LS - 1st and 2nd Gen (1990-2000) Discussion topics related to the 1990 - 2000 Lexus LS400

1999 Crank no Start

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Old 02-19-23, 07:19 PM
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yukinon
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Default 1999 Crank no Start

as the title states, my car is cranking but no start. i replaced the starter relay and it no longer has a grinding noise, it's actually cranking now. does this sound like a normal crank no start?

i plan on replacing the spark plugs this week since i dont know when the last time they were replaced so i'll just replace them while im in there, should i replace the ignition coils too maybe? I plan on pulling codes also to see what codes there are. anything else I should possibly check?

Old 02-20-23, 08:04 AM
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when i posted it to youtube someone said the car sounded like it has no compression or something is wrong with the timing belt. could this be a possible factor? i’m gonna check compression this week just in case.
Old 03-08-23, 08:52 PM
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okay so i attempted to check the codes but nothing showed up, i replaced the spark plugs and they didn’t look too horrible? looks like the valve cover is leaking, some oil was on the spark plugs. gonna HOPEFULLY do a compression test this sunday before spending unnecessary money. someone said they’re hearing compression and think it’s a fuel issue and another is saying there’s no compression. crossing my fingers that it’s just a fuel issue.

Passenger side

oil on spark plugs, only 4&6 had this much on them, the others just had wet threads.

Driver side
Old 03-08-23, 10:57 PM
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Yamae
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Sorry to ask you a fundamental issue. I worry that the immobilizer is disabling your engine to start. Does the flashing security light turns off when you insert the key?
Old 03-09-23, 06:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Yamae
Sorry to ask you a fundamental issue. I worry that the immobilizer is disabling your engine to start. Does the flashing security light turns off when you insert the key?
i’ll check that tonight, do i just insert it and leave it in the ON position? the immobilizer was removed from the ECU…
Old 03-09-23, 07:25 AM
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Originally Posted by yukinon
i’ll check that tonight, do i just insert it and leave it in the ON position? the immobilizer was removed from the ECU…
Sorry that if I were mistaken, but it sounds like you are not fully familiar to the immobilizer system on your car. The immobilizer data in your ECU's chip should be fully matched with your key's data. The confirmation can be done simply inserting the key to the key cylinder only. You don't need to turn the key to the ON position. The security light will stop the flashing if those two are matched. If the flashing continues, it simply means that those 2 are not matched and you can't start the engine because the ECU does not enable the ignition circuitto work. Only the starter motor turns.

In case the flashing continues, I worry that the immobilizer chip in your ECU is not the correct one or damaged. Rough soldering works sometimes damage the immobilizer chip due to the static discharge or the excessive heat.

Last edited by Yamae; 03-09-23 at 07:31 AM.
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Old 03-09-23, 08:01 AM
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yukinon
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Originally Posted by Yamae
Sorry that if I were mistaken, but it sounds like you are not fully familiar to the immobilizer system on your car. The immobilizer data in your ECU's chip should be fully matched with your key's data. The confirmation can be done simply inserting the key to the key cylinder only. You don't need to turn the key to the ON position. The security light will stop the flashing if those two are matched. If the flashing continues, it simply means that those 2 are not matched and you can't start the engine because the ECU does not enable the ignition circuitto work. Only the starter motor turns.

In case the flashing continues, I worry that the immobilizer chip in your ECU is not the correct one or damaged. Rough soldering works sometimes damage the immobilizer chip due to the static discharge or the excessive heat.
oh okay i see now, thank you! the person who fixed my ECU told me he removed the immobilizer is what i meant to say. not sure if that’s an issue or not.
Old 03-09-23, 05:43 PM
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i think i figured it out, i was using my valet key… i tried it first with the valet and the security light is still blinking, i grabbed the master and stuck it in and the light is no longer blinking! i just assumed i could’ve used any key because the immo was removed. i will put everything back together in the engine bay and give it a try this sunday!
Old 03-09-23, 08:56 PM
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Originally Posted by yukinon
i think i figured it out, i was using my valet key… i tried it first with the valet and the security light is still blinking, i grabbed the master and stuck it in and the light is no longer blinking! i just assumed i could’ve used any key because the immo was removed. i will put everything back together in the engine bay and give it a try this sunday!
Congratulations on your success figuring out the issue. It is important to know the basic on our LS400/Celsior. Otherwise we can't shoot down the enemy right in front of us.

