Help!! Sc400 is dieing!!!! +++ +++
10-16-12, 07:59 AM
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Help!! Sc400 is dieing!!!! +++ +++
Hey Guys!
Sorry I did not do a proper intro, I am in a bit of a bind ya see... I have owned my sc for 2 years now, glad I am finally on the forum. Here's my situation..car problems, of course... ill try to be descriptive and please ask questions if you need to!! thanks guys..
specs. 1995 sc400, 118,000miles, regularly changed oil since assuming ownership @ 88,000 miles, not babied but not bashed on, either.
now, the car has always run well, although in the past year I developed slightly worse gas mileage as well as a faulty radiator, which was replaced by me. that went well. I recently replaced my alternator a week ago , as it gave out on me in the worst of ways. (paid someone to do that, what a pain)
now my current issue...got the alternator fixed and everything was good for ABOUT 60 miles, then, the kicker.......... i was driving through has station parking lot and part of it was never level, they just threw asphalt down on hills basically, anyways the car never scraped but it tilted sideways on it's "Y" axis, if that makes sense? so it tilted on its "Y" axis briefly then leveled out, I drove another 30 feet and parked at the fast station. as im leaving (didn't buy gas, just beer) i notice the car doesn't want to accelerate, NO POWER at all. Car will barely hit 40 mph., vibrates at idle, doesn't matter what gear it is in (D,N,R), gas smell everywhere, and i MASSIVE depletion of gas as a drove the next 15 miles. (talking 1/8 tank in those 15 miles)
What happened? Did my fresh alternator cause a failure else where, electrically?
Did my car briefly tilting, clog a filter or A pump?
Did my car briefly tilting dislodge something in the CATALYTIC CONVERTER causing it to fail and stop up my exhaust flow SO badly that its causing these symptoms?
*** OTHER INFO
- My car, ever since ive owned it, has made a rattling almost a detonating type sound coming from the catalytic converter area kinda near the headers, typically only under light acceleration, and i never really thought twice about it. were the cat converters "going bad" since ive owned it? and finally gave out?
- When i put my hand over the intake, its BARELY SUCKING AIR, just doesn't feel like the volume of air the V8 would prefer...
- feels like im driving a van with a 1.2 liter, and i mean a poorly running 1.2.
- symptoms were INSTANTANEOUS, and showed no progression over any noticeable amount of time.
- No Check Engine Light
Thanks guys for trying to help me solve this puzzle, if I had the money to go crazy and fix everything, I would..... but i cant, so I really appreciate your help. thanks!
-Michael
Sorry I did not do a proper intro, I am in a bit of a bind ya see... I have owned my sc for 2 years now, glad I am finally on the forum. Here's my situation..car problems, of course... ill try to be descriptive and please ask questions if you need to!! thanks guys..
specs. 1995 sc400, 118,000miles, regularly changed oil since assuming ownership @ 88,000 miles, not babied but not bashed on, either.
now, the car has always run well, although in the past year I developed slightly worse gas mileage as well as a faulty radiator, which was replaced by me. that went well. I recently replaced my alternator a week ago , as it gave out on me in the worst of ways. (paid someone to do that, what a pain)
now my current issue...got the alternator fixed and everything was good for ABOUT 60 miles, then, the kicker.......... i was driving through has station parking lot and part of it was never level, they just threw asphalt down on hills basically, anyways the car never scraped but it tilted sideways on it's "Y" axis, if that makes sense? so it tilted on its "Y" axis briefly then leveled out, I drove another 30 feet and parked at the fast station. as im leaving (didn't buy gas, just beer) i notice the car doesn't want to accelerate, NO POWER at all. Car will barely hit 40 mph., vibrates at idle, doesn't matter what gear it is in (D,N,R), gas smell everywhere, and i MASSIVE depletion of gas as a drove the next 15 miles. (talking 1/8 tank in those 15 miles)
What happened? Did my fresh alternator cause a failure else where, electrically?
Did my car briefly tilting, clog a filter or A pump?
Did my car briefly tilting dislodge something in the CATALYTIC CONVERTER causing it to fail and stop up my exhaust flow SO badly that its causing these symptoms?
*** OTHER INFO
- My car, ever since ive owned it, has made a rattling almost a detonating type sound coming from the catalytic converter area kinda near the headers, typically only under light acceleration, and i never really thought twice about it. were the cat converters "going bad" since ive owned it? and finally gave out?
- When i put my hand over the intake, its BARELY SUCKING AIR, just doesn't feel like the volume of air the V8 would prefer...
