in there and felt around as best I could. That piece may have also flied off when I was initially trying to remove the grommet.

I replaced most of the hose on top of the engine that was dry rotted or had loose ends. Some vacuum line/transmission line I bought at Advance Auto and used most of the factory clamps and only had to run into HD for one cheap hose clamp. That went pretty well.

Put the new re-man MAF in, though I thought my old one was fine. The part looks like it has Toyota on it under the Pep Boys sticker.

Bought a new Dewalt screw driver at HD that is pretty cool and will live in my truck. It ratchets, has a removable extension, rotating back, and a ton of bits with storage in the handle. I pulled the square drive bits and replaced them with the JIS bits I just got from @NLXTACY .

 

[Jczajka]

more pics

 

[Jczajka]

So I've read all the comments about sensors and severed wires. I've also dug into the forums and found a ton of instances of similar issue. Unfortunately it seems this can be cause by almost everything; dirty MAF, dirty throttle body, vacuum leaks, PCV, vapor canister, crank sensor, cam sensor, fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, EFI relay, ignition switch assembly, severed wires somewhere

I"m not sure how to narrow this down. I have symptoms that all these post about the above point to. I'm trying to narrow this down a bit, but tearing everything apart has been tiresome. The Toyota and Lexus dealership near me a both super expensive (Lexus a little cheaper) and crappy with their service. All the parts guys give me grief when I go in with a list of parts or ask for help, they help as little as possible and repeatedly tell me I have to pay up front and cant return parts. Fun. Again, the guys at Lexus are more helpful.

I looked at the front of the engine the last three days as this was happening and check the CPS and the wires and didn't see any issues. I checked all the wires I could see and couldn't find any broken or severed wires. Maybe I am just looking in the wrong place.

Where should I be looking for these cut wires??? Can someone point me in the right direction? Sorry if this has been covered before, but I have searched the forum for hours over the last three days and currently have 45 tabs open with reports of similar issues. Most of these threads are just people talking about all the issues that have been resolved, but with no pictures of the issue in situ. I'm going to check on all these harnesses again today.

I do have some crusty looking fuses that I am going to buy fresh ones to replace. The 100 amp main fuse/fusible link looks nice and corroded inside. The fuses on the little box next to the fuse box, closer to the fender, also look crusty. What is the little fuse box?

I'm going to look into the EFI relay and the ignition switch and see if that may be it.

My Negative battery clamp it pretty beat up. I cleaned oxidation off and greased it a week or so ago right after I bought it, but it also has some cracks in it. Probably should be replaced. Battery voltage while driving was 13.5-13.8 according to the Scangauge.

 

[saucebox]

For the immobilizer: this thread (My immobilizer fix) details it a little bit, and searching just the 100-series forum will yield more results. This is where I'd start.

The guy that started that thread also sells a fix kit (here: EFI Relay Bypass Kit (Immobilizer Fix) for UZJ100/LX470). I have not used it, and since I haven't had that trouble, haven't investigated it.

For the crank sensor—you're looking for a small group of wires tucked behind your serpentine belt on the DS. There should be a hole with a grommet on the timing cover there, the wires protrude and go downwards towards the oil pressure sensor. Your crank sensor is bundled in that. If it isn't reinstalled correctly (like after a timing service, for example), the harness sticks out into the area where the serpentine belt is running, and gets chewed up little bit by little bit. That could also cause a crank but no start situation, or a crank and run poorly situation. But I'd think that if you can get it to run, even a little, you'd get a code.

 

[Jczajka]

For the immobilizer: this thread (My immobilizer fix) details it a little bit, and searching just the 100-series forum will yield more results. This is where I'd start.

The guy that started that thread also sells a fix kit (here: EFI Relay Bypass Kit (Immobilizer Fix) for UZJ100/LX470). I have not used it, and since I haven't had that trouble, haven't investigated it.

For the crank sensor—you're looking for a small group of wires tucked behind your serpentine belt on the DS. There should be a hole with a grommet on the timing cover there, the wires protrude and go downwards towards the oil pressure sensor. Your crank sensor is bundled in that. If it isn't reinstalled correctly (like after a timing service, for example), the harness sticks out into the area where the serpentine belt is running, and gets chewed up little bit by little bit. That could also cause a crank but no start situation, or a crank and run poorly situation. But I'd think that if you can get it to run, even a little, you'd get a code.

The truck runs, but stalls. I get a drop in RPMs and then not pedal response. I stomp on the pedal a few times hard and eventually the engine will respond and keep going, or that when the engine dies.

I havent had any codes or CEL thrown for the last three days this has been going on.

I will try the relay bypass fix. Just bench tested the EFI relay and it seems good.

I'm going to take a closer look at these sensors and wires to inspect for damage and test the sensors. I have looked at all the wires I think is what has been mentioned, but I see no issues. I'll pull apart the wire looms and see if there are any underlying issues.

Thanks for the ideas and help everyone.

 

[saucebox]

If the relays test OK, and the immobilizer light functions as it should, then there's probably no reason to throw money at it.

You might be beyond my specific knowledge. Does a 2000 have a throttle position sensor? A throttle cable? If it's a cable, run through all the connection points to make sure it is functioning as it should (not binding anywhere). Might need a second body to stomp the pedal while you're looking under the hood. If it's a sensor, maybe bench test that.

 

[Jczajka]

First step is identify whether or not your red immobilizer light is flashing the whole time the engine is turning over.

If so you have an immobilizer repair to perform/EFI work around.

If not then your headed down the road of checking fuel supply, O2 and spark.

I believe if the Crank Position Sensor is failing it should throw a code. Usually they fail from abrasion on the wires or age and after warming up they fail. Heat soaking and expansion is what I thought I read here.

Good luck and keep us posted.

No flashing on the immobilizer light, that I have seen. Once I get the car back together I will double check.

No codes or CEL.

 

[Jczajka]

If the relays test OK, and the immobilizer light functions as it should, then there's probably no reason to throw money at it.

You might be beyond my specific knowledge. Does a 2000 have a throttle position sensor? A throttle cable? If it's a cable, run through all the connection points to make sure it is functioning as it should (not binding anywhere). Might need a second body to stomp the pedal while you're looking under the hood. If it's a sensor, maybe bench test that.

Throttle cable seems smooth. There was a little slack, which I just took up the other day.

Going to check crank sensor and bench test. Same with coolant sensor since it was mentioned.

 

[Ninja Cruiser100]

Have you thought about fuel injectors, could they be dirty?

 

[Jczajka]

Have you thought about fuel injectors, could they be dirty?

I'm sure they could be. Previous owner replaced the fuel pump and fuel filter with Toyota parts before I bought it because it was having issues. I think similar to what I am having. Haven't pulled or tested injectors. I dont want to pull all that from the engine without all the rebuild parts on hand. Any way to test them installed?

I poured a bottle of Marvel Mystery Oil Ultimate in the gas tank to see if that helped clean things up.

I assumed it was vacuum or some sensor based on old ratty vacuum hoses and age of my truck.