88 Camry Engine Dies

[chrissea]

I am very frustrated and need help! I have an 88 camry, 3sfe 2000 fi, automatic
Engine starts up and idles fine when cold. As soon as the engine warms up, after about 15 minutes, it sputters and dies. Once it dies it will not start up again until it waits another 15 minutes or so. It cranks over and over but there is no spark at the plugs. 15 minutes later it's fine again!
The first time this happened the car died on the highway. We found a little oil in the distributor cap. Also - the neutral safety switch acts up sometimes.

Have replaced with no luck:
Wires
Cap
Rotor Button
Ignition Coil
Ignitor
Air filter
Oil Pressure Switch

ANY HELP WOULD BE MUCH MUCH APPRECIATED Chrissie

[marc780]

Clean the throttle body and especially the idle air control valve. It has all the symptoms of an IAC stuck closed in the cold position.
A search shows many links for this, i dont know how different the 88 Camry is from newer models but i'm guessing its still pretty close enough for most of the info be valid

[Mike Gerber]

I'm really confused by the no spark condition you mentioned, so I'm assuming that whoever said that was in error. You have already replaced everything in the ignition system that I could think of that would cause a no spark condition.

My first guess would have been the coil, but I see you have already had it changed out. So in addition to what marc780 suggested, I would also check out the engine coolant temperature sensor (Toyota calls this the ECT sensor). It tells the main computer what the temperature of the engine is and therefore the fuel mixture is adjusted accordingly. When cold, it tells it to richen up the mixture to facilitate cold starting and running. As the car warms up it should give that information to the computer and the computer should then lean out the mixture. The ECT sensor may be out of range constantly telling the computer the car is always cold. This would result in a fuel mixture that is fine for cold running, but too rich for a warm engine, resulting in the engine flooding and dying out. When the engine cools down a bit, the rich mixture is fine once again to start a cooler engine. You will need a digital volt/ohmeter for this test and the specs from any service manual. There are actual Toyota factory service manuals stickied at the top of the General Camry Forum that are available for free downloading. This part is relatively cheap and fairly easy to replace so hope that this is it.

If the ECT sensor checks out OK I would next check the "Cold Start Time Switch", located next to the ECT sensor. To do this you use the DVM again and speces from the manual. I believe the 88 3SFE 2.0 liter engine still used these. It was a device that activated the cold start injector to enrichen the fuel mixture to facilitate cold starting. It too could be out of range constantly causing the cold start injector to enrichen the mixture all the time. Once again that would flood a warm engine. If that checks out fine, I would then check out the O2 sensor. It too could be out of range.

If all that checks out fine I would have your tech check the fuel pressure with a gage. You could have a fuel pump that is going. They also have a tendancy to act up when they get warm. I'm not sure of the logic of the fuel system on your car, but on some cars when the computer senses there is no fuel pressure, it cuts out the ignition system also. This could fall back in line with the no spark conditon you mentioned.

Good luck.

Mike

[chrissea]

Thanks for the above help! I will have him (the man) try all of the above. I did want to mention though that there is definately no spark when it dies. I saw him test it more than once, sticking (a screwdriver?) something into something else to test it and he did this on more that one occasion to make double sure. The other thing... I'm thinking he disconnected the ECT and it checked out ok? Because we read some previous posts where this was an issue. Anyway... will print this out and bring home. PLEASE let some of this work. I have been driving the Ugliest car in history! LOL
(the reason I am posting is because our internet is out right now and I have access at work)
I will keep u all posted!
Chrissie

[marc780]

Maybe he is not testing for spark right, because if it runs it has got to be getting spark SOME of the time; and theres no sensors on the engine that cut spark like that, at least not when they are even half-functioning.

Another possibility - although not too likely but - does the engine have a cold start injector? Its possible this thing is stuck on and maybe giving fuel to the engine all the time instead of just at cold start. An easy way to check would be to warm up the engine, find this valve, and then disconnect its electrical conector. If the engine then runs fine, problem solved - replace cold start injector or its sensor.

The neutral start switch acts up sometimes means its time to replace the neutral start switch. Id get one from a junkyard car with fewer miles if the new one is too expensive. In case you were wondering, it wouldnt affect the stalling issue at all, its simply an off or on for starting, doesnt affect driving.

Your stalling only happens with engine hot so its very likely a problem in the idle system and not electrical. Since it only happens when warm, none of the following are very likely but they are possibilities: worn out ignition switch, weak fuel pump (try beating on the fuel tank with a piece of wood after it dies to vibrate the pump, or just remove the rear seat and tap the pump with somthing). If that makes a difference, replace fuel pump.

If still no joy, download the camry manual from the stickies and trace the parts in the idle system, checking each component in turn - idle air control, mass air flow sensor, throttle position sensor, throttle body cleanliness and condition (throttle body could be worn out from butterfly touching it).

[chrissea]

Tried the ECT last night - no luck - but we did find a crack in the aluminum housing (waterneck) where the ECT sits and the coolant return hose attaches... Could this cause our problem?
chrissie

[Mike Gerber]

Originally Posted by chrissea

Tried the ECT last night - no luck - but we did find a crack in the aluminum housing (waterneck) where the ECT sits and the coolant return hose attaches... Could this cause our problem?
chrissie

Possibly. If the ECT sensor is not emersed in the coolant but air instead, it may not change it's readings and may not be sending the right signal to the computer. Again it may always be telling the computer the car is cold and flooding a warm engine. This is a bit of a stretch, but it seems you are exhausting the common possibilities. You may want to have your mechanic obtain one from a salvage yard and put it on the car and then refill the cooling system and bleed all the air out. Then drive the car. You will have to do this either way if you plan to keep this car.

Mike

[chrissea]

Got a distibutor from the junk yard and it did the trick! It has run for 55 minutes so far and all is looking good. Thanks so much for all your help! I love this place!
Chrissie

[Mike Gerber]

I don't understand why the ignition system parts the mechanic replaced originally didn't do the trick. The coil and ignitor are the usual things that cause something like this. Remember my first post?: "I'm really confused by the no spark condition you mentioned, so I'm assuming that whoever said that was in error. You have already replaced everything in the ignition system that I could think of that would cause a no spark condition.

My first guess would have been the coil, but I see you have already had it changed out."

The important thing is that it is finally fixed and that your mechanic was able to get one from a salvage yard for you. That greatly reduces the cost. I'm glad your problem is solved.

Thanks for posting the final fix.

Mike