car stall/erratic idle Options

[SleekCelica]

So when I first bought this car, it had a really bad erratic idle, that would drop down to 0 and bounce right back up in a matter of a second, and keep doing this. It would flicker, and then stall. It's not fuel related. It'll actually stall when I'm driving and then not start back up. I replaced the ignition coil and all was fine. Now, three months later, it's doing this again >:( What do you guys think? It's throwing a 12, 13, and 41 codes. Could these all be related to the 41 (TPS?)

[presure2]

distributor.

[SleekCelica]

Do you think so? I figured 12 and 13 were leaning towards that, and 41 is obvious, so dizzy and tps?

[Keiri]

Ok, so normally when I start my car it revs to ~ 1500 rpm and then drops to normal idle of about 750 on the first turn. Starting last week though it's been starting weakly at about 750. I had the fuel filter, cap, and rotor replaced yesterday but when I tried starting the car this morning it turned but didn't catch...just died. Upon turning the key and pressing the gas it fired right up like normal.

So my question is...do I need to replace the distributor?

[SleekCelica]

pull a spark plug, attached to a wire, ground it on the valve cover, disconnect the igniter, have a friend crank the engine, and check for spark. Blue= good spark, yellow= not so good, none= broken.

[stephen_lee]

u wont get a spark with the ignitor unplugged

[SleekCelica]

oops, didn't mean to put that, was thinking about something else. Leave igniter connected. just bump it though, don't start it

[stephen_lee]

clean your throttle body throughly with TB or CARB cleaner, and try again

Ok, so normally when I start my car it revs to ~ 1500 rpm and then drops to normal idle of about 750 on the first turn. Starting last week though it's been starting weakly at about 750. I had the fuel filter, cap, and rotor replaced yesterday but when I tried starting the car this morning it turned but didn't catch...just died. Upon turning the key and pressing the gas it fired right up like normal.

So my question is...do I need to replace the distributor?

pull your EFI fuse for ~ 10 min, if that doesn't correct your problem, replace the dizzy && adjust your TPS.

So when I first bought this car, it had a really bad erratic idle, that would drop down to 0 and bounce right back up in a matter of a second, and keep doing this. It would flicker, and then stall. It's not fuel related. It'll actually stall when I'm driving and then not start back up. I replaced the ignition coil and all was fine. Now, three months later, it's doing this again >:( What do you guys think? It's throwing a 12, 13, and 41 codes. Could these all be related to the 41 (TPS?)

[Keiri]

clean your throttle body throughly with TB or CARB cleaner, and try again

Ok, so normally when I start my car it revs to ~ 1500 rpm and then drops to normal idle of about 750 on the first turn. Starting last week though it's been starting weakly at about 750. I had the fuel filter, cap, and rotor replaced yesterday but when I tried starting the car this morning it turned but didn't catch...just died. Upon turning the key and pressing the gas it fired right up like normal.

So my question is...do I need to replace the distributor?

pull your EFI fuse for ~ 10 min, if that doesn't correct your problem, replace the dizzy && adjust your TPS.

So when I first bought this car, it had a really bad erratic idle, that would drop down to 0 and bounce right back up in a matter of a second, and keep doing this. It would flicker, and then stall. It's not fuel related. It'll actually stall when I'm driving and then not start back up. I replaced the ignition coil and all was fine. Now, three months later, it's doing this again >:( What do you guys think? It's throwing a 12, 13, and 41 codes. Could these all be related to the 41 (TPS?)

Stephen,

I'm guessing the line above my post is directed to me; the throttle body was cleaned last year...should I still do it again?

[stephen_lee]

keiri, yes the line above it directed at you.

clean the TB, make sure your vac lines are still ok. are you having any drivability problems?

[Keiri]

keiri, yes the line above it directed at you.

clean the TB, make sure your vac lines are still ok. are you having any drivability problems?

No drivability problems; once she starts she's fine. The first 5 minutes or so of driving the car is at a higher RPM until it warms up and then it drives like it's been driven all day.

The only problem I found on the vac lines was the little connector at the rear of the stock intake has a couple really small hairline cracks at the top of the tube radiating out from the middle.

[SleekCelica]

Reviving an old thread- my car's still doing this. I replaced the ignition coil now. It's no longer throwing the 41 code, but in place of that it's throwing a 14. It's all ignition system now. I have 5 different igniters and they all do the same thing, so I'm thinking it's not that.

