1st & 2nd Generation (1983–1986 & 1987-1991)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1983-1986 & 1987-1991.
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
87 Camry question about Engine cutting off only when hot.
Hello to all,
Thanks to all for help with previous posts you guys are all the best and quite helpful.
Okay so my 87 Camry 2.0 5 speed has a serious problem of (ONLY WHEN THE CAR IT EXTREMELY HOT) when I turn the motor off and let it sit hot for about 4 minutes then it cranks/starts fine then immediately after that it dies. You can here that something is choking the engine even if the engine does start to idle it starts missing real bad and dies. Now to get the car running again all I need to do is give it a lot of throttle/gas when I start it up or turn the key off and let it cool down for a minute and then its good to go. So here is a list of what I have already done to fix the problem...... Inspected visually & physically all vac lines, cleaned EGR, EGR modulator, throttle body, and done complete tune up. I forgot to check the most simplest thing as this same problem happened on my 1990 Honda accord. Only when the car was extremely hot the main fuel relay would have the circuits separate and it would cause the car to crank and try to start but not continue to run. The EXACT SAME THING IS HAPPENDING WITH MY TOYOTA. So hence I think it may be the fuel main relay can someone please advise me as to where and if my 87 Camry has a fuel main relay and how to change it as well. Also there must be someone else on this forum that has experienced a similar problem with their 87-91 Camry please advise me here as I need some help with this one. The car is just not continuing to run after you try to start it when its extremely hot to me this means its being starved of fuel hence why I think the fuel main relay however that was the case with my HONDA and my Camry is different. So please advise me here if you think it might be something else or if the car has another relay for the fuel somewhere and if it is prone to going bad with heat and age please advise me thanks.
Dave
The fuel pump relay is a common problem on Hondas. Not so much on Toyotas. With older Toyotas the thing that most often causes problems when hot is the coil inside the distributor. The coils can cause problems when they accumulate lot's of miles on them. You need to check the resistance of that coil and make sure it is within spec. To do that you will need the specs from any manual and a digital volt/ohmeter. While you are at it, also inspect that coil for hariline cracks. Replace it if it out of spec or if you notice any cracks.
Hello Mike,
That is just the thing I forgot to mention sorry the distributor has been replaced within 1 year from advance auto a new (whole unit) distributor. So I did not check that because its new I guess I could but I don't know how to perform the test you are speaking of. I do have a volt meter I will have to learn how to do the test perhaps there is a video about it do you know? Well if the distributor is new which it is whats the next suspect that you would check? Let me ask you this what would happen if the fuel filter, fuel pressure regulator, or the fuel pump were not working properly? Would any of these items cause the issues I am having ONLY when the car is extremely hot? Please advise thanks again for all your help now and in the past.
Dave
I would still check that coil before moving on to anything else. By new, you are probably talking about rebuilt. The quality of rebuilt electrical components today, purchased at most auto parts stores, is always suspect in my mind. Any manual will show you how to test the coil. Incidently, the volt/ohmeter must be digital, not an older analog unit. The next thing I would check would be the fuel pump. They too can go out when they get hot. You would have to check fuel pump pressure. It is also best to check this when the car is acting up. To do this you will have to make your own set of connectors to the fuel rail, since there is no schrader valve on Toyota fuel rails. It may be best to let a pro do this.
I would still check that coil before moving on to anything else. By new, you are probably talking about rebuilt. The quality of rebuilt electrical components today, purchased at most auto parts stores, is always suspect in my mind. Any manual will show you how to test the coil. Incidently, the volt/ohmeter must be digital, not an older analog unit. The next thing I would check would be the fuel pump. They too can go out when they get hot. You would have to check fuel pump pressure. It is also best to check this when the car is acting up. To do this you will have to make your own set of connectors to the fuel rail, since there is no schrader valve on Toyota fuel rails. It may be best to let a pro do this.
Mike
Okay now I am getting very PERPLEXED HERE.... I tried a lot of stuff still the same problem I am running out of places/things to check on this car. I completed the job of cleaning & replacing the IAC that is NOT THE PROBLEM. The car is still doing the same thing. Now before I do anything else I will be asking many ? 's on here as I have done a lot of work for NOTHING..... Okay so here is my next suspect and question for you guys/girls. Would a dirty/clogged Fuel Filter cause/make the idle drop (only when car is hot) after starting the car when its hot? If a dirty fuel filter would not cause/make the problem with idle dropping then there is not point in checking/replacing it so please advise me on this question thanks. Next ? to all what do I check next I am running out of ideas on here guys PLEASE HELP.
