High beams issue!

Mike. You already swapped the ECT .. you now need to swap the IAT ... the MAP be reading bad signals because of the IAT ?? Replace the IAT first ..after checking the ground .. this is the sensor that controls cold starting operation with air/fuel mixture

OK thanks

1995 Toyota

hi guys: I've been doing some checking on the 3 sensors(ECT,MAP,IAT). It seems when I go out to start the car, and if it doesn't start, I check the voltage readings on the 3 sensors ,with the ign. on, I get 0 volts on all 3 sensors. Then when I read 4 to 5 volts on the sensors the car starts up. Then when it dies I check the voltage on the 3 sensors and it's zero again and the car will turn over but not start. It makes me think maybe a faulty computer. I know the mech. said he changed it but what if he put a used or rebuilt one. Can the computer be checked to see if it's good?

Hey Mike. If you are sure the computer may be the fault .. the only way to test this is to let toyota plug it into their diagnostic equipment .. I would first ask the tech who replaced the computer last time where he purchased the ECM and was it new or used or reconditioned !! hope this helps

Can you think of anything else that would cause the 3 sensors to not have any voltage? I'm going to try and find out what kind of ECM he put in and in the meantime see if the toyota dealer can check the computerout. Thanks

Hey Mike. Get the information regarding the repalcement ECM from your mechanic ? also I would be checking connector block E8 on ECM and ECM E8 pins 2,3, and 4 are all wires to the sensors you have fault's with .. also connector block E8 pin 9 on ECM is the ground wire for all these sensors .. check these are secure and pins not bent etc. ?? you could also check whether the pins directly on the ECM are giving voltage with ignition ON ? let me know

I found out the ECM was a used one so he's trying to get me another one. I don't know which wires to check because I don't have a wiring diagram.

Hey Mike. You know what color the wires are, as you told us you are getting no voltage down them sometimes and voltage other times when you tested them ??? the wires at the plugs to the IAT/ECT/MAP are the wiires that go to the pins i mentioned on the ECM ... there is an ECM plug connector diagram on page 22 of these post's and the pins you need to check for voltage are the ones that go to the numbered connector plug with a diagram on page 22 !! If you get voltage all the time at the pins on the ECM then the ECM is good and the wires are bad !! let me know

I checked color coming off the 3 sensors at the ECM and not getting any reading. When I get my replacement Ecm I'll check the readings and let you know. thanks, talk to later

hey Mike. You need to check these PINS on the ECM .. not wire, the actual PINS, Ground your voltmeter to battery, turn ignition ON and check if you are getting voltage at the PINS 2,3 and 4 ,,, #9 PIN at the bottom row is the ground for all three if you want to check the ground wire out again !!

Let me know

I got the replacement ECM today. I installed it and then tried to get some voltage readings but couldn't get any . So I tried starting the car and it wouldn't start. So I figured then it must have been something other than the ECM. So I went back to my old theory that the problem was in the theft deterent system and I installed the alarm module back into the system and flipped the diarm switch located on the drivers kickpanel . The car started up ran a little whjile then shut down. I tried to start it up again and it wouldn't start, so I began to look around and found the alarm activation switch under the hood was broken off and I'm not sure was working properly so I disconnected it and then tried to start car. It started up ran for ten minutes then I shut it down and it started back up again. I'm going to call it a day and see what happens tomorrow. I'll let you know.

Hey Mike. Any update yet ??

Hey Dave : I haven't found the problem yet but I'm in the process of changing out the coil, roter, dist. cap and wires to see if these are the problem. I couldn't get a resistance reading across the plus and minus on the coil although I did get a good reading on the secondary of the coil. I did notice that the plastic insulation on the coil was cracked so I figured I'd change it after all it's got 300,000 miles on it. Something interesting tho was when I went to get the new coil, the guy there at O'riellys said that the earlier ford coils would crack and when they did the car would run a while and then shut down.I'm hoping that's the problem with mine. Anyway I'm gonna put it all in today and I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the interest, talk to you later. I did have a question for you ,Do you know why there is a plastic box or chamber attached to the inlet air line between the air filter and the intake plenum. Thanks again, Mike

Morning Dave: Well I tried replacing the items I mentioned and it still won't start. I'm thinking that maybe it could be one of two things left the Igniter or the main relay fuse box. What do you think about those choices. I've been reading a lot of comments from people on the internet that have been having problems with igniters working intermitantly and it looks like from the wiring diagram that the voltage flows from the igniter to the ECM then to the distributer. And right now I'm not getting any voltage to the distributer from the ECM when I turn on the ignition.Also the new coil I purchased had 0 olms for the primary resistance reading across the positive and negative poles. Would that keep it from starting? The manual calls for .4 to .5 olms.

Mike, what scale are you using when you're testing + and - on the coil. 0 ohms would be a dead short and that can't be. If you've got "0" volts to the = side of the coil, it could be the igniter.

