eds92sc

Okay, now I am beginning to suspect I have a cold start injector or injector switch problem. Like I said, I intermittently have a difficult time starting the engine after the car sits for a while. Cranks strong, but no ignition. Once I reset several relays under the hood, I get the car started again, and all future restarts with the engine warm are no problem. I have a feeling it might be a cold start issue. Can someone tell/show me where the cold start injector time switch is physically located? Also the cold start injector. Can someone tell me if the cold start injector system sounds like the problem I'm having? Also, are these two parts easy to get to, or will it be a rip and tear job to get to the cold start injector switch? Thanks in advance.

COULD A WEAK ALTERNATOR CAUSE THIS EVEN IF I JUST REPLACED THE BATTERY? THEORETICALLY COULDNT THE ALTERNATOR BE BAD, AND A NEW BATTERY COULD COMPENSATE FOR IT UNTIL IT RAN OUT OF JUICE?

I replaced the battery with a new one with 850CCA at 32 deg F. It started up without issues the past two days. Waiting and seeing...... PROBLEM CAME BACK. RESET THE RELAYS UNDER THE HOOD AND AGAIN I COULD START IT. ANYONE KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY CAR?

In my professional opinion, I think you are both at fault, at least that's the way it would probably turn out in the US. He is at fault for parking improperly in a stall and blocking your clear exit/entrance path for the parking stall. However, you still have the duty to make sure it is safe to back up before you begin driving in reverse. It is only my opinion. Your insurance claims person would probably work out some type of deal with the other guy's claims person.

I had a similar thing on my 92SC400. Then my timing belt broke while I was driving. After the timing belt was replaced, I stopped having this issue. Not sure if you want to peek under the timing belt shroud to see if anything is going bad. In my case, my belt tensioner was frozen, and the belt was basically rubbing against a frozen belt tensioner pulley until the belt overheated and snapped.

I replaced the battery with a new one with 850CCA at 32 deg F. It started up without issues the past two days. Waiting and seeing......

I haven't purchased one, but when I was checking around, I saw www.autocomputerexchange.com had a rebuilt one for $295.

I have a 92 SC400, and had the same problem. It cranked strong but no ignition. I looked through this forum and determined (in the case of the 4.0 Liter) that it might be the EFI relay or the fuel ECU. I reset the EFI relay inside the relay box under the hood, and my car fired right up. This only worked for a couple of times, and then I couldn't start the engine and had the same problem again. Then I went to the fuel ECU (behind the panel of the left rear passenger seat), reset the connector of the fuel ECU, and again the car started right up. I changed out the fuel ECU (it was $275 at Park Place Lexus in TX), and the car started fine for a while. Then I still had the same problem intermittently, and I just replaced the battery. Car is starting fine for now, I am waiting to see if the battery was my fix?????

If you don't drive the car regularly, then a number of things conspire against you. Firstly there is a slight but constant drain on your battery from various systems. When you do start the car but don't drive it long enough, your battery will not get fully charged. With each subsequent start and short drive, you diminish the battery's charge. You can compensate for this by putting on a trickle charge with an auto shutoff to prevent overcharging. You will also get condensation if you don't get the engine up to normal operating temps. You will get carbon buildup in the cats if they don't warm up to proper temps. Every once in a while, after getting to normal temp, I would do several 0-70 WOT runs to clean them out. If you're not driving it regularly, you should keep the fuel tank full. I would also run the a/c every time you drive to keep the seals from drying out. But in my case, the engine cranks strong, but I get no ignition. Would a weak battery cause that issue? Or do I have some other intermittent problem? Speaking of WOT, do you recommend any fuel injection cleaner in particular? Why would keeping the fuel tank full help? My AC also isnt cool anymore, but R-12 aint cheap.

Question for every SC400 lover/expert out there. Can a weak battery cause my SC400 to have a hard time starting? Has anyone else had the same problems as me? I don't drive my car much. If I don't start my car everyday and drive it for a while, I sometimes have a difficult time starting the engine. As soon as I get the car started, I don't have any more problems starting the car. Once the car starts, everything runs nice and smooth. The battery hasnt been replaced for about six years, but the car has been driven less than 15K miles since the battery was replaced. For a while my car wouldn't start at all. After I replaced my fuel ECU, I was able to start the car again. But if I don't drive it everyday, I have intermittent starting issues.

How about searching this site for members parting out their car? It looks like an easy remove and replace job.

Don't put anything on the posts. Buildup on the posts usually indicates some overcharging. If you're getting slight corrosion, use a battery cleaning kit that consists of a circular wire brush for cleaning the inside of the terminals and a round post cleaner that works a bit like sandpaper. Thanks for the tip. I also just got the fuel filter replaced. I haven't had any problems every time I start the engine now. Keeping my fingers crossed.

