4 POCodes, Please help

[kelley5795]

I have a 1998 Toyota Camry 4C and yesterday It started to idle bad when I would come to a stop but would not die and if I put the car in Park, Neutral, or Reverse it stops idling bad and idles nice and I had no Hesitation until today and today it died one time, I'll say it was raining very bad and I went tho alot of water on the road but I don't think that's what's wrong here because I done that before and the wild idling died off after a hour of driving so I don't think its that, I'll also add I have a cold-air intake
But I do have 4 codes
PO325: This code is because when I come to a stop the car idles wild right?
PO420: I took out my Catalytic converter out a few months ago
PO172
PO115

can the code 115 make the car idle wild and die????

The rest of the codes I am not so sure about, I will add its been about 74,000 miles since my last spark plug change and I changed the ECT around 88,000 miles ago

Please tell me how I should go about fixing this thanks

[fenixus]

P0325 - Knock Sensor 1 Circuit Malfunction
possible trouble:
-Open or short in knock sensor 1 circuit
-Knock sensor 1 (looseness)
-ECM

P0115 - Engine coolant temperature is fixed at 80°(176°F)
possible trouble:
-Open or short in engine coolant temp. sensor circuit
-Engine coolant temp. sensor
-ECM

look at those two first it throws the car into a failsafe mode with maximum timing retardation and fixed 80C engine coolant temperature, no wonders the car runs like crap.

if both sensors are good and wiring is proper then possibly the ECU is fried.

other (minor in this case) codes are:
P0420 - Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold
P0172 - System too Rich (Fuel Trim)

is your car compliant with california emission specs or federal?

for P0420, check/rep[lace the downstream cat converter o2 sensor (under car, there is DIY in FAQ section about it).

change your spark plugs and air filter. complete minor tune up can't hurt too.

[kelley5795]

So you are saying that most likely it's the Engine coolant temperature that's bad and its making the car idle wild and want to die? and if I replace it, It should stop idling wild and stop wanting to die And go back to idle normal?? Plus i kinda recall the ECT going out on me before like 110,000 miles ago and it done the same thing

The Knock sensor only tells the ECM something is wrong when the engine shakes alot right?
Because last time I got this code One of my PowerPacks was going out and I also needed new spark plugs and it was idling wild and was hard to take off and after fixing those 2 things, the P0325 code went away

correct me if wrong but I only get this code PO420 because I took out my cat right? or is this code only for O2 senor bad?

PO172: how can I fix that? I redone all the injectors around 45,000 miles, should I run some seafoam in the car?

[fenixus]

you need to test the ECT sensor (what brand did you use last time? was it new?), if it's bad then replace, get new Denso one from online dealer (e.g. www.toyotapartszone.com in Dallas), change plugs, reset the ECU and re-scan it if CEL comes back. maybe P0325 and P0172 go away after that, maybe not. either way your car runs too rich now (hence the P0172 code), meaning it either doesn't get enough air or the spark is to weak for "normal" combustion even with the lowest allowed amount of fuel.

if new spark plugs don't help then check the spark plug wires and igniters.

so you cut the cat converter out (straight pipe now)? then no wonders the computer sees no efficiency on cat converter. you may need to unplug that o2 sensor and somehow cheat the ECU by using resistor or something. the goal is to have no CEL at all.

[kelley5795]

I did test it, Its bad but I just want the wild idle to go away and to know by replacing it, it will fix the wild idle you see?
I used advanced auto one
I can reset by unplugging the battery right?
And I have new spark plug wires and 1 new Coil-Pack Just need to install some new spark plugs

Yes I cut the cat out
And idk about CEL codes being on, I just want the wild idle to go away then I can get on with life hah

[kelley5795]

Ok today I replaced the ECT switch and 2 codes went away but still have P0325 and P0172: Bank 1 system too rich Please help me out, the car still idles wild and dies sometimes when I come to a stop, Today I took it to a shop and they only told me to replace O2 sensors and take off the cold air in take, I don't think that guy knows what hes talking about? or was he right?

SO please help thanks

[fenixus]

yeah, replacing o2 sensors is a good idea as they actually can cause bad fuel trims, so yeah I would do it.

have you replaced spark plugs? which ones do you have in there now?

is your car Calif emission specs or federal?

[kelley5795]

Would replacing the O2 sensors stop the wild idle? and the shop said its the one before the Cat is that the one near the fans and tranny?
so theres no way the bad spark plugs could do this? but if that was the reason i would have to have a misfile code right? if the spark plug was was going out? And could the bank one be so rich its the fuel making the spark plug go out?

Naw I have not installed new ones yet but planning on doing the NGK lasers
right now I have the NGK iridium IX with over 75,000 miles on them

federal emission

[fenixus]

NGK Iridium-IX are junk past 60k miles. replace them. bad spark plugs not always give any misfire codes, they might be simply worn out and giving weak spark (not complete combustion), but still no misfire per se.

get new denso o2 sensors and replace them too, federal emission type sensors are far from accurate past 100k miles. new o2 sensors should greatly improve fuel trims.

those 2 above should fix the System too Rich error code.

I'd also change the cone air filter on the end of your CAI, it may be restricting the air flow if it's damp or dirty.

[kelley5795]

Okay so Ill go ahead with getting the NGK lasers

Should I replace both? or just bank one? and where is bank one? is that near the fans? or passed the cat?


"I'd also change the cone air filter on the end of your CAI, it may be restricting the air flow if it's damp or dirty: what do you mean by CAI?"

[fenixus]

replace plugs in both banks.

Bank 1 Sensor 1 = upstream "rear" bank by firewall = sometimes called the RIGHT sensor
Bank 2 Sensor 1 = upstream "front" bank by radiator = sometimes called the LEFT sensor
Bank 1 Sensor 2 = downstream post-catalytic sensor under car = sometimes called the REAR sensor
CAI = Cold Air Intake, you have some filter on the end of pipe, don't you?

[kelley5795]

Okay
So I am gonna guess I need to change Bank 1 Sensor 1 = upstream "rear" bank by firewall??
Oh yes I'll change the Cold Air Intake but I took it off while I was driving and still did not notice much of a change

[kelley5795]

OK I replaced spark plugs and O2 sensor before cat near the fans did I change the right one? you said there was 3 or 4 I can only see 2 sensors one near fans and the other is after the cat and I changed the PCV

Plugs were very bad the tip was gone on them

When my local auto zone did not have the denso I had to go with this

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...4_2425%2C97999
He said the denso ones are older and auto-zone don't carry them anymore and this one is a newer style true? I don't think so that's why I'm gonna try to get a denso if you think I should

and the car is still doing the same thing but somewhat better at idle its not jumping as much but still dying when I come to a stop ect
I don't know what codes are back until tomorrow

Where should I go from here?

[fenixus]

unplug the battery's negative to clear codes. tomorrow get it rescanned when CEL comes back. there is still a few options, including a clogged cat converter. but first I'd like to see the trouble codes.

i'm not a fan of bosch o2 sensors, but they should work more or less. denso and ngk/ntk seem better anyways. somehow japanese cars do not like most of bosch parts.

however this specific o2 sensor (planar design) you bought, is actually said to be good, not sure if better than OE style, but it should work well (based on opinion from other TN members).

[kelley5795]

Yeah i cleared the codes and it started acting up again after 3 miles, so i have to wait till tomorrow to get the new codes and i only have 2 O2 sensors right?
Remember i don't have a converter anymore I took it out
I'll report back tomorrow