So I bought a 2000 Prizm with the engine from a 2001 Corolla. The engine and tranny only had 90K so $1800 seemed like a good price.
Then I started having this problem. Randomly I would lose all fuel to the engine. It would just drop out for a few seconds, like it was out of gas, then pick back up. Sometimes it will go days and 100 or more miles with no problems, other times I can't drive down the street a few blocks without it dropping out every other time I hit the accelerator. So, much emphasis on phrases like "random", "intermittent" or as my doctor says "episodic" when describing this problem.
I replaced the fuel pump & filter, MAF sensor and Cam position sensor to no avail. Then it dawned on me that I had the wrong ECM in the car since the 2001's used "vvti" so I replaced it, still same problem, then I realized that all of the parts I had replaced previously (using the vin) were for a 2000 not a 2001 with vvti. So now I have to go back and replace the fuel pump, MAF sensor and Cam position sensor again(?)
Can anyone make a list of parts that might be related to this problem that are different between 2000 and 2001?
did you check all the wiring to the pump? does the pump loose power when this happens? do you loose spark too? it could be a cam/crank sensor dropping out.
did you check all the wiring to the pump? does the pump loose power when this happens? do you loose spark too? it could be a cam/crank sensor dropping out.
I replaced all of the above... with the wrong parts.
2000 still had vvti. only 98-99 didnt. so the parts should be a perfect interchange. i would do as bitter suggested and check the fuel pump for power, and coils for spark when this problem is happening.
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It doesn't appear to be wiring as it doesn't cut out on bumps or jerky steering but that is possible and I will look at it.
O2 Sensor maybe?
Another symptom when the car is "acting up" it will die when I come to a complete stop (redlight etc) and then take off again. I will put the car in neutral and start it back up.
bad IAC? can you stall it if you rev it up and down hard out of gear?
Car idles smoothly. I can't get they car do do it "on demand" at all, it is totally random, but usually in rush hour, when I am way out in the middle of nowhere, or in a hurry to get to my destination.
im leaning towards the coilpacks getting hot and not firing like they should. but to be honest your going to need to have the car hooked up to a diagnostic machine, not one of the crappy CEL readers, but something that can do real time monitoring of systems and dataloging. im going to say that the output voltage of the coils is dropping when they get hot. the best way to check it is on a diagnostic machine.
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but all 4 at the same time? highly unlikely. i'm more suspicious of the crank sensor signal being the issue, even if the sensor is new, new sensors can be bad so could the wiring. that would cut both spark and fuel at the engine.
I'm thinking it could be a coil pack, or a short in one. I had a similar issue with my car. A short occurred in one of the coil pack connectors and the car would just cut out randomly. I don't know if yours is a short like mine as my car would only start back up after 30+ minutes but it could be a coil pack heating up and short circuiting all of them.
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but all 4 at the same time? highly unlikely. i'm more suspicious of the crank sensor signal being the issue, even if the sensor is new, new sensors can be bad so could the wiring. that would cut both spark and fuel at the engine.
but all 4 at the same time? highly unlikely. i'm more suspicious of the crank sensor signal being the issue, even if the sensor is new, new sensors can be bad so could the wiring. that would cut both spark and fuel at the engine.
no probably not all 4. but if one is going bad, i would drop the money to replace all 4. because you never know how much longer the others will last. the crank angle sensor going out would be a more consistent problem. and the crank angle sensor primary function is for fueling. the cam angle sensor is the one that tackles spark. well, the advance and retard required during engine operation. the ecu uses a combination of signals from both to determine proper ignition timing and firing. so in reality it could be either of them, but the problem would still be more consistent. they both are variable reluctance sensors, and are pretty simple. not much to them really. there is way more inside a coilpack that would be susceptible to failure.
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no probably not all 4. but if one is going bad, i would drop the money to replace all 4. because you never know how much longer the others will last. the crank angle sensor going out would be a more consistent problem. and the crank angle sensor primary function is for fueling. the cam angle sensor is the one that tackles spark. well, the advance and retard required during engine operation. the ecu uses a combination of signals from both to determine proper ignition timing and firing. so in reality it could be either of them, but the problem would still be more consistent. they both are variable reluctance sensors, and are pretty simple. not much to them really. there is way more inside a coilpack that would be susceptible to failure.
yes, but one shorted coil would create a misfire, not kill the car and prevent it from restarting.
one shorted coil would create a misfire, not kill the car and prevent it from restarting.
The car does not have a problem "REstarting" if it dies, it will start right back up. It sometimes takes a few cranks to initially start it, other times it fires up just fine.
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