Xzon

Hello everyone,

Back here again with some more car trouble lol. (2001 GS430)

So my car has been having trouble starting lately, but only every now and then.

I recently had a new starter motor put in. I have a CEL for P0355 which I understand means I need a new crankshaft position sensor?

My battery is a duralast gold that I put in in summer of 2021, also had ngk iridium spark plugs put in then as well. I hear that the fuel pump could also be the cause of starting issues and even an old key fob battery. I'm hoping I don't have some kind of electrical issue.

My valve cover gaskets are also leaking again which is getting fixed this weekend. Could oil leaking cause starting issues?

I also had my mechanic replace both front wheel bearings and front upper control arms. After he did the wheel bearings he said something happened to the VSC system. He said the VSC, VSC Off light, and CEL came on but he reset the codes.

With VSC on, the loss of traction light keeps blinking and it keeps cutting power to my rear wheels. So I have to drive with VSC off, otherwise the car won't accelerate. Drives absolutely fine with VSC off. Now the VSC and VSC off light stay on.

I don't have any codes for the VSC. Does anyone have any idea if I need new wheel speed sensors or ABS sensors?

In short, would replacing my valve cover gaskets fix my starting issue or do I definitely need a crankshaft position sensor? What do I need to replace or fix for my VSC to work again?

TIA to everyone on this form. You guys have no idea how much I appreciate all of your help. Without you guys, I wouldn't be able to keep a 22 year old car on the road to this day lol.

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Raven01750

I own two 430's. An SC and a GS. I also own the complete service manuals for both.

For the 3UZ engine. P0355 is a fault for Ignition Coil in cylinder five. Not the cam position sensor. Cylinder #5 is the third cylinder back on the drivers side. Let's start there. Your post is long and I have several suggestions.

Paul

Raven01750

OK, I'm back. The VSC lamp may clear after you get rid of the P0355. I have a fix for that too.
The 3UZ engine is notoriously for leaking valve covers. But not a big deal.
First off, if you dont own a 1/4" Torque wrench that works in inch pounds, buy one. Cheap at Harbor Freight if you have one in your area. All valve cover bolts should be at 53" lbs minimum. NOT ft lbs. Inch pounds. Note that the torque wrench has two measurements. One side displays inch pounds. The other side displays centimeter kilogram I believe. You can use either. Just know which one your using and set it correctly.
At the same time, buy a set of "wobly extensions". They make things much easier to reach.
The cylinder 5 ignition coil "may" have oil in the tube due the leaking valve cover gaskets. So, you should pull your ignition coils and check to see that they are clean and dry. While inspecting them, look for any small cracks that might have formed from top to bottom on the ignition coil, let's just call it the "body". Dead give away your coils are ready for replacement. But after you pull them, swap #5 with the one next to it. If the fault code changes then it's the coil.
Here's the bad news. Don't use after market coils. DENSO only. And they are expensive. I think the last set of eight I bought last year were around $500 for a set.
My SC430 has around 162k miles. My GS has about 180k miles and I am a stickler on maintenance.
Any vacuum lines that are hard should be changed out. And for God's sake, spend $12.00 and replace the PCV Valve and gasket. Be very careful as the gasket most likely will be hard and brittle and pieces could break off and fall into the head. It should be noted that a bad PCV Valve can also greatly contribute to your valve cover gaskets leaking.
All of this is EASY to do. Save yourself a lot of money and take on this task yourself.
Lastly, buy yourself a couple of gallons of LA's Finest detergent. You should be able to find it at the 99 cent store. Two gallons should be less than $10. Then go to Walley World and buy a 1 gallon sprayer. Disconnect the battery and clean everything that you can get to with a straight mixtire of the cleaner. You can even spray it directly into the alternator to get any oil that may have gotten sucked inside. Especially from the power steering pump. Using the sprayer again, use HOT tap water to clean off any soap and oil that may still be there. Repeat as necessary.
Using hot water helps with evaporation. It dries faster.
Wait a couple of hours after your finished cleaning everything before you hook the battery back up again or if you have access to air, blow everything out.
You do these things and I can just about guarantee she will run like new again.
Now let's get into good habits. When you fill up, pop the hood, take a hand held flashlight and check fluids and inspect everything you can see. If all of your under engine covers are not in place, REPLACE THEM! It makes it so much easier to detect leaks. One drop on the engine under cover and you will see it and can spring into action "Before" it becomes a money maker for your mechanic. Good luck.

Paul

QLex300

Thanks for the info!!!!