ECU and other electrical issues
07-31-13, 12:46 PM
#61
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I will hopefully report back within a week or so with what the cause of the problem was and the solution.
I have decided the 75 days of my mucking with it, and failing to provide results, is just too long. I thought in May that it would just be a simple replace the alternator/battery and then sing Kumbayah while dancing like a fool.
I'm borrowing the money to afford to have the local Toyota place diagnose it for me. I've already lined up some other funds to pay for any expensive work that is required. I'm hopeful it will just be something simple I've missed, and not something major.
And if they do not come up with a solution, then well, damn.
Thanks for all the help so far, but the amount of time, effort, and other things, have defeated me. The lack of car has caused my funds situation to deep dangerously low. So I need the car to live again so I too may live.
tl;dr : I give up, going to throw money at it now.
I have decided the 75 days of my mucking with it, and failing to provide results, is just too long. I thought in May that it would just be a simple replace the alternator/battery and then sing Kumbayah while dancing like a fool.
I'm borrowing the money to afford to have the local Toyota place diagnose it for me. I've already lined up some other funds to pay for any expensive work that is required. I'm hopeful it will just be something simple I've missed, and not something major.
And if they do not come up with a solution, then well, damn.
Thanks for all the help so far, but the amount of time, effort, and other things, have defeated me. The lack of car has caused my funds situation to deep dangerously low. So I need the car to live again so I too may live.
tl;dr : I give up, going to throw money at it now.
07-31-13, 03:49 PM
#62
Lexus Champion
please don't let anyone go on a fishing expedition, there is one part that's bad, (probably the ECU) so don't let some yahoos start replacing things at your expense until they luck up on the solution - this goes for the Toyota place, the Lexus dealership, or independents.
08-06-13, 02:47 PM
#63
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please don't let anyone go on a fishing expedition, there is one part that's bad, (probably the ECU) so don't let some yahoos start replacing things at your expense until they luck up on the solution - this goes for the Toyota place, the Lexus dealership, or independents.
So I dropped off the car Monday Morning.
They said they expected to know something early Monday or maybe that afternoon.
Tuesday by noon they haven't called.
I called them.
Them: "We think its the Fuel Pump..?"
Me: "why do you think that?"
Them: "because we don't have the tool to test the fuel pump."
me: "what do you mean you dont have a tool? You mean like the banjo bolt to test fuel pressure?"
Them: "yes"
Me: "Well I've tested the pressure it seems to be fine"
Them: "well right now you are going to need to buy the tool and the diagnoses is around 190"
me: "what else makes you think its the fuel pump?"
them: "well I dont have the paper work in front of me"
me: "call me back when you have it"
them: "ok"
Its been 2 hours, no call.
08-06-13, 04:16 PM
#64
Lexus Champion
I think you have just proven that these idiots know far LESS about fixing the car than you do - I wouldn't let them touch it even if they would work for free after that hearing those answers! 
go pick up the car, and DO NOT PAY Beavis and Butthead any money!
what kind of fools working on cars do not have a fuel pressure gauge to fit a Toyota??
that is like on par with if they didn't own a ratchet - where did you find these Neanderthals?
go pick up the car, and DO NOT PAY Beavis and Butthead any money!
what kind of fools working on cars do not have a fuel pressure gauge to fit a Toyota??
that is like on par with if they didn't own a ratchet - where did you find these Neanderthals?
Last edited by LScowboyLS; 08-06-13 at 04:22 PM.
08-06-13, 04:25 PM
#65
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Nor am I sure where to take it, I can't come up with a solution.
The Pullaparts here are not only hours away, they rarely get any lexus.
The funds to buy a new ECU from ebay, and that not be the answer, I cant afford.
I'm in the hell known as Southern Mississippi. Where the autoparts houses have zero clue about lexus cars. And the Toyota Dealership also seems pretty unaware of things.
08-06-13, 04:29 PM
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So..
And they are Toyota of Hattiesburg.
http://toyotahattiesburg.com/
08-06-13, 06:04 PM
#67
Lexus Champion
having these ***** work on it will just cost you money and cause the car to be more screwed up than it already is - you have to find a well regarded Toyota or Lexus specialist, not Beavis and Butthead, who don't even have the most basic tools!
don't throw good money after bad, regardless if you are in a bind, that is the worst mistake you can make! - take my word for it! - and do not pay for "trying" - only pay for solutions!
don't throw good money after bad, regardless if you are in a bind, that is the worst mistake you can make! - take my word for it! - and do not pay for "trying" - only pay for solutions!