Dave
Have you checked the coil yet? I would still recommend that. If that checks out OK I would next check the engine coolant temperature sensor. It may be out of range and not telling the computer the car is hot. This could produce an excessivley rich mixture for a hot engine. You check it the same way as the coil, using a DVM and the specs from any manual. As you are standing in front of the engine, the ECT sensor is located on a water port to the right of the cylinder head. It is under a green plastic connector. You will have to carefully remove that green connector to check it.
does it have an idle air control (IAC valve). If it does it may be stuck closed or almost closed. To fix it is usually a job of a really good cleaning with throttle body cleaner.
Also if you have never done it, clean the throttle body inside by the butterfly.
Hello Mike,
No coil check yet because I just got a digital ohm meter yesterday. Now I have to go to my friend James and he says he will show me how to use it as he is good with electrical devices like that. So that is last on my list due to the scheduling factor and the coil is new so if I have had it for 8 months already why would it go bad now? I am still going to check it though just in case good idea.
The other idea you have excellent I did not think of that. I think I know what you are talking about man that thing is a damn pain. I tried to remove one @ the junk yard and the green plastic thing broke when I tried to remove the vaccum line/hose from it. So careful indeed I better go practice @ the junk yard 1st that way I can break their stuff
DAve
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Gerber
Dave,
Have you checked the coil yet? I would still recommend that. If that checks out OK I would next check the engine coolant temperature sensor. It may be out of range and not telling the computer the car is hot. This could produce an excessivley rich mixture for a hot engine. You check it the same way as the coil, using a DVM and the specs from any manual. As you are standing in front of the engine, the ECT sensor is located on a water port to the right of the cylinder head. It is under a green plastic connector. You will have to carefully remove that green connector to check it.
Hello thanks for responding back,
Yes I already did that cleaned and replaced the iac with one from the junk yard with less miles and that looked cleaner. I still cleaned them both with deep creek (sea foam) and used a toothbrush to scrub. So its pretty clean now. So that is not the problem what other ideas do you have that it might be? Thanks for your help
Dave
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlmightyCamry777
does it have an idle air control (IAC valve). If it does it may be stuck closed or almost closed. To fix it is usually a job of a really good cleaning with throttle body cleaner.
Also if you have never done it, clean the throttle body inside by the butterfly.
"the coil is new so if I have had it for 8 months already why would it go bad now?"
That's like trying to predict when a light bulb will burn out. You can never really tell. With a lot of the parts coming in from some place overseas, I have seen failures of electrical parts right out of the box. That's why I said check it. That and the fact that it is a common item that fails when it is hot.
Hello Mike,
Thanks for getting back to me I will check it as soon as I can.
Hello there,
Thanks for your help with this problem. Let me clear up some questions for you on here.
1st off car does not overheat new radiator, new coolant, hoses and is good. Camry have temp guage usually sitting 3/8 or right before it reaches the half way point after the car is warmed up and has been driven for a bit. That is what mine does same as other camry models like mine when it gets hot the dual fans come on to cool it and again the gauge stays near half way point only after the car is warmed up and has been driven some.
The car will do the following problem with this exact example. You drive the car for some time 20 miles for example does not matter city or highway what matters is the car is hot and at its normal operating temperature i.e. guage sitting @ 3/8 near the halfway mark. Then you stop in store come back out in less THEN 5 MINUTES and the car starts up then the rpms drop very low. Sometimes (it did this yesterday) also after rpm's drop the engine will die. This can be fixed by 1 waiting 10 seconds restart car or 2 start car then give a lot of gas. NOTE the car has never done the problem that I am describing above with the fans on. In other words after turning key to run position but before I start the car the fans will sometimes come on to cool motor. When I try to start it with fans on then the motor will not die. I can still hear it missing a bit but rpm's are up higher because that is what the car does anyways when the fans come on. MORE AND MORE I am feeling/thinking this problem is fuel related and is bad. Here are some more ? 's for you sorry for so many but I have no choice.....