- feels like im driving a van with a 1.2 liter, and i mean a poorly running 1.2.
- symptoms were INSTANTANEOUS, and showed no progression over any noticeable amount of time.
- No Check Engine Light
Thanks guys for trying to help me solve this puzzle, if I had the money to go crazy and fix everything, I would..... but i cant, so I really appreciate your help. thanks!
-Michael
Last edited by soflo99; 10-16-12 at 08:05 AM. Reason: additional info
10-16-12, 08:12 AM
#2
Since it happened "all of the sudden", it's probably not a dirty MAF or IACV deal. This is what I would do:
-Reset the ECU (sorry if I missed it but any CEL?)
-Unplug the MAF and drive it without it plugged into the harness, see if anything changes. If nothing does, your MAF is shot.
-Replace the TPS or try to adjust it.-(Around $30 for used one)
Other "maybes" could be Fuel pump ECU, Fuel pump relay, engine ECU, vacuum lines come loose, melted spark plug wire....???
Something small I would check is the throttle driveline cable. It is under the plastic cover, above the throttle body and TPS. If there is any slack in driveline tighten it.
GL and welcome to CL!
-Reset the ECU (sorry if I missed it but any CEL?)
-Unplug the MAF and drive it without it plugged into the harness, see if anything changes. If nothing does, your MAF is shot.
-Replace the TPS or try to adjust it.-(Around $30 for used one)
Other "maybes" could be Fuel pump ECU, Fuel pump relay, engine ECU, vacuum lines come loose, melted spark plug wire....???
Something small I would check is the throttle driveline cable. It is under the plastic cover, above the throttle body and TPS. If there is any slack in driveline tighten it.
GL and welcome to CL!
10-16-12, 08:31 AM
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sc400 slide- Thanks for the tips... definitely gunna see what i can do myself to check those out.
- no, no check engine light...
- i did notice a spark near the front right of the motor, kind of violent, the night it happened, coil pack failing? (front left if you are in the diver seat) haven't noticed the sparks during the day.
- is there a relatively easy, sure-fire way to diagnose if it is the coil pack.? Maybe my new alternator is kickin some good juice and the pack decided to peace out?? does that even make sense?
- not sure if im talking about the MAF or a different sensor, but i disconnected a sensor by the beginning of the intake, to see if the car ran better without that sensor. no, no difference, just kicked on a CEL, and when i plugged it back in, the CEL went off..
---Any other ideas, opinions or suggestions are welcome please!!!
- no, no check engine light...
- i did notice a spark near the front right of the motor, kind of violent, the night it happened, coil pack failing? (front left if you are in the diver seat) haven't noticed the sparks during the day.
- is there a relatively easy, sure-fire way to diagnose if it is the coil pack.? Maybe my new alternator is kickin some good juice and the pack decided to peace out?? does that even make sense?
- not sure if im talking about the MAF or a different sensor, but i disconnected a sensor by the beginning of the intake, to see if the car ran better without that sensor. no, no difference, just kicked on a CEL, and when i plugged it back in, the CEL went off..
---Any other ideas, opinions or suggestions are welcome please!!!
10-16-12, 09:46 AM
#4
Never heard of the sparking....Yes, your explanation makes sense, could very well be the coils.
So you unplugged the sensor right after the air filter? If so, then that indeed is your MAF. It sounds like that would be the most probable part to fail, since Lexus goes through them. But the more I research on the internet, it sounds like the main ECU. Did you check for vacuum leaks, or maybe a disconnected part? Sometimes people replace thousands of $ in parts and then figure out that the main vacuum hose had a crack or something, so I would go through the engine bay carefully just to make sure your not missing anything. Keep us posted!
So you unplugged the sensor right after the air filter? If so, then that indeed is your MAF. It sounds like that would be the most probable part to fail, since Lexus goes through them. But the more I research on the internet, it sounds like the main ECU. Did you check for vacuum leaks, or maybe a disconnected part? Sometimes people replace thousands of $ in parts and then figure out that the main vacuum hose had a crack or something, so I would go through the engine bay carefully just to make sure your not missing anything. Keep us posted!
10-16-12, 10:21 AM
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ill keep you posted, im about to go take a look at it in a bit (sitting in my work parking lot)
ill do the test again with the MAF, but last time all i noticed is it made me throw a light, didnt effect the idle much, if at all. ill perform that diagnostic again and try to be more detailed in my findings.
ONE MORE DETAIL THAT MIGHT HELP!!!!
