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5sfe issues

2K views 41 replies 15 participants last post by  mmmjacks411 
#1 ·
Hello to anyone reading this. So I have some issue with my 2000 camry 2.2l. I have new spark plugs, coils, oil, coolant, IAC valve, EGR valve, cleaned the throttle body and ran a can of sea foam through the car. My first issue is that when the car is hot and idling the oil light comes on, also when the car is hot it has issues starting and sometimes stalls out when I turn on the AC or put it in gear. Also vibrates when idling, the heat doesn’t work and I don’t use the AC because I’m afraid the car will stall in the middle of traffic. The car does have two codes for o2 sensors and that’s it for CELs. Any help is truly appreciated.
 
#3 ·
I agree with sdspeed on the issue involving slow idle as far as one possibility. What exactly are the two codes you have involving the oxygen sensors?

As for the oil pressure light coming on, that is potentially concerning. You could do a lot of diagnostics to determine if you really do have low oil pressure or if your oil pressure switch may be off calibration. Or you can perhaps just replace your oil pressure switch and see if that resolves the oil pressure light issue you described. Would highly recommend you get an OEM oil pressure switch in your application. What is your routine for engine & oil filter changes?

If your heater isn't working, are you saying you are not getting any heat, but the controls and the heater blower is working fine? If not getting heat, you should first check if your valve on the hot water inlet to the heater is working properly. If it is, and when the engine is warmed up, are both hoses going to the heater core equally hot? What is your frequency of coolant flushes and replacement? You may have a blocked heater core caused by coolant that wasn't routinely replaced and is causing cooling system corrosion.
 
#10 ·
Both codes are p0420. I will look into an oem oil pressure switch. I have only had the care for 3000 miles. I have changed the oil twice. I changed it the 2nd time because I thought thicker oil would help and it does have a new filter as well. The oil is 10w30 I love in Florida and it’s hot every day. I have completely flushed the coolant yet I just topped it off with fresh. The radiator seems pretty newish to me. I planned in flushing it soon. I also ran some radiator patcher through it because I notice a small leak on the top of it. Air comes out when I turn on the heater just not hot air. I have to check about hoses to the core. When that oil pressure light comes on the care wants to stall a lot and has issues starting again. I’m using the car for food delivery so there is a lot of starting the car and stop and go traffic.
 
#4 ·
A new oil pressure switch, if any sign of oil is present at the switch or connector, and a new oil filter would be first on the list, if here. .. Probably just the pressure switch, but would change the oil filter also, in case it's "bad out of the box".

Then "work the codes" / address the O2 sensors, so no DTCs are present: which may help improve -> and correct the idle at operating temp. issue.

No cabin heat, sounds like a blocked heater core. (No heater valve on the Gen 4.5 Camry's: coolant is piped directly into the heater core.)
 
#11 ·
A new oil pressure switch, if any sign of oil is present at the switch or connector, and a new oil filter would be first on the list, if here. .. Probably just the pressure switch, but would change the oil filter also, in case it's "bad out of the box".

Then "work the codes" / address the O2 sensors, so no DTCs are present: which may help improve -> and correct the idle at operating temp. issue.

No cabin heat, sounds like a blocked heater core. (No heater valve on the Gen 4.5 Camry's: coolant is piped directly into the heater core.)
Would the switch itself really cause the car to run to poorly? Car is fine when it’s cold, issues arise when at operating temp. I have a spare filter I’ll throw on. The two codes are the same, they are p0420. I’m going to flush the coolant completely.
 
#9 ·
It didn’t quite die it just got about 7/8 of the temp gauge and I was able to safely get it to a parking lot close by and shit the car off. But yes the car has over heating issues, never this bad though. When I’m driving it stays cool but idle is when it warms up
 
#15 ·
That P0420 is a Cat code which could be pushing it into a lean fuel mixture. That will cause most the issues you have. Could still have exhaust gases getting into the coolant when things expand as the cars operating temp goes up.
Any sign of oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil.
Take a look in the radiator before the car heats up and see if there's a lot of air bubbles and cavitation. Look under the oil filler cap for water contamination.

If you find the oil pressure is too low then things are gonna get expensive and continue to domino since the engine would need to be torn down to remedy most oil pressure problems.
Have a local auto parts store load check the battery and charging system. If everything your describing is happening then it might not make sense to put any money into it especially if you can't do any of the work
 
#16 ·
Definitely not what I want to hear😂. I’ve had the car for 3000 miles and have had issues since my 2nd week of ownership. I’m going to have a mechanic check it out. What can I do about the cat code? I haven’t noticed any mixture. The oil seemed fine when I drained it, just pretty dark but after only 2500 miles. I’ll check the radiator out in the morning when I go pick up the car, we left it parked because it was over heating but it never touched the red zone. How would I fix the exhaust gas mixing? Also when I accelerate the car from a stop it makes a weird clunk sound when I initially tap the gas, it only happens when engine is warm
 
#18 ·
Well having a mechanic look at it should give you a better idea and some order to all the issues.
If it has a bad cat then it would need to be replaced. A bad head or head gasket the motor would need to come a part.
The clunk and eve some of the vibration could be one or more of the engine mounts.
 