What does the fuel pressure regulator do? If it were bad could it cause the problem I am describing the car not starting only when hot? Thanks for your help in this matter.
How can I test the system to see if the coolant is circulating in the system?
Thanks for your help in all these questions and with this matter. Oh BTW I changed spark splugs today and one was bad it had the tip where you measure gap touching the plug so that can't be good. Color was okay a little hot (white) but not too bad. Could some bad plugs cause the problem described above? Thanks for all your help
Dave
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Gerber
"the coil is new so if I have had it for 8 months already why would it go bad now?"
That's like trying to predict when a light bulb will burn out. You can never really tell. With a lot of the parts coming in from some place overseas, I have seen failures of electrical parts right out of the box. That's why I said check it. That and the fact that it is a common item that fails when it is hot.
The fuel pressure regulator does what it's name implies; it keeps the fuel pressure at a predetermined level to feed fuel to the fuel rail and the injectors. What that pressure level is will be found in a manual under the fuel section. I guess it could cause the problem, but from my experience and also from spending time on this forum, it's rare that they go bad, but not impossible. It's more likely, from a fuel standpoint, a weak fuel pump. They can be problematic when they get hot and are weak. You would have to test fuel pressure to determine if either the pump or the regulator is bad. To test fuel pressure again you will need the specs from a manual, a fuel pressure gage and then you will have to rig up a few fittings to tap in to the Camry's fuel rail. There is no schraeder valve on the fuel rail of a Camry, like there is on some cars.
As far as coolant flow, I wouldn't be too concerned. From your description of where the gage sits when warm, your cooling system is fine. If there was poor coolant flow, your car would run hotter or even overheat. That's not your problem.
Not sure about the one bad sparkplug causng the problem, (I'm not even sure where you are saying the tip was bent over and actually touching the plug: the metal portion or the porcelyn of the plug) but you will know the answer to that by driving the car for the next few days with the new plugs.
Thanks mike,
the next step is I will get my friend james to show me how to test the coil. I have a ? for you will I need to remove the distributor off the car to test it? I am guessing I will have to remove the distributor cap but I hope I don't have to remove the whole distributor off the car as I don't know how to do that. Please advise thanks.
Dave
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Gerber
The fuel pressure regulator does what it's name implies; it keeps the fuel pressure at a predetermined level to feed fuel to the fuel rail and the injectors. What that pressure level is will be found in a manual under the fuel section. I guess it could cause the problem, but from my experience and also from spending time on this forum, it's rare that they go bad, but not impossible. It's more likely, from a fuel standpoint, a weak fuel pump. They can be problematic when they get hot and are weak. You would have to test fuel pressure to determine if either the pump or the regulator is bad. To test fuel pressure again you will need the specs from a manual, a fuel pressure gage and then you will have to rig up a few fittings to tap in to the Camry's fuel rail. There is no schraeder valve on the fuel rail of a Camry, like there is on some cars.
As far as coolant flow, I wouldn't be too concerned. From your description of where the gage sits when warm, your cooling system is fine. If there was poor coolant flow, your car would run hotter or even overheat. That's not your problem.
Not sure about the one bad sparkplug causng the problem, (I'm not even sure where you are saying the tip was bent over and actually touching the plug: the metal portion or the porcelyn of the plug) but you will know the answer to that by driving the car for the next few days with the new plugs.
Thanks mike,
the next step is I will get my friend james to show me how to test the coil. I have a ? for you will I need to remove the distributor off the car to test it? I am guessing I will have to remove the distributor cap but I hope I don't have to remove the whole distributor off the car as I don't know how to do that. Please advise thanks.
Dave
It can be done with the distributor still in the car with some dexterity by the person doing the test. Removing and reinstalling the distributor is not difficult if you have to do that. Just scribe a line between the base of the distributor and the block where the distributor goes back in to the block. That way you can reinstalll the distributor without retiming it, if you just line up the scribed line. Just note which way the rotor is pointing so you install it with it pointing in the same direction. Toyota distributors only go in one way. They are keyed with what I call an upsidedown wing nut grip in the base. That's the key which goes back down in to a slot inside the engine. It should seat right back down in the same position when reinstalled. Then just make sure the line you scribed lines back to the way it was.
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