A MASSIVE help for me was to change the fuel filter, i gained 7 mpg right off the back, upgrade to a fram. You'd be suprised at how much less gas the engine burns if it flows better. Seems kind of backwards, but it works. Also pick up a throttle chamber cleaning kit from BG products, about 25 bucks, that works awesome too, there is alot of build up in those throttle bodies, esp around the butterfly valve. REALLY? I am getting my fuel filter replaced as we speak. I hope to improve my mileage like yours. I usually get combined 18-19 mpg. Everything is stock in my car.

I didn't have to change the left side out. Not sure if you can gain access, but how about if you reach up from below after you take the lower engine covers off. I mean the covers you take off to get to the oil filter.

I thought I read somewhere on this site that the fuel filter is a bear to replace. Or is it the fuel filter on the LS400 that is the bear? Just confirming the location of the fuel filter on the SC400 is on the driver side just forward of the left rear tire? Anything special I need to know about? Any tendencies for the fittings to strip or be frozen? When I looked at it, it looked pretty straight forward. The filter from Park Plano Lexus is close to 40 bucks? Should I stay with a Toyota part, or get an aftermarket filter that might be cheaper?

If you are talking about the cornering lights when you turn your turn signals on, then I replaced the light bulb by reaching through the small "air dam" openings just below the front bumper. It takes a skinnier arm to fit through there. I turned the light bulb socket quarter way counterclockwise, and got the bulb out and replaced the bulb. It took about two minutes total.

Well I replaced the fuel ECU with a new one, and it hasn't failed me yet when I start the car these past two days. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the old fuel ECU was bad. I also changed out the battery terminals due to corrosion. Does anyone have any ideas what is the best "lube" to put on battery terminals to keep the corrosion away? How about just plain old petroleum jelly?

OK, the wire snapped off from the main wire bundle. If you look to the right of the right trunk strut, you will see a black bundle of wires wrapped together in black "tape" running down the right side. The photo you have showing the wire dangling pulled away from that main wire bundle. Peel apart the wire protector and look for the cut wire in the main wire bundle. I crawled into my trunk so that I didn't have to hurt my back. Hope this info helps. My SC400 was the same way. Once I spliced the wires back together, my third brake light was back in business. When you do get the wires spliced back together, consider rerouting the wires for a looser run so that it doesn't happen again, otherwise everytime you open and close the trunk the wires are pulling apart.

No picture, but on the left valve cover, look for the black hose running into the valve cover. The PCV valve is attached to the end of this black hose and the valve cover. If you take off the hose, just tug and pull on the PCV valve until it comes off the valve cover. After you get it off, if you hear the single "ball bearing" inside loose when you shake it, your PCV valve is still good. I have a 92SC400 but I imagine the engine hasn't changed much between the 92 and the 98 SC400.

yes your car was in limp in mode and when you took out the relay it reset the ecu wouldnt be suprised if it happens again Yup, it happened several more times. Now resetting the relay won't fix the problem. I took off the left rear passenger side panel to access the Fuel ECU and took off the connector and reset it, and the car started fine again. I ordered a new fuel ECU from Park Plano Lexus Dealer in TX. Hopefully the new fuel ECU will solve my start problems.

you check thye codes by jumping e1 and te1 on either diagnostic port turn key on count the flashes just wait till the ecu is right the ecu controls everything ..almost put my new ect/ecu tonight and was amazed!!!!! the whole car came alive and fast as ever no wierd stuff happening. and for only 75 bucks Are you talking about the fuel ECU, or the engine ECU? Only 60 buck? Where did you get it? Is this ECU the one behind the right rear passenger seat side panel? Thanks in advance.

I haven't checked any codes because I don't own an OBD reader. The car has been starting ok, the first start takes a little longer. Once I get it going, it restarts like it used to. It seems like the car throws out erroneus fault codes from what I am gathering from the comments posted. The parts aren't cheap. I don't mind buying a replacement part for the car if I know it will fix the start problem. I hope you guys are able to diagnose the problem and get a permanent fix. Please keep sharing your knowledge. It is very much appreciated, bro!

yes your car was in limp in mode and when you took out the relay it reset the ecu wouldnt be suprised if it happens again So is my ECU bad? Should I replace it before "pulling out the relay fix" fails to reset the ECU anymore? Just confirming you mean Fuell pump ECU that is behind the right passenger panel area. Thanks for replying.

See my other reply to this problem.

Well, I am replying to myself. After reading the posts, I swapped out the relays in the fuse box under the hood (between the EFI and the defrost) and the car started right up. I tried starting the eng before switching out the relays and the car wouldn't start, so I know this fixed it. The funny thing is, I swapped the relays back, and the car still started right up! Anyone have any ideas on this phenomenon??? Again, I hardly drive the SC, and it's been extremely hot this past couple days in Northern CA.