The engine cranks fine. The starter and battery are new. When its malfunctioning, it just won't fire. Not even once. It's as if you had no fire to the spark plugs but as I undersatnd it lack of fuel pressure could do the same thing. The problem is the malfunction is intermittant - it recurs variably after 1,2 days or it waits a week or a month. Then - it just won't start. Absolutely without warning. Car can be running fine, stop to get gas or run and errand and then it just won't start.
I am having the exact problem with my 94 ls. Mechanic is telling me it's the ECM but I'm not convinced. I have 188K miles and it's never failed to start right up until last week after work - starter would crank and crank but no fire. Left it at work and next day at lunch tried it again and it fired right up and ran great. Drove it home in the evening no problem, then did a fillup and to the grocery - came out of the store and it would not hit a lick! I'm browsing through this forum for any ideas - Because the problem is intermittent, it doesn't appear to me to be the computer - wouldn't a bad computer cause it to never crank?
On a side note - when I came out of the grocery and car failed to crank, I found a puddle of gasoline under my car at the gas door. I didn't overfill the tank - what would cause this? Thanks for any help you guys - I love my car and want to keep it, but I can't afford to let the mehanic start changing out parts till he finds the right problem.
Interesting! Well, I have no gas leak, but maybe you have a different problem. The mechanics wanted to start changing out parts for me too with me funding the research!! First they changed the fuel pump, telling me it had low fuel pressure. No change. Then they changed the "fuel pump control module", for about $550, no change. At least I got a refund for that. Its at the shop again and they want to change the plugs, wires, cap and rotor. I really don't think that will fix it either since the engine runs perfectly smooth when it runs.
When that happens, I would think that they want to check each spark plug wires and see if they have spark. If not, trace back to ignition coil, ECU, ... A low tech solution, remove each spark plug and see if it's wet from fuel; that means there's no spark goes to it.
For fuel, they can check the signal at each injector, fuel pressure, fuel pressure regulator, fuel return line.
Hope you get it fix. Hope you find the solution for it.
Thi
Well, my guy thinks he has narrowed this down to the ECM ($1200) ouch!! He has determined:
* NO FUEL PRESSURE
* NO SPARK
* NO INJECTOR PULSE
Can anyone recommend where I might get this computer for less $$????? And if this sounds likely to be my problem???
If that's a dealer or some independence shop, you want them to guarantee that's the problem; otherwise, you want the money back, written agreement. If you want new part, I ordered some parts through "ParkPlacePlanoParts.com/Lexus" and have good luck with them, plus they are much cheaper than my local dealer. If you don't need a California ECM, they sell one for $752 (1992 model). Go in the catalog and search for ECM. With electronic part, be careful because they usually don't take it back once you buy it. I talked with them on the phone before and they are nice and helpful.
Other option would be local junk yard, make sure you can return it if that's not the problem. Unless it's a lot cheaper than the dealer mentioned above, you'll be probably better buying it new.
Try this place. Lots of info on their website. http://www.ecmtogo.com/
Well it finally failed again at the independent shop and they switched out a battery voltage relay and the main ECU and it still didn't start! So, considerable new info but still no solution.