Engine Stalls

Tiny
CHRISSEA
  • MEMBER
  • 1988 TOYOTA CAMRY
I have an 88 Camry, 3SFE 2000 FI, automatic and I need help. Please!

Engine starts up and idles fine when it's cold. As soon as the engine warms up, after about 15 or 20 minutes, it sputters and dies. When this happens there is no spark at the plugs. It will spark once and then no spark. Once it cools down (15 minutes or so later) the it cranks and starts up just fine again. This is driving me crazy!
Also, I found a little oil in the distributor cap when this initially happened. The neutral safety switch acts up sometimes too.

Have already replaced:
wires
cap
rotor button
ignition coil
ignitor
air filter
oil pressure switch

ANY help or ideas would be great! Thanks
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Wednesday, April 25th, 2007 AT 7:38 AM

31 Replies

Tiny
THE_HYDROXIDE_CHILD
  • MEMBER
  • 82 POSTS
Sounds wierd but ill take a shot. Sounds to me like the coolant temperature sensor cuz what I was always told was the cts adjusts the fuel and everything in certain temperatures. But thats just what I would check.
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Wednesday, April 25th, 2007 AT 11:46 AM
Tiny
CHRISSEA
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  • 5 POSTS
Thanks. I'm buying one of those this evening. If anyone else has any other ideas it would be greatly appreciated as this is very frustrating. Everyday we try something and it turns out to not be the solution.
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Thursday, April 26th, 2007 AT 6:29 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
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The neutral safety switch acts up sometimes too.

The NSS is gonna be a starting issue, Dies out could be an ignition switch failing, coil, and ignitor.
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Thursday, April 26th, 2007 AT 7:14 PM
Tiny
CHRISSEA
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  • 5 POSTS
We replaced coil & ignitor already, no luck, not sure about the ignition switch & I'm getting an NSS this weekend if the temp sensor that I bought last night doesn't do the trick.
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Friday, April 27th, 2007 AT 7:59 AM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
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Check the fuel pressure to rule out the pump-CTS and ignition switch good place to start
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Friday, April 27th, 2007 AT 3:25 PM
Tiny
CHRISSEA
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  • 5 POSTS
We found a crack in the aluminum housing (waterneck) where the ECT sits and the coolant return hose attaches. Could this cause our problem?
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Friday, April 27th, 2007 AT 5:11 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
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The ECT/TPS/MAF sensor when defective will cause stalling-check the ECT resistances cold and hot. Try fixing it then retry and comeback we still got a long way to go to find this critter.

Have you ever change the oxygen sensor?

The coolant sensor monitors engine temperature. The PCM uses this information to regulate a wide variety of ignition, fuel and emission control functions. When the engine is cold, for example, the fuel mixture needs to be richer to improve drivability. Once the engine reaches a certain temperature, the PCM starts using the signal from the O2 sensor to vary the fuel mixture. This is called "closed loop" operation, and it is necessary to keep emissions to a minimum.

Also might want to bypass the ignition switch to rule it out by taking a wire from the battery positive post to the coil positive terminal this will power the ignition without the help of the igniton switch. The only time you need the switch is to engage the starter that's all. And see what happens. This don't work check the other sensors.

Good LUck
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Saturday, April 28th, 2007 AT 1:05 AM
Tiny
CHRISSEA
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Got a distributor at the junk yard and it's all better! It's run for 55 minutes so far and it's looking good!
Thanks so much for all the help! I'm sure I'll be back again. Knock on wood.
Thank you!
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Saturday, April 28th, 2007 AT 5:15 PM
Tiny
RIPPER123
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1988 TOYOTA CAMRY
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 88,000 MILES
I have a 1988 toyota camry. The car ran great for 2 weeks then started stalling while driving. I replaced the distributor, checked to make sure there was no junk in the gas tank, replaced the fuel filter and it still happens. The car will idol but if I give it gas, it chokes and dies. It wont restart for a while then it will start back up and run like nothing is wrong for a few miles and do it all over again. I checked the exhaust to see if the cadilidic converter is choking it and the exhaust is fine. I and my mechanic are stumped.
Please help.
Thank you
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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,938 POSTS
Hi there

