This car has 299k, but it had the engine replaced at some point, so don't know the engine mileage. Whoever replaced it did a crappy job.
About 1 -2 years ago, when it would get hot it would not idle - you would have to rev it to keep it going. This slowly got worse, and I really didn't want to go through the FSM to figure it out.
It got bad enough, it would not idle at any temp, but it would start OK and drive OK. I figured it was time to go through the FSM.
Found both temp sensors broken/not working. Replaced the one above the thermostat and the one directly below.
Then tried to drive it. Worked while it was cold, but once it warmed up, it would run about 2500, then die when put in gear. The first couple times, I WOT and it sortof ran. As long as it was in gear and foot on the throttle it mostly ran...The third time, it died and would not start. Got towed to a parking lot where I futzed with it, and finally got it to start.
Strong smell of gas, and once it started, it seemed like the plugs were pretty fouled. Finally got it home and am now going through the FSM more througly.
Found the hose from the cleaner to the throttle body had a massive hole, so I wrapped all that tight with bicycle innertube and taped the outside with electrical. No codes other than the ECU had the power removed (no CEL, short TE1/E1 have two slow blinks every 5 sec or so).
I thought the coil might be bad. Measures .5/11K - normal.
Put new Denso wires and plugs (gapped at .031).
Put a new fuel filter in not long ago. Filter might have 5k on it max.
I had voltage for the VT1/VT2, but no voltage swings, (sensor voltage .38V steady) so figure the O2 sensors might be bad. I disconnected both sensors, and it still has the same symptom:
It will start from cold and idle (idle is high, but I futzed with the idle speed setting early on), but when put in gear, dies and won't start after. When it is in this condition, the coil is sparking like it should and all the cylinders show lights from the timing light like the coil/igniter are doing their job.
I pulled a plug while it was in this state, and the plug looked black, but dry, which almost seems like it's not firing the injectors or pressure is low or something, but I don't know why it would run fine at 4000 if it was fuel supply issues. I will check the fuel pressure once I get a banjo fitting.
It is almost like the ECU looses it's mind and lights up the coil at the wrong time or something. I can crank it on a full battery and eventually it will start again.
If you pull the O2 sensors, I would think the ECU would think they were bad and just go into limp mode, but maybe it thinks there is no gas and just fills the cylinders with gas, but why does it idle OK?
Also, without it in gear, I can punch it and it sounds like it's missing/runs like crap until about 4K, at which point is smooths out and runs like it should.
One other data point. It wouldn't start after cranking for a while, so I pulled the bajo bolt on the fuel rail to measure it to put a longer one with another banjo for a gauge, forgot about it, went out and it started right up, fuel squirting everywhere. put the bolt back in, started, idled, put it in gear drove it back a few feet, left it in gear and revved it until, put it in neutral..did that a couple times, then wham, dies. I have a timing light hooked up with the trigger on so I can see the coil. Never misses I can tell. Won't start. I swear this is going to drive me crazy.
Pulled the bolt again, tried to start, no fuel spewing, so I finally have a place to look.
Anybody have any ideas? I'm not too far away from figuring out how to put a carburetor on this car.
About 1 -2 years ago, when it would get hot it would not idle - you would have to rev it to keep it going. This slowly got worse, and I really didn't want to go through the FSM to figure it out.
It got bad enough, it would not idle at any temp, but it would start OK and drive OK. I figured it was time to go through the FSM.
Found both temp sensors broken/not working. Replaced the one above the thermostat and the one directly below.
Then tried to drive it. Worked while it was cold, but once it warmed up, it would run about 2500, then die when put in gear. The first couple times, I WOT and it sortof ran. As long as it was in gear and foot on the throttle it mostly ran...The third time, it died and would not start. Got towed to a parking lot where I futzed with it, and finally got it to start.
Strong smell of gas, and once it started, it seemed like the plugs were pretty fouled. Finally got it home and am now going through the FSM more througly.
Found the hose from the cleaner to the throttle body had a massive hole, so I wrapped all that tight with bicycle innertube and taped the outside with electrical. No codes other than the ECU had the power removed (no CEL, short TE1/E1 have two slow blinks every 5 sec or so).
I thought the coil might be bad. Measures .5/11K - normal.
Put new Denso wires and plugs (gapped at .031).
Put a new fuel filter in not long ago. Filter might have 5k on it max.
I had voltage for the VT1/VT2, but no voltage swings, (sensor voltage .38V steady) so figure the O2 sensors might be bad. I disconnected both sensors, and it still has the same symptom:
It will start from cold and idle (idle is high, but I futzed with the idle speed setting early on), but when put in gear, dies and won't start after. When it is in this condition, the coil is sparking like it should and all the cylinders show lights from the timing light like the coil/igniter are doing their job.
I pulled a plug while it was in this state, and the plug looked black, but dry, which almost seems like it's not firing the injectors or pressure is low or something, but I don't know why it would run fine at 4000 if it was fuel supply issues. I will check the fuel pressure once I get a banjo fitting.
It is almost like the ECU looses it's mind and lights up the coil at the wrong time or something. I can crank it on a full battery and eventually it will start again.
If you pull the O2 sensors, I would think the ECU would think they were bad and just go into limp mode, but maybe it thinks there is no gas and just fills the cylinders with gas, but why does it idle OK?
Also, without it in gear, I can punch it and it sounds like it's missing/runs like crap until about 4K, at which point is smooths out and runs like it should.
One other data point. It wouldn't start after cranking for a while, so I pulled the bajo bolt on the fuel rail to measure it to put a longer one with another banjo for a gauge, forgot about it, went out and it started right up, fuel squirting everywhere. put the bolt back in, started, idled, put it in gear drove it back a few feet, left it in gear and revved it until, put it in neutral..did that a couple times, then wham, dies. I have a timing light hooked up with the trigger on so I can see the coil. Never misses I can tell. Won't start. I swear this is going to drive me crazy.
Pulled the bolt again, tried to start, no fuel spewing, so I finally have a place to look.
Anybody have any ideas? I'm not too far away from figuring out how to put a carburetor on this car.
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