4everyoung

Hopefully I didn't make a mistake by saving my 94 LS400 from the bone yard. Rather than buying the used computer I found online for $150, I decided to send in the original computer to be checked out. Got word this morning that there is nothing wrong with the computer. Good news. And the place didn't even charge me anything to check it out. More good news. The bad news? Then why isn't the car running?

This car was used as a daily driver for 2 years by the previous owner with no problems. It just up and quit about a month ago in the middle of rush hour traffic and hasn't run since. The previous owner is a semi-retired mechanic so I figured he knew what he was talking about when he said the computer was bad. Not sure what to do now. Have the car towed home and start saving my money to have the entire wiring harness checked out or call the junkyard. I only have $300 invested in this car so far. Maybe I need to cut my losses.

deanshark

Well that sucks. The guy you bought it from told you that he knew the problem was the ECU, and now ya find out it's not. (The guy should give you your money back) It's a hard choice on what to do now b/c you're not a mechanic. Labor charges can get pretty high trying to diagnose something if you bring it to the dealer, or they can get it in an hour, ($125) Ya just never know. If you could check it all yourself then it wouldn't be bad. Hey, if you do let it go I'm sure you can make your $300 back plus more. What does the car do when you try to start it, anything? Maybe it's something simple and we can help ya out. Does it try to start, just click, or absolutely nothing? Where did you send the ECU to have it checked? Alot of people had problems with ATE, here's some reading for you on one experience; https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...-repaired.html

billydpowe

iTrader: (1)

YES! give us some symptoms.
when you put the key in and turn it to start: do you hear ANYTHING?
A click, OR, the sound of the motor turning over, OR some other sound (try to explain)

4everyoung

I wasn't driving the car when it died so I talked to the previous owner this morning to ask for more details as to what happened and what made him think the ECM was bad. He said the car suddenly shut off in traffiic so he pulled over and it started right back up again but only made it about 50 feet and died again. This second time the car wouldn't start again. He said the engine was turning over but it wouldn't start so he had to have it towed home.

When he checked the car out at home he found 2 fault codes #14 and #15 which are #1 and #2 ignition modules. He replaced both ignition modules but the car still won't start. It spins over but won't start. So he followed the Mitchell on Demand flow chart which indicated the ECM was bad. So that's why he thought the computer was bad. But now I'm told the computer isn't bad by a place that checked it out.

So the car turns over when you try to start it but there's no spark. You can hang onto both coil wires and not feel any spark. So that's what I know from the the previous owner. He mentioned this morning possibly checking out the crank sensor but said the car shows no fault code for a problem with the crank sensor.

Hope this helps. Any ideas?

Yotarip

I have had the crank sensor go bad on 2 of my first gen 1UZ's. Same symptoms as your's ( no start/ no spark) but I did get a code from the ecu indicating the crank sensor. Picked a few crank sensors up at my local J/Y for $2.50 each as spares. I have been able to run the sensors from 1996 1uz's on my 93 and 94 1UZ's just fine. They are as easy to change as changing the oil.

deanshark

It sounds like it would be the crank sensor. Try pulling the code yourself using this; http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/intro/codereading.html No sense getting rid of it if it's something as simple as that. Although, the way it died on him is the same way mine died when it jumped time. Died, started and went a little bit, and died again then it wouldn't start. Pull those codes when ya get a chance and let us know what comes up.