I need some help. I decided to change my starter the other day because my factory one went out.. Prior to that, ive always had to "click" the starter several times before it started.

Car ran healthy before I decided to do the starter job. I disconnected the neg bat terminal, went under the car. Took the positive wire off, then the signal wire. Removed the two bolts. Took the starter out and put a new one in. Reconnected everything. Connected the battery. Put my key in.. Waited 5 seconds, and it turns over and over and over. But no start..

So then after another attempt the next day, it was turning over then I heard a loud BOOM under the hood. Seen smoke. Smelled fuel and burnt oil.. My air filter got a hole in it from the fire, that I assumed was the cause. And the metal thing under the intake duct blew apart under the pressure I guess.

The vehicle tries to start. But nothing.. I changed a new maf sensor but that fixed nothing..

can someone please help me? Or has had this kind of issue before? I only changed the starter and nothing else. Tried the immobilizer resync thing.. Tried manually doing the locks.. Sticking key in ignition for 5 minutes.. Nothing..

 

damn bro, this is one of the most exclusive situations I ever heard. Did you possibly switch any wires? Maybe switch the positive and negatives? stupid question but anything can happen. Where did you get that starter from? Did the fire come from the starter? if so something in the starter sparked the flame and messed your car up. Maybe you clogged the air flow somehow when putting everything back? You just have to think what you may have put back differently....

 

Thanks. I've checked to be sure everything isn't backwards. Considering there's only 1 signal wire (square clip) and 1 positive wire.

I'm wondering if its the ecu.. I highly doubt its the ecu but anything can happen.

Anyone else ever had this issue before?

 

Does my Key Fob, having a dead battery, have anything to do with the car not being able to "re-sync" itself? Thus causing it to not start?

Maybe that was a stupid question. Since the battery on my key fob is dead...

Anyone else that can help?

I'm also starting to think it may be the ECU. I haven't taken it out to look and see if the Capacitors are leaking or not.. if they are, im not going to spend $2,900 for an ecu. =/

Thanks CL!

 

Checked the ECU. the ECU (re-manufactured one) looked fine. I'm hoping to see if i can borrow a friends ecu to see if that is my problem...

Car still smokes out the intake tube and High volumes of Fuel Fumes. i checked the fuel rail, popped the little cap off the regulator? and the screw is up, not down.. meaning I got fuel pressure right?

I've replaced the MAF as well. Changed the battery in my remote, and still nothing... theres times where I can feel the car wanting to start and soon as i let go of the key, the car has sporadic idle and cuts off, and that last about 2 seconds.

Checked every fuse and replaced all the relays and fuses with new ones and still doesn't want to start.. only cranks over..

is there an ignition sensor or something? or is this still an immobilizer issue? my alarm light stays off when the key is on. and flashes when the key is out.

checked Every POSSIBLE ground I can find on the car using a diagram to locate the location of the grounds. The battery cables are tight and snug.

im afraid to use starting fluid because of it already dumping excess fuel.

My A/F ratio Guage when it is cranking reads between 14.8 - 17.5 +.. maybe thats normal during cranking. but then that tells me it's not rich.. but more lean after it reads past 17+ ...

But still the smoke coming out is whitish blue.

Again, the Car was RUNNING EXCELLENT before I changed the starter. But to recap before I done the change, I have been just clicking the starter for roughly 10 minutes before the car even ever starts. thats including beating it with a little hammer.

One thing that comes to mind is if the Fuel Pump is shot.. which I dont think so, because when I take the EFI relay out.. theres NO Smoke and no smell of fuel, so that rules out the fuel pump. My gas is now a little above the empty line... to put it in more perspective, know how you driver and the gas light pops on just before you get low fuel? Yeah, thats how much gas I got.. i'm pretty sure thats enough to start the car and keep it running? Or am I wrong...

I am tempted to just put like 5 gallons worth of fuel with treatment to see if that rules out possible condensation/water in the tank, in hopes of it starting...

Now the other thing may be, is that my injectors may not be working properly...

And last thing to mind is the coil packs... or Crankshaft position sensor?

man... i hate not having a car A GS3 at that. Please someone help!

 

Can someone please chime in on this issue? I don't want to take it to Lexus