08-07-13, 01:08 PM
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Well they decided to do more without really asking me.
They Claimed the following:
Compression Good
Spark Good.
So they decided It's Fuel.
So they started trying to figure out what of the fuel system is at fault.
The Fuel Pump got a Strike off the bat due to lack of proper tool (the correct size banjo bolt)
The Fuel Pump got a 2nd strike because "The injectors are not spraying, but are putting out a stream, and other cars if you do not have enough fuel pressure it comes out as a stream vs spraying"
They didn't go any further than there, because that would require my saying to do things.
So I'm going to be picking up the car in about an hour. He said one time I owed 90 dollars for what they have done, later he said I didn't owe anything. So I recorded the conversation. I am going over with the tow dolly to get it, and then I dont know what to do. I have no idea if that whole "stream vs spray" thing is accurate, or if that would cause the issue with the car I'm having.
I found a Lexus dealership that is 120ish miles away, they say they can figure it out, but Diagnosis starts at 120 and goes up from there. Local mechanics here are generally either Crooked, stupid, or both.
They Claimed the following:
Compression Good
Spark Good.
So they decided It's Fuel.
So they started trying to figure out what of the fuel system is at fault.
The Fuel Pump got a Strike off the bat due to lack of proper tool (the correct size banjo bolt)
The Fuel Pump got a 2nd strike because "The injectors are not spraying, but are putting out a stream, and other cars if you do not have enough fuel pressure it comes out as a stream vs spraying"
They didn't go any further than there, because that would require my saying to do things.
So I'm going to be picking up the car in about an hour. He said one time I owed 90 dollars for what they have done, later he said I didn't owe anything. So I recorded the conversation. I am going over with the tow dolly to get it, and then I dont know what to do. I have no idea if that whole "stream vs spray" thing is accurate, or if that would cause the issue with the car I'm having.
I found a Lexus dealership that is 120ish miles away, they say they can figure it out, but Diagnosis starts at 120 and goes up from there. Local mechanics here are generally either Crooked, stupid, or both.
08-07-13, 03:37 PM
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The ECU, didn't show any signs of leaking caps or anything. The new caps are installed properly as best as I know. I may have to dig around and see if there is a way to test the ecu that I can do with my limited tools and skillset. Otherwise I may have to just blindly buy a ecu and hope that is the cure.
I picked up my car, keys were in it, I owed nothing I guess. I see they forgot to put a clamp back on a hose, but I can do that myself.
I picked up my car, keys were in it, I owed nothing I guess. I see they forgot to put a clamp back on a hose, but I can do that myself.
08-07-13, 04:04 PM
#71
Lexus Champion
you did not post high resolution pics so that Yamae and I can concur on your assessment of this
again, we need high resolution pics of this, you don't even know for sure that they used the caps YOU supplied, this could be a good job or a hack job, let's see it! 
and judging from the most recent guys you took the car to, I am worried about the capacitor job at this point!
Yes, Yamae has posted an ECU ripple test on here recently, seems like it was in the ECU caps thread
-an ECU that you buy will need it's caps changed as well, and if you do this, make sure any one you buy is a virgin (never worked on before) that you have seen the inside of
good deal, at least it is out of the hands of the bubba's and not screwed up any further and you wallet not any lighter with no improvement, compliments of these oil change guys
The new caps are installed properly as best as I know.
and judging from the most recent guys you took the car to, I am worried about the capacitor job at this point!
I may have to dig around and see if there is a way to test the ecu that I can do with my limited tools and skillset.
Otherwise I may have to just blindly buy a ecu and hope that is the cure.
I picked up my car, keys were in it, I owed nothing I guess. I see they forgot to put a clamp back on a hose, but I can do that myself.
08-07-13, 04:09 PM
#72
Lexus Champion
PS - you can look in the factory service manual and there are tests for the fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, etc.
these do not require exotic tools
these do not require exotic tools
08-07-13, 05:24 PM
#73
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The ECU is designed not to stop the engine when it is barely running although it detects some serious problem. To avoid the panic of the driver, the engine continues to run under the limp mode. It is certainly dangerous to stop at middle of the road, you know.
On the other hand, when it is not running, the ECU stops the engine as soon as it detects serious abnormality opening the fuel pump relay and stops the fuel supply to avoid the risk. So the engine stops. I initially thought that your problem was caused by this and requested you to try 3 different methods to run the fuel pump bypassing the current. But all of them were not effective.
