3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
Drove my car to my dads for christmas, from Thomasville, GA to Jacksonville, FL.
On the way, we pulled over, and it started overheating. Checked the reservoir, it was blowing coolant out it thru the overfill drainoff.
It blew extra coolant back into the reservoir, than it had when we left.
It would overheat sitting still. If you revved the engine a little bit, the temp would come back down. It would also stay normal driving on the interstate.
We turned the car off to not overheat the engine. Then it wouldn't crank. It would try, but wouldn't catch, like their wasn't enough juice, so we got a jump. Jumped right off the bat.
So we were on our way to the family christmas dinner in Jacksonville.
(Revving the motor would run the temp back down)
Turned it off. tried to turn it back on, wouldn't crank again.
Later, we got the air bubbles out of the system, because there was many. No problems for a while after that.
So after cooling, it would crank again, no problem.
Drove it to my dads after dinner to middleburg with no overheating, and then parked it for a day.
Now, today we left my dads, headed back home. It started the same thing again.
(Let me include that the check engine light was on, and it seemed to corrolate with the problem. The code is a bad knock sensor, so while the car was driving the whole time, it was on retarded timing, yet the power was still there)
We make it back home to thomasville, trying to overheat. Pulled into the parking lot at home, shut it off. Turn it back on, no crank.
15 min later, cranked it fine, but as before, I got a stutter when it fired over, a putt putt, then shut back off. Did it again, but then revved it a bit, till the stutter was gone. Now I have a faint small tick in the engine, sounds from the front bank.
Can someone piece this together for me please? Seems like 2 problems but not sure with this car.
how long did you drive it overheating? that could have done some serious damage. when was the last time you changed the thermostat? are the fans working once the engine reaches normal operation temp?
how long did you drive it overheating? that could have done some serious damage. when was the last time you changed the thermostat? are the fans working once the engine reaches normal operation temp?
Temp didn't ever reach the red mark, came up to 3/4 way up for short period of time. T-stat was changed just about 6 months ago, brand new toyota one.
Fans work.
Recently, since Ive had a mystery leak. After a drive, let engine cool for a long time, then check reservoir, and it was drained about 1 inch.
So, what I did was use alumiseal in the radiator, in hope it would help seal whatever was leaking. Suspect a freeze plug in the back bank doing it, as what the dealership told me a month ago.
Considered the t-stat getting plugged, even though the alumiseal says it wont, and the lower hose gets hot.
It did it 1 time before the flush and before the seal fill.
When I did a flush 2 or so times, it didnt do it anymore, but then started to have a mysterious leak, what it does now, sucks down some coolant overnight.
btw, needed to put water in radiator this morning before I cranked it.
Then I cranked car up with both caps off:
the radiator cap hole was fine.
the remote cap over the intake was foaming and I saw a little smoke coming from it.
mind you this is 10 sec after I cranked the car.
Overheating could come originally from running too lean, which also explains the knocksensor respons. Just a suggestion, since you said that it helped to rev. the engine. Overheating could lead to a hose leaking, which again explains the coolant level dropping.
It does sound like it could be multiple problems here. The fact that you are able to cool it by revving the engine would suggest that maybe the water pump impeller has corroded away. Is it the original pump? Has the cooling system been abused in the past such that corrosion would have set in?
It may be knocking because it is getting way too hot and pre-igniting.
If you have seen foaming and smoke from the coolant cap at the intake, then you likely have a leaking head gasket. Try to do or get a block test done to verify that. Since it was blowing coolant out, that would suggest a head gasket issue, but this does not usually happen except after prolonged highway driving. If it is blowing out after city driving, then try changing the coolant cap first.
Even if it is the head gasket, i doubt that it's the original reason for everheating, since overheating is the most frequent reason for head gasket problems.
I believe the overheating problem was from, the car blowing the coolant out thru the coolant reserve. I think this because after a drive, then let sit till in the morning(overnight), the reserve has gone down an inch. Sometimes the radiator has lost some fluid, even though the cap on top of the intake has a sufficient level.
Would a leaking back bank freeze plug cause this?
(2)Also, another problem:
I start the car in the morning, let it warm up(because if it's not completely warmed up, it does not like to go with anything but feather throttle. you get a chug, feeling like the power dies with more fuel.)
So, once it's warmed up, my wife drives it to the store, and around town. Usually it's a total of 20min of city driving.
SOMETIMES, if you cut the car off, it wont crank. It will seem as if the battery is dieing. (checked battery fluids, good level). If you wait 15-25 min, it will usually crank back up. Today, it didn't. It would not crank. Had to get a jump.
NOW, heres the odd thing, the battery reads 12.47-12.53, engine off. It has a good reading with alternator charging it. (13.x-14.x). Pulled the cable on the battery while running to test alt., it still runs.
I thought the starter was bad, BUT, if you get a jump, as soon as you hook the cables up, you can crank the car ammediately. Would think a bad battery, yet 12.5v with engine off.
(3)The next problem: The IACV is a booger. I have did the lube technic on this site, and while cold, the idle doesn't dive, but when warmed up, the idle dives.
Just recently, I came to a stop on a long highway drive, at a redlight, and the idle dived to 0. Cranked right back up.
Any ideas about any of these problems? Im at odds with this car, it's always something wrong. I just want it to work right.
Sadly the 3vz is one of those engines you either love or absolutely hate. It's not that it is a badly designed engine, its just so old in every car it came in. The block is solid iron and the coolant system will rust regardless of how well you take care of it. That and the old computer system that wont tell you when anything other than the 02 sensors are messed up doesn't really help in diagnosing engine problems, so you kind of have to be a pro with the 3vz to work with it.
If the freeze plug were leaking in the back it should be shooting hot coolant out, the back bank gets the secondary coolant flow so it hot spots easier.
Try running some strong radiator flush (anti rust kind) with straight water through it for a week and then have a shop flush and refill the system, you probably have something in there restricting flow. Only do this if it's warm enough though, that block will freeze and shatter.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony the Tiger
I mod my Camry because I am too cheap to go out and buy a real sports car
1992 Camry XLE v6: p&p + 3angle, CAI, y pipe, K-Sport coilovers, 5-speed swap
1996 Eagle Talon TSI AWD: IPT 3700 restall, DSMlink v3, HKS exhaust, ETS street fmic kit
Like a 1MZ better in every way with a better in every way Gen 4 body...
lighter, better drag co- better pwr steering, better handling and nicer to look at as well..
And so cheap to buy, just feel thankful for the excuse to move on..
Don't even think, just do it...
Like a 1MZ better in every way with a better in every way Gen 4 body...
lighter, better drag co- better pwr steering, better handling and nicer to look at as well..
And so cheap to buy, just feel thankful for the excuse to move on..
Don't even think, just do it...
Please leave
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1993 Camry LE I4 Bone Stock - 380,000 miles (as of Aug '11)
1993 Camry XLE V6 Bone Stock - 260,xxx miles (as of July '11) Blown Head Gasket
2003 Chevy Trailblazer EXT I6 - 107,000 miles (as of Aug '11)
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