- When i was driving to work yesterday, i was trying to keep momentum around slight downward to the right 90 degree turn, i noticed that as soon as my car began to experience any noticeable g force, ALL ELECTRIC cut to the car (everything, off), and then suddenly came on after it rolled a bit after the turn...weird huh?
ill do the test again with the MAF, but last time all i noticed is it made me throw a light, didnt effect the idle much, if at all. ill perform that diagnostic again and try to be more detailed in my findings.
ONE MORE DETAIL THAT MIGHT HELP!!!!
- When i was driving to work yesterday, i was trying to keep momentum around slight downward to the right 90 degree turn, i noticed that as soon as my car began to experience any noticeable g force, ALL ELECTRIC cut to the car (everything, off), and then suddenly came on after it rolled a bit after the turn...weird huh?
10-16-12, 10:28 AM
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check your coil wires on both coil packs and make sure they are plugged in on both ends....i had one come unplugged once on my sc and still ran w/ the arc jumping to the loose wire....freaking toyota coils are a beast
you can unbolt the exhaust ahead of the cat to rule out bad flow....lastly might have knocked a cap out in the ECU
you can unbolt the exhaust ahead of the cat to rule out bad flow....lastly might have knocked a cap out in the ECU
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10-16-12, 10:37 AM
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HOWEVER, the movement of the car could have effect that small B.S. arc i have that is making me go 40mph? and have 20 horsepower, lol.
uhg, cars are like women....
10-16-12, 10:51 AM
#11
^^Could explain the spark your getting...I would check the connections like powerjunky said.
And about the knocked off cap in the ecu, I think that means the ECU is broken. Is there a junkyard nearby with an SC400? and actually, cars are like CARS!
they break, any car you get will be a problematic money chomper, Yep, even Lexus sometimes lol
And about the knocked off cap in the ecu, I think that means the ECU is broken. Is there a junkyard nearby with an SC400? and actually, cars are like CARS!
they break, any car you get will be a problematic money chomper, Yep, even Lexus sometimes lol
10-16-12, 11:06 AM
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^^Could explain the spark your getting...I would check the connections like powerjunky said.
And about the knocked off cap in the ecu, I think that means the ECU is broken. Is there a junkyard nearby with an SC400? and actually, cars are like CARS! they break, any car you get will be a problematic money chomper, Yep, even Lexus sometimes lol
And about the knocked off cap in the ecu, I think that means the ECU is broken. Is there a junkyard nearby with an SC400? and actually, cars are like CARS!
they break, any car you get will be a problematic money chomper, Yep, even Lexus sometimes lol alright, i'm gunna try my connections, kinda hard to ignore a visible spark.... any tips for being safe while messing with the coil packs and wires?
Should i try to rummage them around while the car is running?
can i tap on the coil pack to see if it temporarily works? like a starter that's starting to go?
sorry for all the newb questions, i dont have any drawings or schemtics to see where a "wire" might be loose and where the arc could potentially be. (could always wait till night time again)
10-16-12, 11:57 AM
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ok, well ill try to upload a photo....but here is what happened..
started my car (still cranks right up like a beast. love it every time.)
and let it run a few minutes, i found what i BELIEVE to be the coil pack on the driver side. There is a wire coming off it with a small "B" on it. this wire attaches and looks similar to a spark plug, but it isnt. this wire is also wrapped in electrical tape which appears to be factory...
i touched the electrical tape part to move it around, see if i see anything...well i didnt see anything, but i sure as hell FELT something... i got a bit of a shock, nothing too bad but definitely not normal, or is it? did i find the problem area?
started my car (still cranks right up like a beast. love it every time.)
and let it run a few minutes, i found what i BELIEVE to be the coil pack on the driver side. There is a wire coming off it with a small "B" on it. this wire attaches and looks similar to a spark plug, but it isnt. this wire is also wrapped in electrical tape which appears to be factory...
i touched the electrical tape part to move it around, see if i see anything...well i didnt see anything, but i sure as hell FELT something... i got a bit of a shock, nothing too bad but definitely not normal, or is it? did i find the problem area?
Last edited by soflo99; 10-16-12 at 12:10 PM.
10-16-12, 12:12 PM
#14
Well, anything that can shock you under the hood I would guess is not normal, and I'm pretty sure that if the coil is toast, it is toast, it. CAnnot be fixed. Let's see that picture!
A sorry about the word jumbling, I am on the iPad...
A sorry about the word jumbling, I am on the iPad...
Last edited by SC400slide; 10-16-12 at 12:12 PM. Reason: Edit