Check for any fault codes, (codes can be set without the check light coming on) check fuel flow and pressure, check ignition on oscilloscope for faulty ignition pattens. Check ignition timing and valve timing, vacuum leaks and valve clearances.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MEEJAH
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1986 TOYOTA CAMRY
Engine Performance problem
1986 Toyota Camry Two Wheel Drive Automatic 133646 miles

My Camry is still hanging in there bless it's heart. However, whenever I come to a stop such as a red light, it behaves as thought it's about to shut off. It shudders, sounds like it's cutting off or maybe losing power, then when I give it some gas where off again. This can happen whether I've just started driving or have been driving for a while. I've taken it too the dealership 3 times now and they can't tell me what's wrong. I've changed the oil, did a tune-up.

Also, the spring has popped of my fuel tank door, so now I have to wait at gas stations like a stalker for someone to open it for me while I hold the release lever inside the card :-(. Where could I get this spring?

Thank you in advance for any advice!
Best Regards,
Meejah
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+1
Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
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Get the idle air control valve, throttle position and mass airflow sensors to include the PCV and EGR valves checked out-also check the fuel pressure
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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MEEJAH
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Just to clarify your message (the word include is throwing me off). You want me to get all of the following things checked out:

Idle air control Valve
Throttle position
PCV valve
EGR valve
Fuel pressure
?
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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
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The items I've mentioned earlier will affect your idle and cause the engine to stall or run rough

Lets start with the airflow meter and the throttle position sensor then get back with me for more assistance

BTW is this a Carb or an EFI system?
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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
GARY PERKINSON
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1986 TOYOTA CAMRY
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 100,000 MILES
Hey folk, my mother owns the vehicle. She experienced the engine cutting out or "fanning". You had to vigorously pump the accelerator pedal to eventually clear it and regain power (but not to the original or full performance) in order to nurse it home again.. Starts up and runs perfectly but seems to fall back into cutting out after it warms up. It will idol normally, but when you attempt to give it fuel (after driving a short time), it seems as if it is flooding out. We put new plugs, air filter and distributer cap into it. I am short of putting a new fuel filter into it, but was told that if that were the problem, the fanning would be more constant rather than it happening after the engine warming up. I was also told that it might have something to do with the automatic choke not filtering down after the warm up, but I cannot find reference to the choke in the car manual purchased. Any ideals to what it might be, I would greatly appreciate your impute!
Clueless and broke in Seattle... Gary
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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Hi Gary,

Thank you for the donation.

Did you check the spark plug conditions? Are they burning rich ( sooty) or lean ( whitish )?

Is the Check Engine light indicating?

I would suggest getting the MAF cleaned and retesting.
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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
TOOIEPANTS
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1986 TOYOTA CAMRY
1986 Toyota Camry 150000 miles

My '86 Toyota Camry doesn't start when it's wet(after it rains, morning dew.) And sometimes when it's very hot out. It also stalls out at random times after running just fine. The check oil light comes on, but when I check the oil, it is fine. What could be wrong? How can I check and/or fix it?
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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Duplicate the problem and do below to determine if its fuel or spark that's causing it.

Disconnect a sparkplug wire or 2 and ground it to the engine -have helper crank engine over-do you have a snapping blue spark? If so-you have a fuel related problem, check the fuel pressure to rule out the fuel filter/fuel pump/pressure regulator and listen to the injector/s are they pulsing or hook up a noid light. No snapping blue spark continue to troubleshoot the ignition system-power input to the coil/coil packs, coil's resistances, cap and rotor /distributor pick-up coil, ignition control module, ECM, Ignitor cam and crank sensors- Note: If it doesn't apply disregard it
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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BLONDIEISHOT
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1987 TOYOTA CAMRY
Other Category problem
1987 Toyota Camry 4 cyl Two Wheel Drive Manual 130k miles

it will start, sometimes hard, when it is cool
it idles ok
I live in ND and it's cold right now. It seems like when I run the heater to warm the interior of the car it will die.
It dies when I am driving. Everything but the dash lights just stops
it won't start again for a while.
Any ideas
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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Lets start by having the coolant temperature sensor check-this done check out the idle air control valve and throttle position sensor. These 3 checks out -have the fuel system pressure checked and comeback with the results so we can go on to the next phase
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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 10:22 AM (Merged)

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