Hi James: I'm using the 20K scale.The same one I used to check the secondary circuit which checked out OK according to the manual.

When you touch your ohmmeter leads together on the 20 ohm scale what reading do you get?

0.00

What does your "old" coil read? And, if you don't have 12 volts to the "+" side of the coil, there is something else wrong upstream.

My old coil read the same except it was a little lower on the secondary check. The reason I changed it was it had a crack in the sealant on one end and I figured I'd eliminate that if it was the problem. Get this ,a few minutes ago I went out and just for the heck of it tried to start the car. Guess what! It started up and ran for about 15 sec. then it tried to stall so I pumped the gas a few times real fast and it came back on and ran for about 30 sec. and did it again but this time I wasn't able to keep it runing so it stalled then I started it up again and it ran for about 2 min. until engine got up to temp. then it stalled again.I tried to start it but it wouldn't start.

Any Ideas as to what would cause this car to act so erratically? Could the igniter cause this? How can I check the igniter?

Now we're back to WHY? Do you have, or have access to, a timing light? I have an idea.

yes i have a timing light. Do you know if my car has a condenser in the ign. circuit? The reason I ask is there is a condenser mounted next to the igniter and I don't know what it's for.

Hey guys: After yesterdays starting and stalling experience, I 'm thinking about taking off the throttle body to have a looksee because it bugs me that when I pumped the accelerater, as the car was stalling, it would stay running. The thing is there is no accelerater pump so why would pumping the accelerater cause it to stay running? What do you think?

When your "pumping the accellerator, your running the throttle position sensor up and down on it's scale. You're also increasing and decreasing the air flow through the MAF. Either one of these units could be the cause.

Would either one cause the car to stall abruptly. I'm going to check them both out and see if they come up to spec. by the way why did you want to know if I had a timing light?

I was going to have you connect a timing light to any plug wire and place it, "with the trigger locked", where you can see it from the driver's seat. Start the car, if it will, and see if the spark quits THEN THE ENGINE DIES, or if you have spark all the way until the engine stops turning.

Hey guy's. Sorry not been here for a while ... moving house (never again) .. lol ... did we ever change the IAT ????

Yes I did. Now I'm going to check out the maf and tps sensors and see if they're allright.Could either of the O2 sensors cause a starting-stalling problem like I have?

I don't believe we have. What about that, Mike???

Hey Mike. For the MAF sensor get a MAF sensor cleaner from an autoparts store and GENTLY clean it .... the TPS seems to be working correctly as James has already stated ... the TPS will not give you these symptoms as you do not need to touch the throttle on start up ... the MAF and TPS will only really give you driveability issues not start up issues ...

Both sensors checked out OK. You guys ever find out if there's a condenser on the ignition circuit? The one I found next to the igniter has a 12 volt hot wire going to the distributer and a ground.

IGNITION SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTOR TYPE IGNITION SYSTEM
NOTE:The distributor type ignition system may be referred to as Electronic Spark Advance (ESA) system.

The ignition system uses the Engine Control Module (ECM) for determining ignition timing (spark advance). The ECM determines ignition timing (spark advance) based on various input signals. Following input signals may be used: engine coolant temperature, throttle position, oxygen sensor, engine RPM, vehicle speed sensor, A/C switch, brakelight signal, airflow meter, knock sensor, electrical load, MAP sensor and cranking (starter) signal. Input signals may vary on model application. Integrated (ignition coil on distributor) and remote ignition coil designs are used depending on model.
Crankshaft position and engine RPM input signals are delivered to the ECM by pick-up coil(s) in the distributor.
NOTE:Pick-up coils in distributor may be referred to as camshaft position sensor on some models.

ECM uses pick-up coil input signals to switch primary ignition circuit on and off. Primary circuit is turned off when ECM delivers a signal to ignitor on the IGT wire, causing ignition coil to fire the spark plug. After delivering a command to turn off primary circuit on the IGT wire, the ECM monitors IGF circuit to ignitor to ensure primary switching occurred. See appropriate wiring diagram in the WIRING DIAGRAMS - 2.2L article for wire color and application.

Hi Dave & James : I've been busy building my grandsons a playhouse and haven't been doing much on the Camry but it's time to get back to trying to find out why it won't start. I bought a new coil and put it in and then I checked it for resistance across the + and - poles ( the primary circuit) and it showed no resistance. The secondary circuit showed 13.2 olms resistance. What resistance reading should it have? Will it work with zero resistance across the primary circuit?

Mike, this should help.

Thanks James : the resistance was 8.0. so the coils good.

Do you mean- .80 or 8.0?

yes it's .80 sorry about that.

Hey guys: I have a question. The book says the check engine light is supposed to come on when the ignition is turned on. Mine doesn't come on. Any ideas why? Thanks Mike