Help with engine running too lean 2000 gt

[Fleur]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post on this forum. I joined in January but I have since totalled my last celica and bought a replacement 2000 gt 5-speed

I bought the car from a private dealer and it seemed in good shape, only problem was that it had been sitting for about 9 months so I knew it would need a tune up. I changed the oil as soon as I got it home and put new gas in it (it still had some old gas in it when I filled it up) Not 2 mins after I left the gas station the check engine light came on. I had the code pulled and it said the engine was running too lean. The mechanic suggested I had bad fuel and I needed to add some sort of fuel cleaner to it, so I bought that and some NGK platinum spark plugs. I haven't added the spark plugs yet or the fuel system cleaner I wanted to post on here first to make sure I am taking the right steps. Any help would be appreciated. Another thing, I drove the car for about 200 miles before I added the gas that made the check engine light come on, could it be the gas was bad? Thanks!

[toyomoho]

Yes, bad gas can cause the CEL to come on.

The issue may be with the O2 sensor. Run a few tanks of gas through the engine.

You may be able to reset the light by removing one of the battery terminals or the EFI fuse. Make sure the radio does not have a theft prevention system (that requires a code input) or the car an engine immobilizer as both will be engaged once the battery is reconnected.

[Fleur]

Thanks for the advice,

I un hooked the battery after changing the plugs and adding the fuel cleaner, the CEL did not come back on (yet) but I will keep driving it. I did notice that there was a miss in the higher RPMs and the car seemed to fall on its face at the beginning of every gear. It felt like something was restricting it but I can't tell for sure. The more I drove it the more it seemed to ease up. The mechanic I took the car to said that the diagnostics was not bringing up a bad 02 sensor and if that was the case he said it would pull that specific code. Is there any chance I have a bad fuel filter or an injector?

[iam7head]

99 percent of time you have a dirty MAF sensor, just clean it up with a maf sensor cleaner

[Boxedin]

exactly ^

[toyomoho]

The can fuel filter rarely plugs up, would look at the bad gas.

[Fleur]

Thanks guys,

The check engine light has not come back on yet, but I will clean the mass airflow sensor anyways. I appreciate it alot.

[heather76]

Lucky you, welcome to the world of 2000 Celica's and our check engine lights! Mine came on a year ago and I finally was able to get the money to have both o2 sensors changed, light came back on, got the catalytic converter changed, a few wks later it comes BACK on with a different code and some MASSIVE hesitation....went ahead and replaced the whole MAF...and today the light came on again!!! Haven't got it scanned again, I'm going to go ahead and take it into the dealership and have them scan it next week.

[Fleur]

Hey Heather,

Oh trust me I have been in the world of celicas for a long long time. I own 5 total starting at the 1984 celica supra, the altrac celica, some older celica gt, and now two 2000 celica gt, thanks to my dad pulling my wrecked one out of salvage. My first 2000 was a pain, check engine light was on alllll the time. I had to replace BOTH 02 sensors, the catalytic converter, a neutral safety switch, and some other things. The day I wrecked it the CEL came back on that day and I was taking it to get it checked when I rolled it into a ditch (not fun) I like my new one alot better it hasn't given me as many problems. Yours sounds just like my 2000.