Why does my 1988 Toyota Celica die?

Tiny
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  • 1988 TOYOTA CELICA
Hi, I have a 1988 toyota celica gt 2.0 manual trans with 125,000 miles on it
I have had my car for a few months and everything was pretty good untill recently I was driving down the street and the car sputtered and died out I pulled off to the side of the road tried to start it and it reved up to about 1500 and then died. It did have a problem before starting up when on a slight hill but nothing like now.

I have it parked and tried to start it today it idled good for about 20 minutes then I attempted to rev it up a little hitting about 3000 and let off as I let off it died.I tried starting it again and it reved to about 1500 died down to about 1000 then died out then wouldnt start for a minuite then when I tried again after a few minutes it started shortley and died. I replaced the rotor distributor cap pluggs and wires a few weeks ago and I ran some fuel injector cleaner thrue it. This was all after it did the sputter on the hill when I tried to start it a while back. It seemed to help for a while but now its doint the sameand wgot worse I thought it might be a fuel problem so I bought a new fuel filter but when they went to replace it they said it looked new. A friend told me to try a throttle possitioning sensor but I wanted to see if you had any other ideas.

please let me know if you any idea what it could be thank you.
Tuesday, December 12th, 2006 AT 2:31 AM

24 Replies

Tiny
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:)

Lets try checking the actual fuel pressure-then we'll go to the engine management system sensors and actuators.

Again we need the fuel operating pressure.
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Tuesday, December 12th, 2006 AT 4:44 AM
Tiny
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How do I check the fuel pressure?Is there a valve I can connect to or do I have to tap into a line? I have never had to check pressure on a car before please let me know.
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Sunday, December 17th, 2006 AT 10:23 PM
Tiny
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Remove the fuel filter and connect your pressure gauge, KOEO verify readings with the book as per specifications.
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Sunday, December 17th, 2006 AT 11:43 PM
Tiny
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I havent got a fuel pressure tester yet but I have noticed something else on the car. I removed the gas cap and it seems to have a lot of pressure in it. It makes a loud swooosh sound for about 3 seconds after the car has been ran and turned off. Is that normal or could that be a effect from the problem?
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Thursday, December 21st, 2006 AT 10:42 PM
Tiny
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Lets take things one at a time-check the fuel pressure-than later we'll head on over to the Evap system.
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Friday, December 22nd, 2006 AT 4:55 AM
Tiny
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Havent been able to check fuel pressure yet dont have tester or jack yet but I ran the codes dont know if it will help any but I got 12. Say in book it is a r.P.M signal codes 13. Says r.P.M signal. Code 43 says starter signal code 51 says swithch signal. Please let me know if that would hve nything to do with it or if im just going way off of track with this.
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Wednesday, January 10th, 2007 AT 3:45 PM
Tiny
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Look for spark from coil wire disconnected from the distributor
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Wednesday, January 10th, 2007 AT 3:56 PM
Tiny
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I was just starting and letting the car run then shutting it off I noticed that their would be a click, it would run good but after about a minute I would hear another click and it would die a few seconds after I had my brother listen for the fuel pump and he said after the click it would shut off. Sometimes there would be click then another it would run a little longer then another click would happen and would shut off after a few seconds again. The click souds like its comming from the back of the hatch. I also dissconnected and reconnected the connector for the pump but did not help is this the pump over heating or a relay or swich to it?
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Wednesday, January 10th, 2007 AT 4:59 PM
Tiny
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Find the diagnostic check connector-find the Fp and Batt terminal jump this two together, is the pump constantly running.

Also Check the pump relay
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Wednesday, January 10th, 2007 AT 5:08 PM
Tiny
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Fuel pump relay okay-check and test the mass airflow meter it powers up the pump-the blue wire.
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Wednesday, January 10th, 2007 AT 9:11 PM
Tiny
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I aready tried the mass air meter I took it out of my friends working celica I been trying most of his parts in my car trying to figure out what is wrong with mine.
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Wednesday, January 10th, 2007 AT 9:25 PM
Tiny
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I aready tried the mass air meter I took it out of my friends working celica I been trying most of his parts in my car trying to figure out what is wrong with mine.[/Quote:2beef1dfea]

Try swapping the EFI relay and Circuit Opening Relay and see what happens from your buddy.

BTW have you tried jumping the Fp and battery terminal in the check connector? This will constantly run the pump-when you do this and pump works for a short period time and goes kaput-you're dealing with the pump.
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Wednesday, January 10th, 2007 AT 10:39 PM
Tiny
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I tried jumping the pump today the bat to the fp and the car still died does that mean its the pump?
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Thursday, January 11th, 2007 AT 2:05 PM
Tiny
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Yeap-to get there you probably have to go thru the backseat and also change the fuel filter.

Also double check the ground wire before you get the pump-make sure the harness is clean and tight and making good connection within.
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Thursday, January 11th, 2007 AT 5:08 PM
Tiny
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Today while trying out the jump and all that I reset the ecu and only got one code this time it was 51 the switch code doesnt seem to be big deal but thought I i would just metion it. Also I went under the rear seat and there is a circular hole with the fuel pump wires commin from out of it I removed the top there was 5 screw and when I lfted it up there was 2 long metal rods one had a yellow square thing on one done know what it would be called but it held fuel and the other had some black float or some thing on it I could see the pump back a little further in the tank so im gona have to drop the gas tank to replace it but out of curioucity I was wondering if you know what the thing was that I pulled up I think it was some thing to do with telling the fuel level to the fuel guage. But was wondering if you knew. Also thank for the help im gona try to get this fuel pump done see if it fixes the problemand i'll let you know how things go. Thanks again for your time and help.
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Thursday, January 11th, 2007 AT 5:47 PM
Tiny
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That's the fuel sending unit-
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Friday, January 12th, 2007 AT 2:42 AM
Tiny
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Put the new pump in today and am still having the same problem I went and put new gas in then drove arround arround for abought 20 miutes I got home. Turened the car off when in the house for a few minutes got back in the car to go to a friends house started it up it ran for about another 2 minutes and it died any other ideas? The car died at the same time as I turned on the rear defroster never had that problem before does that have anythig to do with it?
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Saturday, January 27th, 2007 AT 7:53 PM
Tiny
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V

Disconnect the wire harness on the pump-read How many volts/

Test the fuel pump relay or substitute.

At check connector jump TE-1 to -E1 count the flash. You're begining to make me think! Computer.

When it dies-look for spark and fuel.
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Saturday, January 27th, 2007 AT 10:01 PM
Tiny
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I ran the codes again today and got 43 starter code and 51 switch code. I put in a new coil today and didnt help. I have a few people tellin me its the tps do you think that it would be that. Any other ideas?
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Friday, February 16th, 2007 AT 2:47 PM
Tiny
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I just replace the tps and also the coolent temp sesor. Same problem still happens. Do you have any other ideas? I think the only thing I havent cheked yet is the fuel pump relay I gotta try to figure out where it is I think its in the kick panel but I am not sure. A mechanic friend of my told me to also check the cat converter says it might be plugged do you think that would make it cutt out after about 15 minutes?
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Monday, February 19th, 2007 AT 12:12 AM

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