[presure2]

its the distributor, like i said in the first reply after your first post.

[SleekCelica]

Now, to be sure, and I'm not doubting you in the least; just giving you more details. This is an intermittent problem, sometimes it'll drive for a week and be fine, and then the next day it won't start, or it will start and the rpm's will be incredibly unstable. I probably should have told you this in the first place. Is it still the distributor?

[Johnnyny]

Now, to be sure, and I'm not doubting you in the least; just giving you more details. This is an intermittent problem, sometimes it'll drive for a week and be fine, and then the next day it won't start, or it will start and the rpm's will be incredibly unstable. I probably should have told you this in the first place. Is it still the distributor?

yeah same happened to me it was overheating till i replaced it and all was good again

[SleekCelica]

I really hope this is the problem.... will one off a camry 5s work?

[Johnnyny]

I really hope this is the problem.... will one off a camry 5s work?

should i got mines off a rolla

[SleekCelica]

Cool, I'll let you guys know how this works out on monday

[SleekCelica]

Bought a distributor from checkers auto in oklahoma... It said MR2 distributor, non turbo, so I got it shipped to me. Not only was it not for an mr2, it was from a 6 cyl Mazda "mr3" I'm pretty sure mazda doesn't make a 6 cylinder "mr3"

[Johnnyny]

Bought a distributor from checkers auto in oklahoma... It said MR2 distributor, non turbo, so I got it shipped to me. Not only was it not for an mr2, it was from a 6 cyl Mazda "mr3" I'm pretty sure mazda doesn't make a 6 cylinder "mr3"

?

ouch hope u getting ur money back

[stephen_lee]

totally found you on the toyota fan page on facebook... hahah

Bought a distributor from checkers auto in oklahoma... It said MR2 distributor, non turbo, so I got it shipped to me. Not only was it not for an mr2, it was from a 6 cyl Mazda "mr3" I'm pretty sure mazda doesn't make a 6 cylinder "mr3"

[SleekCelica]

That's awesome. I love this car that much that my profile pic is her! My friend just wrecked her celica, and I get to farm it for parts, so I get the dizzy tomorrow!

[SleekCelica]

I can't find a new one, so I suppose i'm screwed lol

[rave2n]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/92-93-94-95...sQ5fAccessories

[SleekCelica]

I'm going to end up buying one from autozone. I get a discount there, plus it's cheaper b/c of the core.

[SleekCelica]

So... the distributor didn't fix it. Still does this. Any ideas?

[rave2n]

When mine was like this, it ended up being the distributor...but I spent months fixing other things before I found the real issue. It would get better as I go, but not completely fixed. Possibly you have the same issue.

Check your TPS gapping, and make sure it is placed correctly on your throttle body. I had that issue and had to replace my position on it, even though your engine is not the same, i'm can assume they function in the same matter...

I changed fuel filter, plugs, wires, and distributor. I checked fuel pressure on the top of the filter first to confirm it wasn't fuel, it appears you have spark, but your timing may be off. I would confirm the basics first...fuel, air, spark. It could also be as simple as a sensor being bugged out from past research, or a simple skipped tooth or broke tooth on a cam gear. Or, you just didn't put your distributor in the correct position...which I can't explain how to do, but I'm sure effects timing and such, which requires a timing stobe to correct...? Sorry, just throwing you some ideas! Hope they help.

This post has been edited by rave2n: Jul 22, 2010 - 8:58 PM

[SleekCelica]

At this point, I've pretty much narrowed it down to something between the distributor and the ECM. It's throwing codes 12 and 13, so I'm getting intermittent spark, and when I'm not, it shuts off fuel. I've replaced the distributor, so it's gotta be a problem with either the wiring, or the ECM. I'll replace the ECM, and if that's not it, I'll replace the harness. If that doesn't fix it, I'll save up for a dang 3sgte, lol.

[Remy]

So when I first bought this car, it had a really bad erratic idle, that would drop down to 0 and bounce right back up in a matter of a second, and keep doing this. It would flicker, and then stall. It's not fuel related. It'll actually stall when I'm driving and then not start back up. I replaced the ignition coil and all was fine. Now, three months later, it's doing this again >:( What do you guys think? It's throwing a 12, 13, and 41 codes. Could these all be related to the 41 (TPS?)

