oldspec98

I can already see the response from here, "Sell it and move on" but I really don't want it to come to that. Driving around normally, no electrical issues at all, ran pretty good apart from some small things that needed worked out. Something with this car and water, washed it and it clicked, then started. Sat outside in rain, clicked, then started. Just now, was driving around and passed a friend's house and decided to stop. Sat and idled for a bit, exactly at 600 RPM and super smooth, decided to shut the car off and talk for a bit. Windows down (not sure if that matters) and only for about 10 minutes, there was a super light rain. Probably 20 drops on the windshield, go to start it, click, nothing. No lights come back or anything. Key off and back on, lights flicker back and gauge cluster is going crazy, try to start, click, nothing. Try one more time and it fires right up but no idle at all. Won't idle if in a certain gear, headlights on, brake depressed, nothing. No codes showing up at all. If you start it, it starts and dies immediately, no attempt to even catch the idle. If you give it throttle it'll rev up just fine, but it makes no attempt to idle. The throttle body makes a buzzing sound when the key is on, may be a problem. Also suspecting ECU capacitors, not sure if that's a problem on the 98-00 cars but the problem seems to be whole car and not a certain electrical system. Didn't rub through the harness because I'm not lowered, car's wiring hasn't been touched one bit by anyone. Any suggestions or should I just move on?

400fanboy

If it didn't want to maintain idle I might suspect something else - but combined with the power electronic issues when you first put the key in suggest ECU to me.

The sporadic nature of the problem also suggests ECU. "fine one minute, FUBAR the next"

ECU capacitors, while less likely, still do affect 98-00 cars.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...capacitor.html

oldspec98

I did end up going out to test drive it, I believe you were in the forum where I commented on being down on power, since disconnecting the battery I did get it to manage stumbling between 150-250 RPM barely running, then eventually dying. In the test drive there were times where it almost died on me while moving. Most of the power was back and I was noticing the kickdown was faster. A few things on the list for ECU cap problems line up with the issues I'm having, so I'll probably send the ECU over to my family's techy guy that solders and send him the link to that forum. That and wait probably a month for the capacitors.

400fanboy

Oh I just recognized you had made the other thread. I was just operating off the info you presented here. Did you solve... the other issues you presented there? The injectors you replaced potentially being bad?

Again, doesn't rule out ECU, but that adds more context.

oldspec98

I am assuming that is where the rest of my power is, but that system is solid and wouldn’t be causing electrical faults.

oldspec98

Gonna come back and say that I unplugged the accelerator pedal position sensor and it idled at 1k but ran so badly my valve covers started leaking (assuming from vibrations) and wouldn't rev until I touched the manual throttle body opening. (Happens at about 75% throttle, where it goes from electronically controlled to manually opening the throttle body in case of an electrical fault.) Gonna try APPS and do valve cover gaskets along with coil packs and spark plugs before shelling out to have all the caps in my ECU redone. The no start is probably coming from starter, I know that's coming up soon so I'm gonna assume that, and if that's not my problem it'll be checked off of the list of things I need to do. I'll keep you guys updated.