mrparedes Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 In early Aug the CEL + trac off light came on in my 2000 ES300. I took it to the local Toyota dealer and was told that they pulled codes PO171 and PO330. They said the MAF was extremely dirty so they cleaned it. No lights for @ 3 days. Returned to dealer, this time they only pulled PO330 but the tech was confident the Knock sensor was bad and it would cost $510.00 to replace. I asked where the "knock sensor" was located and why the labor cost was three times more than the part, to put it bluntly I don't think the tech even new what a "knock sensor" was. I asked what further damage could be done if I waited until I had the $ to replace the "knock sensor" and was told I could expect poor gas mileage but nothing else. Two weeks later the engine seized and locked up tighter than a drum with at least one thrown connecting rod and severe heat damage everywhere. I found a 2001 ES300 with @ 40000 mi. that had been totaled in a rear end collision and hired a localed engine exchange company to do the swap. During the test drive the CEL + trac off light came back on. I had signed on to the Lexus owners club during this time and had read all of the various "cel + trac off"posts here. Since I was near an autozone when the lights came back on I pulled in and had them pull the codes. The only pulled PO330. I talked to the mechanic that performed the engine swap and discovered that he used the old air intake assembly with the old MAF in the swap. I purchased a new MAF for $115.00 off Ebay and installed it myself. I pulled the EFI fuse to reset the codes and took it for a test drive. NO lights, yea!!. Two days later the lights came back when I was kind off cruising @ 50 mph with my foot off the gas at low rpm's when I depressed the gas pedal I could feel the engine misfire and the lights were back. They guy that did the engine swap pulled codes PO300, PO302, PO304, PO306 and PO1351. He says that he rechecked all of the spark plugs, coils, and wires and all of the vacuum hoses. But he lost my trust when he told me he had to take off the upper plennum to get at the spark plugs. When I asked why he checked the #1, 3, and 5 plugs when the codes indicated the misfires were in #2, 4 and 6 he became real defensive and assured me that the cylinders closest to the firewall were #2, 4, and 6. I finally pursueded him to look at the drawing SKperformance had posted here. After performing all the checks on the other three cylinders he decided to swap the camshaft position sensor (PO1351) and reset the ECU. No lights for a day. Now they're back and Autozone pulled the same random misfire codes. I'm totally frustrated at this point and I don't think I can trust the engine swap mechanic but since his work is covered by the warranty and the dealer wants $110.00 just to do the scan I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. HELP!!!! :cries: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sub786sub Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 You should have changed the computer too ( for the same totalled car ) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKperformance Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 Did you ever find out if your last engine was sludged? It would have made it a free replacment. Also a person can find it much easier to acess the rear bank of plugs by removing the manifold , i personally have enough tools that i have not done it that way. I have to agree the computer sounds a bit funny as well. A misfire is possible as the front plugs have individual coils on top of each [plug. The rear bank has wires going to them from the side an 1 main coil for them ,so there may be a problem with the coil on this new engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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