ST185 Carlos Sainz no check engine light won't start

spid1005

New member
Hello, i have a problem maybe someone will help me because i have no ideas. (sorry for bad english). I own a Toyota Celica ST185 Carlos Sainz Limited Edition.
This car starts and run's well but there is 1 BIG problem. Car sometimes doesn't want to start. What happens ?
I can go to the garage start it, it will start normally without problems(Check Engine Light appears when u turn the key to ignition) . I will run it in garage for about ~20minutes, and when i will turn the car off and try to start it again then Check Engine Light does NOT appear on ignition and car won't start.
Here's what happens -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF-MahNAhIM if im gonna wait 1/2/3 hours and it will cool down then Check Engine Light appears and car starts normally. 1 time i was on a road and car turned off while i was driving. I replaced Fuses / EFI Main Relay, it doesn't solve the problem. I checked error codes when it cooled down connecting Te1 and E1, Check Engine Light was blinking fast i checked what it means, and it means that there are no error codes. Someone can help me what should i do ?
 

audiodjmp77

New member
Is there an aftermarket immobiliser or alarm fitted ? My check engine light does not come on if the car is immobilised

Sent from my Nexus 9
 

FC Zach

Active member
Mine had similar symptoms like the engine randomly cutting off while driving, starting for one trip but not the other, and waiting a period of time to attempt again and it starts. . .

My fix was the fuel pump relay. The original was toasted, literally, it got so hot that the soldered connection had melted and shorted at times.

I see you mention replacing the "EFI Main Relay", not sure if that's the same relay or not but if not I suggest checking/replacing the fuel pump relay.

Next time this happens, if it leaves you stranded like mine did me, you could bypass the fuel circuit by bridging the "Fp and +B" terminals in the test connector which will keep the pump on to get you home. Here's my "Emergency Help" thread http://www.alltrac.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=51010
 

spid1005

New member
Well thanks for advice :). Right now i send car to the mechanic, i hope he will solve the problem. But any suggestions will help.

I added video to YouTube what happens if Check Engine Light doesn't appear, also when Check Engine Light doesn't appear and i turned the key to ignition you can hear this "weird" sound in car(u can listen it at 0:02)-> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lakHh5TiHa4, but when Check Engine Light appears this sound doesn't exist. :|. There is another video -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lakHh5TiHa4 after ~10 minutes i managed to run the car as u can see there is a Check Engine Light and there is no this "weird" sound. I give a little gas to the car and it turned off, when i tried to turn it on, there was no Check Engine Light and this "weird" sound appeared. :/

What i also found that if car get's hot it disconnects EFI Main Relay, i left the car on ignition for about 1minute and i was just waiting. Then i heard this "Click" sound that Relays do if they start working and Check Engine Light appeared. I think is something with electricity, like something is broken maybe with cables and when installtion/some wire/cable gets hot it disconnects this relay. Also could it be crankshaft position sensor ? It's not that easy to change it because it's in distributor.

Mechanic said that he goes to 1week vacations, so i need to wait.
 

underscore

Well-known member
Either the ECU isn't getting power, or the ECU isn't functioning properly. Given the age of these cars the capacitors in the ECU may be starting to fail when they get hot.
 

LvX

New member
check if the rev needle bounce when you try to start the car, if not is an ecu/distributor problem.
i had similar problem and was the leaking capacitor in the ecu that blew a track.
if the needle bounce than could be a fuel related problem
 

spid1005

New member
LvX":6r0hrs3l said:
check if the rev needle bounce when you try to start the car, if not is an ecu/distributor problem.
i had similar problem and was the leaking capacitor in the ecu that blew a track.
if the needle bounce than could be a fuel related problem

Well the problem is that tachometer doesn't work from about 1 year :|.
 

spid1005

New member
Today i visited mechanic that repairs my car. And he said he checked everything he could and he can't see the problem. He also said, that it must be some ECU Failure, he's not 100% sure. And here is my question how i can find ECU for this car ? -> ST185 Carlos Sainz Limited Edition (1991)(4WD)(Turbo).

Can someone help me where i can buy some cheap ECU that will 100% work good with this Car. I can't afford to spend X.XXX$ when im not sure if it's ECU problem.
 

LvX

New member
Open the ecu, is not difficult at all and check for something visually damaged, then if there is something wrong bring it to some electrycal techinitian to have it repaired. If you don't see nothing wrong check the connector for ground and +12. If everything ok check the distributor.
 

spid1005

New member
LvX":3kr294f8 said:
Open the ecu, is not difficult at all and check for something visually damaged, then if there is something wrong bring it to some electrycal techinitian to have it repaired. If you don't see nothing wrong check the connector for ground and +12. If everything ok check the distributor.

My car is repairing a mechanic right now. He said he checked ECU and everything was OK, he said he will check it again. I asked in other forum and people said that 19100-88363 Distributor will fit, but i checked and i have 19100-88364 Distributor in my Toyota. Is that true that 19100-88363 will be ok ?
 

audiodjmp77

New member
The ecu is under where the radio is. Where abouts are you, as there is a guy based in the UK that repairs cs ecus. Come to think of it there is a repair guide on the Internet somewhere to replace the faulty capacitors.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
 

LvX

New member
I' ve repaired mine, it's not difficult any tv repair shop can do it, btw i'll check before as a leaking capacitor is easy to see.
I had a burned track with a big black stain on the cover and on the board
 

LvX

New member
I don't think the ecu is ok as the diagnostic light must blink when you connect pins in diagnostic port, also if no error has to be reported. If it stay off is either a faulty ecu or bad wiring or broken bulb
 

spid1005

New member
LvX":2334ywg6 said:
I' ve repaired mine, it's not difficult any tv repair shop can do it, btw i'll check before as a leaking capacitor is easy to see.
I had a burned track with a big black stain on the cover and on the board

Well thats not the problem. Problem is that mechanic said that he checked ECU and everything was OK. I said to him what u told me and he respond that he will check ECU again.
 

spid1005

New member
Hello guys !. Today i took my Car from mechanic. And it's working, it starts every time and everything is fine. The only problem is that mechanic doesn't know what he did that it works, he repaired/celaned wires, entrance of relays/fuses etc. And it works fine now. So im happy.

With one exception, i was going home in the road this Light that indicates Economy GREEN/ORANGE. Changed to Orange, but i didn't add gas snd car started to working on high RPM. When it idles u can hear that car has a little too much RPM's idling. Im gonna try start it tomorrow, but anybody knows what's the problem ?
 

psipwrd

Member
Was prob a bad or loose ground wire under the hood. My mechanic couldnt figure that out either.

You should be able to adjust the idle with the screw on the throttlebody.
 

LvX

New member
Check for error in the ecu (shortcut te1 and e1 in diagnostic connector).
could be a problem with the connector of the ecu, maf or tps.
 
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