I still wonder what is stopping the engine. Your symptom may be caused by the second fail safe function of the ECU at the initial stage. Usually this can be confirmed by the error code but you don't get any. The ECU capacitors were already all replaced and it is strange to me that you still have your problem. So your new choice to use another ECU may be a good step to the next.
Below is just an information + my new question.
The ECU has 2 main processors and 1 sub processor. The sub processor is checking the processing results of 2 mains and when the sub detects any conflict and it is not corrected, the sub disables 2 mains and takes over the function. But the sub cannot handle everything fast enough and it works as a limp mode. Was your car behaved like this and have you experienced the limp mode before your current problem was started?
On the other hand, when it is not running, the ECU stops the engine as soon as it detects serious abnormality opening the fuel pump relay and stops the fuel supply to avoid the risk. So the engine stops. I initially thought that your problem was caused by this and requested you to try 3 different methods to run the fuel pump bypassing the current. But all of them were not effective.
I still wonder what is stopping the engine. Your symptom may be caused by the second fail safe function of the ECU at the initial stage. Usually this can be confirmed by the error code but you don't get any. The ECU capacitors were already all replaced and it is strange to me that you still have your problem. So your new choice to use another ECU may be a good step to the next.
Below is just an information + my new question.
The ECU has 2 main processors and 1 sub processor. The sub processor is checking the processing results of 2 mains and when the sub detects any conflict and it is not corrected, the sub disables 2 mains and takes over the function. But the sub cannot handle everything fast enough and it works as a limp mode. Was your car behaved like this and have you experienced the limp mode before your current problem was started?
08-07-13, 05:41 PM
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The ECU is designed not to stop the engine when it is barely running although it detects some serious problem. To avoid the panic of the driver, the engine continues to run under the limp mode. It is certainly dangerous to stop at middle of the road, you know.
On the other hand, when it is not running, the ECU stops the engine as soon as it detects serious abnormality opening the fuel pump relay and stops the fuel supply to avoid the risk. So the engine stops. I initially thought that your problem was caused by this and requested you to try 3 different methods to run the fuel pump bypassing the current. But all of them were not effective.
I still wonder what is stopping the engine. Your symptom may be caused by the second fail safe function of the ECU at the initial stage. Usually this can be confirmed by the error code but you don't get any. The ECU capacitors were already all replaced and it is strange to me that you still have your problem. So your new choice to use another ECU may be a good step to the next.
Below is just an information + my new question.
The ECU has 2 main processors and 1 sub processor. The sub processor is checking the processing results of 2 mains and when the sub detects any conflict and it is not corrected, the sub disables 2 mains and takes over the function. But the sub cannot handle everything fast enough and it works as a limp mode. Was your car behaved like this and have you experienced the limp mode before your current problem was started?
On the other hand, when it is not running, the ECU stops the engine as soon as it detects serious abnormality opening the fuel pump relay and stops the fuel supply to avoid the risk. So the engine stops. I initially thought that your problem was caused by this and requested you to try 3 different methods to run the fuel pump bypassing the current. But all of them were not effective.
I still wonder what is stopping the engine. Your symptom may be caused by the second fail safe function of the ECU at the initial stage. Usually this can be confirmed by the error code but you don't get any. The ECU capacitors were already all replaced and it is strange to me that you still have your problem. So your new choice to use another ECU may be a good step to the next.
Below is just an information + my new question.
The ECU has 2 main processors and 1 sub processor. The sub processor is checking the processing results of 2 mains and when the sub detects any conflict and it is not corrected, the sub disables 2 mains and takes over the function. But the sub cannot handle everything fast enough and it works as a limp mode. Was your car behaved like this and have you experienced the limp mode before your current problem was started?
Prior to the car starting then dying instantly, the issue was with driving the car for a few minutes, the battery would lose its charge and then die. As if the alternator was not charging the battery. I was in the process of getting it into position for replacing the alternator when it died that last time.
I never had it running bad, recently I actually had noticed a slight bump in fuel economy.
08-07-13, 07:05 PM
#75
Lexus Champion
Prior to the car starting then dying instantly, the issue was with driving the car for a few minutes, the battery would lose its charge and then die. As if the alternator was not charging the battery. I was in the process of getting it into position for replacing the alternator when it died that last time.
I never had it running bad, recently I actually had noticed a slight bump in fuel economy.
I never had it running bad, recently I actually had noticed a slight bump in fuel economy.