Car dies, then won't start. Starts later and dies.
10-15-13, 11:32 PM
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Car dies, then won't start. Starts later and dies.
1995 GS300. 167,000 miles. (As a preface, the check engine light HAD been on solid for 2 years. oops. But it was running fine. Had no idea until this happened, that we could actually check codes ourselves; thought it had to go to Lexus for that.)
So here is what happened, with no forewarning. (Yah, well, except for maybe that little check engine light thing.) Drove about 25 miles then parked for 45 minutes to an hour. Drove perhaps a half mile to get back on freeway, and about a half mile at freeway speed, then it died. Started up hard, not on the first try. Drove a few miles and parked. Came out a half hour later and it would not start. It would turn over, fire, would not catch. Tried off and on for over and hour, then had it towed.
At home, still would not start. Same thing: turned over, fired, would not catch. Did my research and after many miscues, finally got the codes read. (Just before that, I tried again and the car started, but I just shut it off.) The codes indicated main o2s. I soldiered up and replaced the 2 upstream oxygen sensors. Reset then checked the codes - nothing, yea! First try, the car started right up. Ran for my license to go test drive and when I came back it had died. And would not start.
After a bit of testing, here is what I found. The car will start, but only run 3 to 6 minutes. Then it slowly tachs down and dies. If I hit the gas when the tach drops, say below 1000 or 500, it will rev, but immediately drop right back down. After it dies, it will not start. Again, it turns over, fires, but will not catch. A few hours later, or the next day, it may start. Then die minutes later. (Idling or driving)
Our local lube place suggested throttle or fuel issues. (They love this car and often comment on how solid it is.) The fellow at the auto parts store suggested testing the fuel pump. Thought we were about the right mileage for it to go.
IDEAS??
DISCLAIMER -- okay, I am not an experienced mechanic; I'm a 50ish grandmother....but, darn it, I am going to learn, to keep this car going! My trusted mobile mechanic I relied on for years is gone. I'd like to handle any non-skill parts of this I can, or at least try to pinpoint the issue before I have to call in someone I don't even know to work on it. I should be able to do a good bit... I replaced the oxygen sensors, after all.
So here is what happened, with no forewarning. (Yah, well, except for maybe that little check engine light thing.) Drove about 25 miles then parked for 45 minutes to an hour. Drove perhaps a half mile to get back on freeway, and about a half mile at freeway speed, then it died. Started up hard, not on the first try. Drove a few miles and parked. Came out a half hour later and it would not start. It would turn over, fire, would not catch. Tried off and on for over and hour, then had it towed.
At home, still would not start. Same thing: turned over, fired, would not catch. Did my research and after many miscues, finally got the codes read. (Just before that, I tried again and the car started, but I just shut it off.) The codes indicated main o2s. I soldiered up and replaced the 2 upstream oxygen sensors. Reset then checked the codes - nothing, yea! First try, the car started right up. Ran for my license to go test drive and when I came back it had died. And would not start.
After a bit of testing, here is what I found. The car will start, but only run 3 to 6 minutes. Then it slowly tachs down and dies. If I hit the gas when the tach drops, say below 1000 or 500, it will rev, but immediately drop right back down. After it dies, it will not start. Again, it turns over, fires, but will not catch. A few hours later, or the next day, it may start. Then die minutes later. (Idling or driving)
Our local lube place suggested throttle or fuel issues. (They love this car and often comment on how solid it is.) The fellow at the auto parts store suggested testing the fuel pump. Thought we were about the right mileage for it to go.
IDEAS??DISCLAIMER -- okay, I am not an experienced mechanic; I'm a 50ish grandmother....but, darn it, I am going to learn, to keep this car going! My trusted mobile mechanic I relied on for years is gone. I'd like to handle any non-skill parts of this I can, or at least try to pinpoint the issue before I have to call in someone I don't even know to work on it. I should be able to do a good bit... I replaced the oxygen sensors, after all.
10-16-13, 11:39 AM
#2
I went thre the same ordeal with my 94 lex. I at firdt it would throw all these different codes. Then after reading and researching on this forum for simalar problems i found the " leakung capacitor thread"Turned out to be the ecu. The capacitors inside the ecu are most likely burned out and have melted away on the actual morher board of the ecu. And ro make it even worse to put the ecu on the passenger floor board behind the carpet. On the exhaust side.
10-21-13, 10:51 PM
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Gensc300
... the car is showing NO codes now. The only code it showed was for the oxygen sensors, which I have replaced. (It took me a while to get codes to read because the battery was too low. Replacement battery fixed that.)
ProjektS13
...our car is not lowered. Totally stock as far as I know.
... the car is showing NO codes now. The only code it showed was for the oxygen sensors, which I have replaced. (It took me a while to get codes to read because the battery was too low. Replacement battery fixed that.)
ProjektS13
...our car is not lowered. Totally stock as far as I know.
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