High beams issue!

The connectors are definately for your vehicle ... it's for M/T calif as well ... I said i thought the ECM was not working correctly .. try swapping with the other you have !! and do the test's again ?

Hi Dave: The other computer didn't show anything on #3 or #20 pin either. I hate to spend $400.00 on a new computer but I guess that's the only option in order to really know for sure if the old computers are bad. Have you had any experience with factory reconditioned computers?

Hey Mike. Most reconditioned unit's I have bought have been good (I have only bought 1 while in the USA but have bought quite a few in England).. but it all depends on where you are purchasing them from I suppose .. As you have only just got this unit .. it must be under some sort of warranty ?? take it back and tell them it doesn't work and have them replace it for another recon unit ... they cannot all be bad in the same way !! let me know

Sounds like a good idea.

hi Dave: I called the place where I got the ECM and he said he would get another one, so I thought OK great. Well he called back an hour later and said that they had tested the computer before I got it and it was working fine. So I thought maybe it's something in the car's circuitry that's causing me to get irraitic or no readings at all. So I go back out to the car and jump my diagnostic plug to see if it would read a code and the cel came on and began to flash a 31 code (map sensor circuit). So I took some readings on the computer and I got a voltage reading on my igniter circuit. But when I turned the igntion off and back on again the cel went out and my readings were gone. So I started to turn the ignition key on and off and the cel would come on sometimes and then go off again irratically. Question, could the ignition switch be faulty, and have you ever had an ignition switch problem that caused problems like I'm having including the headlight problem, which I stll haven't figured out yet( I still have the jumper wire on the relay).

Hey Dave: I found out how to get the cel light to work. Whenever it doesn't come on I can tap on the dash and it comes on everytime.It must not have a good connection. So I guess I'll pull the dash back apart and see why. I can see why you said to leave the dash apart til the problem is fixed.

Hey Mike. Sorry not replied sooner .. busy at work ... anyhow I was going say this morning before i was rudely interupted by a phone call from work ...LOL .. I do not think the ignition switch is the problem as you would probably get no dash light's at all ... seems you already figured that one out !! LOL .. check all connection's and wires/grounds if it is working when you hit the dash, it's something simple but may not be simple to find .. LOL .. Let me know.

Hey Dave: I finally got another ECM and they swear it's a good one also I changed out the igniter. But still no spark to the distributer. This has really got me stumped , I really don't know where to go next. I'm all out of ideas.

Dave: Got a question. If my fuel pump isn't coming on when I crank the engine will that keep the computer from sending a signal to the igniter and coil to fire to the plugs?

Dave: How are you doing? Good I hope. I got my camry started and it is displaying a check engine light. When I ran the on board diagnostics it flashed a 31 code. Is that the MAP sensor and could this sensor shut the engine down? Thanks , Mike

Hey Mike. I'm good .. hope your doin good ... yes the MAP sensor may cause the engine to stall out or not start !! Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) Sensor The MAP sensor monitors intake manifold intake air volume and delivers an input signal to Engine Control Module (ECM). The ECM uses input signal for controlling fuel injection system and ignition timing (spark advance). hope this helps

Dave: that map sensor is really costly and before I purchase one I was wondering if I could install an inline resister on the line going to the computer from the sensor to drop the voltage down to 1 to 1.5 volts to see if the sensor is causing my starting problem. If that can be done what kind of resister do I need? Thanks, Mike

Hey Mike. The voltage really need's to be able to vary slightly that is the job of the sensor ..so keeping it at a constant voltage is not really an option !! My manual states the following voltage's I would check this first before buying new !! CODE 31 - MANIFOLD ABSOLUTE PRESSURE (MAP) SENSOR CIRCUIT CAUTION:If ECM replacement is instructed in following testing, always ensure ECM harness connector and ground circuit are okay. If either are suspect, repair and repeat testing to confirm ECM malfunction. Circuit Description MAP sensor detects manifold pressure as a voltage that is supplied to the ECM to determine basic injection duration and advance angle. Code is set when ECM detects a open or short in MAP circuit. ECM will operate in fail-safe mode if Code 31 is set. Possible causes are: MAP open or short circuit. MAP sensor malfunction. ECM malfunction. Diagnosis & Repair Access ECM behind glove box. Ensure ignition is on. Using DVOM, backprobe ECM harness connector. Measure voltage between terminals VC and E2. see Fig. 6 (A/T & M/T). If voltage is 4.5-5.5 volts, go to next step. If voltage is NOT 4.5-5.5 volts, replace ECM and retest. Measure voltage between ECM terminals PIM and E2. If voltage is 3.3-3.9 volts, go to next step. If voltage is NOT 3.3-3.9 volts, replace ECM and retest. Inspect circuits between MAP and ECM for open or short. Repair as needed. If circuits are okay, replace MAP sensor.