#23 ·
re: purchase - well, everyone in this thread "has been there", at one time or another - I know I have. .. It's how we learn thru experience.

Just saying that with the (multiple) issues you are now having, poor idle could be - a number of different causes. You have already replaced a bunch of different parts, I'm guessing to little / no improvement.

The coolant issue is actually more concerning to me vs. the oil pressure light: if you have a coolant system leak, air gets in the system, and causes overheat. Using a "stop leak" product can actually make the situation worse. Those 'fix in a can' products really aren't a proper fix. (And they'll plug up the heater core right quick.)

For the $$$ spent on purchase and parts to-date, having a professional mechanic do a diagnostic on the vehicle may well be worth your time and dollars, vs. giving up and 'junking' the vehicle.

If you're in the Bradenton FL area, Rainman Ray's Auto Repairs is local, he has a YouTube channel if you want to check it out, and would give a fair and honest assessment on the vehicle. Hope this helps.
 
#28 ·
^^ True, but if the idle is really that bad (500 RPM or less), that alone would trigger the oil pressure lamp (have seen it here), and/or in combination w/ a bad oil pressure switch (had to replace here). - Hence the suggestion to have a professional mechanic check the vehicle out / do a diagnostic above.
 
#29 ·
It's entirely possible that you bought a car full of 20W50, now it has 5or 10W30 and the light is on. ASAP find someone to throw on a mechanical pressure gage before too much time goes by. Or the cheapest way is go out and get a new oil pressure switch, yourself or a garage. Over heating in traffic or highway speeds? I have not noticed anyone mentioning radiator fans running when hot. Fans not working are an explanation for stalls with ac on. And EXACTLY what did you put in the radiator, and please don't say Blue Devil.
 
#33 ·
Didnt the 2.2L have a notorious problem with piston rings ? Should of been a recall or a service bulletin. Toyota lost alot of money do to the problem thats why 2.5l became a thing? I might be wrong im new to the toyota thing. I had a car do this once and it was a crank position sensor.
 
#35 ·
Where are you getting this information from? The 5S-FE is one of the most trouble-free engines Toyota ever designed. It had some issues with oil sludging when dino oil was used and oil change intervals were not followed. But if one runs synthetic oil at regular oil change intervals, I've found this engine to be one of the most trouble-free out there. Please provide your source of information regarding problems and where Toyota lost a lot of money due to this problem with the 5S-FE.
 
#34 ·
What RPM is the tach showing when the car is in park when you first start it for the day? Should be around 1200RPM or so. After it is warmed up what does it show? Should be around 6 to 700 RPM or so. Turn on the AC in park and see if the idle drops, it shouldn’t. Put the car in gear and the idle speed should stay around 6 to 700 RPM. If it is way below that in any of these tests then your IAC is not working properly or you need to do the relearning process for idle speed. Your idle speed could be so low that it is turning on the oil pressure light because the engine is not turning fast enough to maintain enough oil pressure to turn the warning light off. Let’s try to keep it simple and not panic.
 
#38 ·
My 1993 Celica 5S-FE doesn't. My previous 1992 Celica 5S-FE didn't. This thread wasn't about startup smoke issues - it was about getting hot when idling but not driving, very slow idle speed, and oil pressure. I guess we've deviated from the original thread problem statement a bit.
 
#40 ·
I've had 2 different 5sfe engines have the oil pump to engine block gasket fail. one failed on the highway. the other caused the engine to lose oil pressure and made the engine oil light flicker at idle. checked oil pressure at idle and it was around 4lbs! replaced oil pump to block gasket and changed scuffed rod bearings. been fine ever since. that was june 2021
 
#41 ·
You mentioned that you were going to check the coolant level. What is the report? If the coolant is "disappearing" with no visible leak, then it's possible that coolant is being burned in the engine, indicating a head gasket leak. A coolant leak into the combustion chamber could damage the O2 sensors, contaminate the catalytic converters, and cause the symptoms you described. The heater wouldn't work if coolant level is low and not getting to the heater core. The way to confirm this would be to do a pressure check on the cooling system. Harbor Freight has a test kit for less than $100 but if your car is already at the mechanic's, a diagnostic is worth the money.
 
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