To remove the immobilizer is not a simple and easy job. It's a time consuming job adding an extra board with good technical skills and it can't be done by most ECU rebuilders. But someone like me would do it.

Reading your various past posts, I found that you have done something not needed or not should be done. The ECU should be powered correctly otherwise problems often occur. I hope your car/ECU was not damaged and the engine would start on Sunday.
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Old 03-17-23, 03:20 PM
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Default It started

OMG IT STARTED!!!!
I was about to give about but I kept cranking and it finally started! The idle seems fairly high? I was able to read two codes, P0340 and P1345. This car has been sitting for 4 months and I was beyond excited hearing the car run. Could the P0340 be causing the high idle? I searched around a little bit and saw that this caused high idling issues, or people saying timing? Here's the video, my reaction was maybe too much but i was so happy haha
Old 03-17-23, 04:04 PM
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Default Grinding noise if i try and start it now

Maybe I celebrated too early So I went back outside and started the car again, started fine but took a little bit. Car was still running a bit rough. I was gonna move the car a bit closer to the curb because the towing person placed it a bit far away, was hoping the car would be able to do that, once i put the car in drive the rpms dropped and then it made this weird noise and the car died. I tried to start it back up again and now it does this grinding noise, shakes the whole car. More codes did show up, P0300, P0301, P0303, P0305, P0307 which are all misfire codes. So basically the car won't crank anymore. It was kind of cold out but I doubt that would affect anything, it felt like 3 Fahrenheit
Old 03-17-23, 06:01 PM
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Congratulations on your success to start the engine. But there's still a problem. I wouldn't worry too much. I can easily imagine your smiling face soon.

Those P0340, P1345, P0300, P0301, P0303, P0305 and P0307 are all related each other. I'd simply check the cam timing of bank 1 first. The CPS or VVTi solenoid is not working right. Your symptom must be coming from it.

Last edited by Yamae; 03-17-23 at 06:05 PM.
Old 03-17-23, 07:39 PM
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You were mentioning 4 months and I checked the Forum and I found your post dated 12-03-22, 11:05 AM below.
Originally Posted by yukinon
is this how you reply?
it's a long story with this car, i pretty much just took an assumption it was the ecu before taking it to a shop. but my car started acting up one morning after putting a new battery in and it fell on it's face while driving to work, started misfiring and it had no power at all. i just thought it was the ecu because i've heard a bunch of stories of peoples ecus making their car not run properly , hopefully it is. this car hasn't given me any issues at all before i put the new battery in, this car is a champ for how many miles it has.
1999
So you initially had the problem in December last year and writing, "while driving to work, started misfiring and it had no power at all. i just thought it was the ecu".

Although you have been struggling many months, you just return to the initial point. You should not had thought that the ECU was the problem. Your problem seemed to be just the cam timing related, I can imagine.
Old 03-18-23, 07:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Yamae
You were mentioning 4 months and I checked the Forum and I found your post dated 12-03-22, 11:05 AM below.

So you initially had the problem in December last year and writing, "while driving to work, started misfiring and it had no power at all. i just thought it was the ecu".

Although you have been struggling many months, you just return to the initial point. You should not had thought that the ECU was the problem. Your problem seemed to be just the cam timing related, I can imagine.
okay cool i’ll order up the CPS and VVTi solenoid and start there.

yeah I just assumed it was the ECU because i’ve heard they go bad and cause a bunch of issues. but this whole time it might’ve just been the CPS
Old 03-18-23, 08:25 AM
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Originally Posted by yukinon
okay cool i’ll order up the CPS and VVTi solenoid and start there.

yeah I just assumed it was the ECU because i’ve heard they go bad and cause a bunch of issues. but this whole time it might’ve just been the CPS
Sorry to say but I wonder why you step ahead too much without confirming the root of the problem. Your way of thinking will be wasting the time and money more. Actually you have already wasted 4 months and some money. I worry that you will be throwing parts/money next to next. If you don't have any tools to troubleshoot like observing the waveform, simply ask someone capable or a professional to investigate. There is a possibility that timing belt is skipped, a connector is damaged, harnesses are damaged, the connections are poor or others, Things are not so simple, I must add.


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