Hey Dave: Here's one for you . When I turn the ignition on in my camry, if the check eng. light is on, it will start every time, but when the light goes out the engine dies. If the light comes on again the engine will start right up and will run as long as the light is on. It doesn't make sense. You'de think it would stall with the light on and run when the light goes off. any ideas?

James: I don't know if I stumped Dave with my last question or not. What about you? Can you explain why when I turn on the ignition and the check eng. light is on the car starts every time and it will run for about 15 or 20 seconds and the light will go out and the engine dies immediately. Then I turn off the ignition wait about 5 seconds and the light comes back on and the engine will start again and go thru the same cycle? Appreciate any help. Thanks Mike

Hey Guys : Whats up? Have I reached my limit on questions? Do I need to drop another dime in the meter? Let me know. Thanks Mike

Hey Mike.

Sorry i have not replied .. i have not been getting notifications that you have posted a question for some reason ? plus I have been busy at work so not online much ... is the vehicle showing any codes ??


Dave H

Hi Dave: It's good to hear from you. I haven't been working on the camry for the last week because I bought me a 98 mustang convertable. I got a good deal on it($1600.00) because it had a casting(freeze) plug missing in the worst possible place(passenger side head).I got that fixed so I need to get back to the camry. This thing is bugging me to death. I'm not getting any CEL at all now . The car turns over but will not start. It was starting whenever the CEL came on and would run till the light went off and then it would shut down instantly as if I turned the key off. Thanks for any help, Mike

Hey Mike. Check for power (hot) from (out of) the ECM when the vehicle shuts off .. it sounds to me like the ECM is bad again ... maybe getting hot and shutting down untill it cools ??? let me know

Dave: When you say check for hot,are you talking about the #1 wire on E-10 connecter? If yes then it's hot at present and it doesn't have the CEL lit up and the car won't start.I can make the CEL come by going from #5 wire on E-10 connecter to ground but the car still won't start. Thanks Mike

Hey Mike. The #1 wire will be hot all times as it is battery feed ... you will need to check something that should be hot whilst vehicle is cranking/running ? (ie. something that is getting a signal from the ECM) Try this ..check for spark at plugs ...if no spark condition exists ... Measure voltage between terminal IGF and ground with ignition ON. See fig 6 (A/T & M/T Calif.). If voltage is 4.5-5.5 volts circuit is good !! Turn ignition on. Measure voltage between terminal IGT of ECM connector and ground, while cranking engine. Voltage should be 0.5-1.0 volt. My thinking here is ... if the MIL is off and the vehicle will not start .... the ECM is not sending a signal to something .... it may be a bad ECM .. it may be you have a bad hot or ground on the ECM and it is losing power/ground periodically ?? It seems to me that when you know the ECM is working (because the MIL is ON) you get a start up .. but when the MIL goes OFF (i'm thinkin the ECM shuts down) you have a stall/no start condition let me know

Hi Dave:I think you're right. I think the computer is the problem. I can't get any readings on the IGT circuit so evidently the ECM isn't sending a signal. I'm going to have to break down and buy a new computer if I want to be sure that that part of the system is working properly. Thanks for the help I'll let you know what happens. Mike

Hey Dave: Thought I'de let you know I got the camry started this morning. It seems the EFI relay isn't working. I know I tested that thing on at least 2 different times and it checked out OK. Anyway I talked to a mechanic and he told me to remove the relay and jump across the 2 open connecters and sure enough it started right up and my CEL is working again. In the final analysis the computer was good. Anyway thanks for all yours and James's help.

Mike

Hey Mike. As you had already tested the relay .. we presumed it was good .. it must have been working intermittently ? ..anyhow the car is running again ... well done and thanks for letting us know the final fix. All the best

Hey Dave: I wanted to relay some info to you and James about the EFI relay that was causing me the problem. It seems that the relay I replaced checks out ok so if someone in the future has a problem like mine you can tell them to check the circuit by jumping the open circuit connections at the fuebox and if the car starts then the relay is no good even tho it checks out ok. Just thought I'd pass that on to you for future reference. Later, Mike

Hey Dave: I have some more info that might help you in diagnosing a problem in the future. When I replaced the main relay, the on board self diagnostics began to work properly and I found out that I had a bad map sensor. I went on e-bay and purchased one for $25.00 and I put it in a little while ago and that camry hasn't run that good in a long time. I think I can get another 300,000 miles out of it (ha ha). That engine purrs like a kitten. Just wanted to let you know, and I hope you're doing OK. Mike