deputy865

iTrader: (5)

4/8/13: Bad ECU? See my latest post for picture.

Check my posts below for most recent info.

1995 SC300
1JZGTE Swapped, Single Turbo


I'll try to explain this the best I can. This JUST started to happen tonight. I actually just picked up my car from a body shop, but a friend did the work and I don't think he did anything. Only thing I was concerned about was all the dust flying around and my hood was up during some of the work.

My car seems like it's not getting enough fuel. It'll (sometimes) start, I typically have to pump the gas to get it to start.. once it starts, it will either stall right after or start to run and seem fine (but eventually stall out). When the car stalls, it stalls like I shut it off, it won't chug or anything. I'll rev it a bit, but the wideband will show normal numbers, fall lean, then work it's way back up to normal. Before I had to park the car, it was running like it was running out of gas... but I have fuel. It will sometimes run lean too.. but again, work itself normal.

AEM Wideband, by the way.

Vacuum is good, pulling -20

My spark plugs are kind of old/junky, so I'm not sure if one of them finally gave way.. Fuel pump going? (Supra pump). Fuel filter? Something else? Fuel pump ECU?

I'm not getting any CEL or anything.... which doesn't help me out at all. I'll bridge the connectors anyway just to see if a code shows.

Ideas?

deputy865

iTrader: (5)

Let the car sit last night, did the 12v mod just a bit ago and no difference... :/

Here is what happened.

Started car
Idled high (cold start)
A/F numbers were fine
Idle dropped
Car shuts down as if I turned the key off. Sort of a "smooth stall"

Still have yet to check the CEL codes... forgot a paperclip when I went to go try a few things.

???

deputy865

iTrader: (5)

Think I MAY have found the culprit.

I wouldn't think this was an issue, except for the fact that when my car was in the body shop for some recent work, the hood was open.. and as some of you all know, when you sand, there is A LOT of dust.

Well I have this very large (and strong I might add) open ended vacuum line. It has (sadly) always been like this, thanks to the previous owner. I'm thinking this sucked up some dust...? Should this just be routed just as it's shown, except for connected, obviously?



The line leads to this guy: What is it?



Could it be gunked up and causing my issues? Maybe the sensor is clogged? I stuck my thumb over the open ended hole and the car wanted to die instantly.. just as it has been.

Found out my CEL is burnt out, couldn't even get codes to flash :/

I also checked over all the vacuum lines I could find and everything seemed to be ok. I even unplugged the MAP sensor line, blew in it to make sure it was free and clear as well as blew into the sensor itself.

Started the car, idled for awhile... died.. started it again and it sat there and idled for 4-5 minutes without a hiccup? I hate inconsistent problems lol

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

yeah man, thats the idle control valve. its the sole thing responsible for holding a proper idle.
You have a map sensor based ecu, so that hose being connected believe it or not won't make huge difference.
Most people remove the line and put a little air filter right on the IACV itself on map sensor ecu's.
BUT, they do tend to get gunked up over time, so it is possible as you said it sucked in a lot of dirt dust sand debree or whatever and is sticking or clogged.

I knew it was a leak or the IACV right away, because believe it or not pumping the gas pedal before starting doesn't actually inject any extra fuel. what you are doing is manually doing the work of the IACV by opening up the throttle some so it can get the air it needs.

Instead of pumping it next time, try and hold the pedal 1/3 way down and it should start right up.

to clean it start by removing the black plastic part, you don't have to remove the metal base part generally unless you can't get the screws loose. be carefull they strip instantly with the wrong screw driver, and then you have to use small pressure pliers from the side to break them loose.
once in there clean the tip till its shiny again, also try and turn it left and right, if it won't turn at all that means its stuck. hit it with some wd40 and work it left and right till its good to go again. then grease the shaft if you have some lithium spray and re install.
you may have to turn the car on and off once or twice so it can reset its position once its clean and working.

deputy865

iTrader: (5)

How do I get just the plastic part out? I can't find any screws anywhere? The bolts for the entire thing was the only option (I didn't remove it).

Also, I got the car to work just fine. 12v mod did the trick I believe. I forgot to hook the fuel pump ECU back up, card did fine.. but when I hooked it back up, it killed the car after letting it idle for a bit, so I'm guessing that was bad.

Still going to fix that open line and try to clean out the IACV.

Does the 12v drain from the battery at all when the car is off? My battery was dead for a random reason and I couldn't figure out why. I could of very easily bumped something, but I'm just trying to eliminate a few things.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

well all the 2jzge ones have screws along with the other models Ive worked on.
maybe you have to remove the whole unit on the 2jzgte, but if you got it working its prob fine.
batteries tend to die on these cars when you let them sit for even short periods of time without use.

deputy865

iTrader: (5)

I'll give it a try.

What I really need to do though is tear my cluster out and try to fix my CEL. Any how-to's on that one?

Could my ECU be going bad/leaking?

Tomorrow I'll tear it off and clean it, maybe get a little breather filter for it instead of hooking the line back up. Really hoping that solves my problem. I'll also get myself some new plugs and clean out my throttle body. Just to be sure everything is clean. Car is due for a tuneup anyway.

Then I guess I'll drive it around for an hour or so after that (if the car will let me) and try to see if I cant coax some more issues out of it lol.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

when you first put the key in and turn it a click or 2 over, you should see all the warning lights on your cluster come on for a sec or 2, Including the CEL.
If all the lights light up for a sec and you see no orange cel light in the corner that comes and goes away or stays lit, someone has removed the bulb from your cluster 9 times out of 10. you just need to open it up and replace the bulb most times, and then you can read your codes.

deputy865

iTrader: (5)

That is what I was thinking, though I could of sworn I've seen it come on before when I would put the key in and do as you say.

Also read that if your ECU is leaking or going bad, sometimes your CEL won't come on at all.

Honestly, I'm hoping that when I get home, my ECU is leaking.. Just so I can pretty much determine that as the core to all of my problems, pay the $60 to have Driftmotion to repair it... and in the mean time, spend the rest on tune up stuff.... Probably NEVER hear someone say they hope their ECU is leaking lol

Only 2 more hours until I get home!

deputy865

iTrader: (5)

So is it my ECU?

Got home, ran right to my ECU.

Unplugged it, found water pooled in one of the plugs in the ECU. You can kind of see the water and that teal color where water was...



Also there was some water along this edge:



This side is clean:



Also had some of this white nonsense around some parts:



Annnnd then the grand finale:



Safe to say I found the problem? I'm not even sure how water even got in the plugs? My ECU sits under the passenger floor mats, under the carpet. Maybe when the car gets washed/when it rains.. which it has had happen recently?

Would getting this rebuilt by Driftmotion for $60 do it for me, or is this worse, do I need an all new ECU?

Thanks for input!

deputy865

iTrader: (5)

Bump. Need some input..

xHypnofish

iTrader: (1)

I wouldnt be surprised if that was causing some problems... It looks like the board is just a tiny bit messed up.
I would call driftmotion and see. Im not sure what they can actually repair.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

looks like you found the problem, that can also be a reason for the CEl to not come up or act funny.
They normally repair the caps, call them up and ask about water damage. or just do the other repair and test it.
no telling what all may have been shorted out with the water in there, I would probably look into a spare ecu at least for the time being water and electronics don't mix well together and its prbably a matter of time before things start to get worse on that board even if its repaired.

another member had this happen, it was the passenger side window seal or door seal letting water in when it rained, can't remember exactly which one but I would remove the ecu, have someone sit in the car with the window up door closed and get a garden hose and start spraying until you find the leak. If you don't fix that it will happen again.