Problems With My Car.

[zeta]

well today. i was coming home from a party... and i was stopped at a red light. after a few seconds of sitting with my brakes down, the car begins to shake. almost like there's not enough battery juice. the engine gives spurts of energy. it's not a constant engine revolution sound. i got home, and stuck the car in park in the driveway and stepped out. i looked at the headlights on the wall. and as the surges of power ran through the engine, the lights got brighter with the extra surges of energy. i'm not sure what's really wrong with it. i was in an accident a month ago, and had just gotten the car back a few days ago. i took a light to the timing belt and could see it turning like it had spasms. it didn't move smoothly. i'm not sure what could be the cause of this. whether electrical or what... i was thinking maybe the battery, alternator, or regulator. or anything connected to the timing belt or crankshaft. but i'm not sure. not all that good with mechanics. if anyone has any help on this, it's greatly appreciated. especially you, sk. :D

thanks. leave me anythin' that's on your mind.

kevin

[ProZac]

Geez zeta, that don't sound good... What i Pray its not is a broken Piston or Rod, my gf's old vw cabriolet had one of those, it would run, but then the engine would start surging and the rpm's would Drop to nothing, then go back up again, OR the engine would shut off totally. I just remember a lot of shaking. Did you call the shop you took it? cause it's mostlikely something they did unless your accident was bad enough that the engine broke somewhere.

I hope it all works out, keep us posted!

Brian

[SKperformance]

you sure know how too make a fool feel special

i only help with what i can

well i don't think it is the alternator

as the surges of rpms will normally cause the lights to get dim as many may have noticed at idle

first question is does the car accelerate easily or is it sluggish or bogging

it may be the air flow meter

i have had this problem with the $1100 part

luckly i cleaned and was ok ever since

what year is the car and try and be detailed with explainations of how it is driving now

i guess no check engine light?

you could fo the hell of it try disconnecting the battery and resetting the ecu

but i doubt it would do anything

oh yah i probably may not answer unless you post rather soon

as i am going to cuba in the morning

[zeta]

well the car drives fine when it gets going. if the rpm surges begin after sitting at a red light for a while, the acceleration is really slow. almost like it's just in d without me gassing until it finally catches up.

[zeta]

the check engine light did come up at one red light though, but when i started driving again it dissapeared, and when i took it around the neighborhood for a few test stops to see what happens after it starts showing the surges it didn't show up at all. it only showed up for a few seconds. maybe 2-3 seconds.

but when i was stopped during the test runs and the surges started trying to throw the car forward, i would release the brake, and the engine would pass by 7 surges until the car went into a smooth roll in drive without gassing.

oh and the car is a '93. it has about 104k miles on it. where exactly IS the air flow meter?

[SKperformance]

don't worry about the meter yours is a large flap design on the edge of the air filter box

it doesn't get plugged

how high in rpms are the surges

if you turn offf the lights and any other electrical system does it change?

[zeta]

the rpm's don't really move much. maybe from 1k to about 1.5k it's not a big surge, but it makes the car sort of shake forward everytime it surges.

i only had the headlights on. i never got the chance to turn them off since it was at night. i didn't have the radio on or anythin' else. not a/c either.

i'm just sort of scared because of the budging forward. the car doesn't move on the ground, but the car itself has a budging feeling like it wants to go forwards, but because the brakes are applied, it can't.

[SKperformance]

what does your car normally idle at

i think mine is 750 rpms

but a different engien though

if you where coming off the freeway i would say it is the torque convertor

also does the ac work normally

try it and see

if the car is in neutral and you floor it does it raise rpms normally or very slow

[zeta]

well i'm gonna get some sleep and take the car to a lexus service shop down the street tomorrow morning. if you've got any ideas, i'd love to hear what you think the problem might be, skp.

i'm real worried about the car. i hope it's not an expensive problem or anything. the shaking just sort of scares me. :(

[zeta]

it idles around 1k. i think a bit lower. i've never really paid attention to the idling rpm count.

i was on city roads. maybe hit 50mph at most.

i'm pretty sure the a/c works fine. and the rpm's rise normally in neutral. the only problem is in park and in drive. i don't think there's a problem in reverse. i didn't hold the brake down in reverse, so i'm not completely sure. i think the problem only appears when the engine is engaged in a moving gear.

[SKperformance]

it doesn;t try and stall does it?

[zeta]

i'm not sure. it sort of does seem like it almost stalls. i think the engine actually did stall at the red light when the check engine light came on. i saw the check engine light and i was still on the brakes. i let the brakes go, but nothing happened and i couldn't hear the engine anymore. so i turned the car off, and restarted it.

[SKperformance]

one more thoguht is a vacum line for the cold start valve it increases idle when there is no vaum to it

you might have a broken rubber hose

check tehm out and see it is usually right around the throllte plate area of the intake manifold

it would be the best bet

also try taking a hose off at a time to see which one it is to trace it

uplug and the rpms will raise a bit and then lower once replaced

only thought is you say it doesn't want ot accelerate properly

might even be an o2 sesor causing the car to run rich for a second

follow the wire from the exhaust manifold and see if it is being melted or broken somewhere

those seem like the 2 best bets

[zeta]

i have no clue where ANY of that stuff is... lol yes i'm mechanically-challenged. lol i don't spend enough time checking my engine bay. it's sad... i know... lol.

i'll bring it to the lexus service people tomorrow and have them check it. thanks for the input, sk.

would you drive the car in its current condition? do you think it would be safe to drive?

[SKperformance]

if it is only 500 rpms and you obviously are aware it may happen just stay back far enough from any cars infront and keep your foot planted on the brake

the more i think about it i would say it is an oxyegn sensor

as it gives milliseocnd impules to the ecu to enrich fuel

[zeta]

all right, thanks sk. so it shouldn't be a problem driving except for maybe stalling, or breaking loose from the brakes. but my brakes hold fine. i holds very well to the engine power surges.

[zeta]

well i found the problem, sk.

the problem was a crack in the intake pipe. you mentioend the O2 sensor, so i checked everything related to the airbox and the O2 sensor area. when i ran from the air box towards the intake manifold, i noticed a crack. it's about 3 inches long. this would be the reason for the air to run too rich during idle. you were right, sk. :)

well the lexus service shop isn't open today, but ijust duct taped the crack up, and the car works fine right now. i'm gonna go to the lexus service shop on monday and see how much the part is, and i'm wondering if i can just switch out the intake pipe myself. it doesn't seem too hard. maybe 5-6 clips. i don't want to spend money on labor fees. it seems like a DIY work.

[SKperformance]

yah you already know it is easy to chaneg

remember the v6 camry one is the same rubber pipe

try and locate a used one at a junk yard

glad you fixed it

or atleast know what is wrong without paying for it

but don't worry i will send you an invoice

what is you adress again

lmao

i am only kidding

[SKperformance]

oh one more thing if the pipe is cracked it may be from the engine mounts being worn or broken

check the dog mount one on the right side ( from driver seat)

of the engine bay

it looks like a big bone with round ends if it is cracked it will cause the problem to reoccur

for having too much play

[lex]

In my 92 ES, I had a similar problem of rough surges during idling and stalling on steep hills. And the lexus dealer found out that the tube going into the air idle control valve was cracked due to excessive engine movement from worn engine mounts. maybe your accident was bad enough to crack this tube as well. I didn't have the headlight problem though so maybe you have an additional problem as well.