Does the problem happen at idle or after you've driven it for awhile ??

12 and 13 Code- Distributor or ECU could even be the wires that are bad

41 Code- Faulty TPS Sensor not functioning properly, when you get the idle problem again unplug the connector from the tps sensor and see if that helps, the car will run without it connected too btw but it would throw the check engine light though but if it runs better you know thats your problem.

Dont just start replacing parts thats the worst way to diagnose your car.

[SleekCelica]

I'm not going to just start replacing parts. I've just already replaced the distributor, and it's still throwing me 12 and 13. It's not throwing me 41 anymore, which is wierd, and it's not throwing me 14 anymore. I"m going to replace the ECM next, because that's all I can think to do.

[SleekCelica]

And now it's not throwing code 12. So I just have a single code 13. Seeing as the distributor has now been replaced, it seems like it's either my ECM, or the wiring in between the two. I'm thinking I might just see if it's the wiring by running my own wire from the dizzy to ecu(only in the circuit that it says is faulty.)

[presure2]

And now it's not throwing code 12. So I just have a single code 13. Seeing as the distributor has now been replaced, it seems like it's either my ECM, or the wiring in between the two. I'm thinking I might just see if it's the wiring by running my own wire from the dizzy to ecu(only in the circuit that it says is faulty.)

the distributor wires are run in a sheilded cover.
you can test continuity with a multimeter between the distributor connector, and ecu plugs to check the wiring.

[SleekCelica]

Alright, I'll try that. Thanks!

[SleekCelica]

continuity test checks out great for every wire, including those from the igniter to ecu. So that leads me to believe the ECM is faulty.

[stephen_lee]

if your GT is auto i have an ECU hanging around ill sell you

[SleekCelica]

standard, but I already ordered one. I popped open the ECM top, and found a leaking capacitor, spreading it's electrolyte to everything within a 1 inch radius, so I think I found my problem. New one has been ordered, and will be here this week.

[rave2n]

standard, but I already ordered one. I popped open the ECM top, and found a leaking capacitor, spreading it's electrolyte to everything within a 1 inch radius, so I think I found my problem. New one has been ordered, and will be here this week.

Interesting find! - I would love to know what caused that =P

[stephen_lee]

my 92 lexus had the same problem.. electrolytic caps just go bad after a while..

[SleekCelica]

Yeah, I'm glad that I have finally found the problem though. I'm sick of being stuck in the middle of the road, having to call a tow truck and someone to pick me up. It's really embarassing and aggravating.

[SleekCelica]

I don't want to jump the gun on this, but I got the new ECM in, did a few test runs, and it seems much happier now. No RPM flickers yet.

[Icewata]

I don't want to jump the gun on this, but I got the new ECM in, did a few test runs, and it seems much happier now. No RPM flickers yet.

I have the same problem you had/have. Did the ECM fix your problem? Do you simply unplug the old one and plug the new one in?

[95celgt]

i have a very similar problem right now, its been years since i checked codes on a obd1 how do you do it again? jump e1 to t1?

[presure2]

i have a very similar problem right now, its been years since i checked codes on a obd1 how do you do it again? jump e1 to t1?

TE1 + E1

[95celgt]

nice thanks manny, i put a 92 5sfe in my 95 and it was running great then suddenly became erratic and died, i coasted into parking, and now the car just doesnt start or tries but it stumbles and dies.

[xrav22]

nice thanks manny, i put a 92 5sfe in my 95 and it was running great then suddenly became erratic and died, i coasted into parking, and now the car just doesnt start or tries but it stumbles and dies.

I wanted to share since I had this problem for months before I figgerd it out. It may not be your problem but check it out.
My 97 vert kept stalling once in a while then not starting, then running fine and then running bad. It was my COOLANT TEMPRATURE SENSOR($12 AT AUTOZONE). It was cracked inside even though it looked ok outside. If it cracke through your car will finally die. It gets corroded from anti freeze and it is the second one to the right(there are 2 the left 1 is temp sensor) if u look from the front at it where the heater hoses connect. I couldn't believe how long I tried to find the missfire then discovered that.

This post has been edited by xrav22: Jan 22, 2011 - 9:23 PM

[Icewata]

I don't want to jump the gun on this, but I got the new ECM in, did a few test runs, and it seems much happier now. No RPM flickers yet.

Thanks for the help! The new ECM stopped the flickering on my celica also