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1997 sc400 no start. Please help.

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Old Apr 15, 2014 | 05:10 PM
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Default 1997 sc400 no start. Please help.

OK guys so this weekend it was nice and sunny out so I decided to work on my car my k and n air filter was dirty so I cleaned it with the cleaning kit. I let the k&n re spray oil filter spray dry on the air filter for an hour and half in the sun. Put it back in my car and took it for a test drive got onto the high way and made it to the next exit than my car turned off as I came to the exit. The electronics stayed on when the engine died. I had to push the car home I remove the air filterit seems to sucks some of the oil off of the air filter and now my carwill not start. Do you guys think a Air sensor *********** up and my car won't start because of that?
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Old Apr 15, 2014 | 05:43 PM
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try cleaning the MAF sensor.
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Old Apr 16, 2014 | 04:02 AM
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I know it's kinda stupid question but what would I use to clean that out with
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Old Apr 16, 2014 | 04:58 AM
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You can go to your local parts store and they sell MAF cleaner.
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Old Apr 16, 2014 | 10:30 AM
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less oil next time, typically I won't even re-oil those things. try maf cleaner should help out.
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Old Apr 17, 2014 | 02:33 PM
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Alright guy I got the cleaner and clean it out still no start... looking in the mas sensor I don't know if it is supposed to be like this but it looks like the two senses one is white and many other is black. I don't know if the black one has burnt out and thats why its black but I'm not sure. Any other options?
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Old Apr 17, 2014 | 03:56 PM
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Originally Posted by SourLex
try cleaning the MAF sensor.
Never do this, LEXUS sc400 use a AFM slightly different from the MAF sensors. they both do the same thing but you CAN NOT use MAF cleaner spray on the AFM. other wise your buying a new one. if you get lucky, you'll get by a few weeks then buy a new one later..

the AFM sensor has 2 sensors, IAT & AFM.

check to see if there are any error codes and start from the basic and look at sparks, gas, compression.

Last edited by fourstars; Apr 17, 2014 at 04:03 PM.
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Old Apr 18, 2014 | 07:11 AM
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He has a 97 which has a hotwire maf so that does not apply to him. only the 92-95 have the funky type of maf you are not supposed to clean. I would never used an oiled filter on a 92-95 maf always a dry one.
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Old Apr 18, 2014 | 10:55 AM
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OK so my boy came over last night how has a code reader that I have used on my car before and I know it worked. I plugged it in and it would not read anything there for I'm thinking my ecu went and I have been having a lot of the symptoms of the bad you Ecu... you thing that's the cause?
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Old Apr 18, 2014 | 12:37 PM
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could be also check the main EFI fuses maybe its just not getting power for some reason.
also check teh area by the ecu for dampness, remove the plastic cover on it and feel around. if its damp you likely had a bad ecu and possibly some water coming from the window/door seal when it rains. If not it can also just happen from age but usually it just runs bad it doesn't die all of a sudden.
Only way to know for sure it to swap it out with a known good one or open it up and see but not communicating with the scanner is making the ecu alot more suspect, its prob bad or not getting power anymore.
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Old Apr 18, 2014 | 03:49 PM
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Where is the ecu located. And I seen a video on YouTube of a guy whose 92 was booking down while drivinghe said that he would give a result on what it was he thought it was the ECU but never commented on it. Last month my car was doing the same thing Bobbling down when I was doing like 60 but then it stopped doing it and ran fine until it just died
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Old Apr 18, 2014 | 04:15 PM
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OK I Google the location got it out now I took the screws out the top and it doesn't seem to want to pop of the cover. And I don't wanna pull to hard and duck it up in case it good what should I do
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