RORERI: A JDM 1992 ST185H-BLMVZ

Roreri

Active member
Absolutely, Domspun. That sounds like a good idea!

As I'm moving in a couple of weeks, and no matter what, I have to get the Lorelei on the auto trailer, I think I'll wait until I'm safely at the next residence to tackle this. This will give me some time to get a junkyard ECU and try my hand at it, to test the concept and build my skills.

I could see going as far as getting a second Gen2 3S-GTE ECU and recapping it--I did get twice as many capacitors as I needed--and then seeing whether it works when I throw it into the Lorelei.

As for the caps I got, the Nichicon is rated at 3000 hours at 105°C, and all the others are Panasonics rated at 5000 hours at 105°C. These were the brands and types recommended in multiple threads and as I recall underscore went with Panasonic EEUs for the most part for his recap job. The Nichicon is the correct microFarad rating and overstrength on voltage which I was told was acceptable or even a good thing. But I have Panasonic EEA-GA1V150B 15µF35V capacitors which I assume worked for underscore, as a backup if I come across information waving me off using the Nichicons. I just wanted a long endurance capacitor to set the ECU up for as long a life as possible before it dies.

To test a theory I had, I cleaned the electrolyte the capacitors puked out onto the board with vinegar and then cleaned the area with denatured alcohol. Then I closed the ECU up put it back in and took the Lorelei for a 22km loop.

No CEL. So, I figure I eliminated the ground fault that was causing the CEL to light. I'm not observing any grave irregularities in how it runs. I don't know how much time I bought by doing this, but probably at least enough to make it to Colorado and then approach the deed on my own timeline.
 

Roreri

Active member
This was the first week where I found myself thinking, "This is more of a pain in the ass than I really wanted." But, I'm about to move and I'm pinching off projects and out-processing and arranging matters for our move and so that was definitely a factor. Here's what I've done in the past couple of weeks.

Caliper Lube

I'd been hearing a pretty pronounced creak from the rear calipers. I applied some silicone grease to the slide pins. I was only able to figure out how to access the pins that unscrew. The other side, I couldn't figure out. That fixed it, but it's come back a little, so I might have to apply some more.

Coilover Adjustment

When I installed the Feal 441s I left them at stock dampening (15/30). This was okay but I was curious about what softening them up would feel like. I adjusted them five clicks softer (counterclockwise) and I've been riding that for the past week. It's pretty good--definitely noticeable. I also dropped the rears another half inch while I had the tires off as I was doing the caliper slide pin lube job. I think that's where I might leave them.

After Rear Coilover Drop One Half Inch 9JUN2022.JPG
Tire Replacement

As I was going to put the tires back on after lubing the brake caliper slide pins, I realized I'd picked up a nail outside of the repairable area on my left rear tire. As I only had 5000 miles on this set of tires I decided to replace just that one.

Antenna Motor Disable

The audio head unit logic started trying to raise and lower the antenna for some reason. I unplugged the antenna motor back underneath the left rear panel in the cargo area. I just had to remove the rear panel and then the left panel to get to it. Much better solution than trying to get at the wire at the head unit.

Antenna Motor Unclipped 10JUN2022.JPG
ECU Capacitor Replacement

I got my hands on some soldering equipment, the required capacitors, and a backup ECU, Toyota 89661-17380--a JDM 1993 MR2 ECU visually identical to my 1992 JDM GT-Four ECU.

GT-Four and MR2 ECUs Compared (Identical).JPG
There are some small differences, specifically in some of the chip part numbers, but the capacitors appear to be the same. I tested it in the Lorelei and it worked just fine. Armed with a safety net, I decided to tackle the job before moving, because I knew that once I got to Colorado, I might not get to it for months.

I started out with the GT-Four ECU. I replaced the visually failed and leaking capacitors at C810 on the lower board and C512 on the upper board. Then I swapped it back in and fired up the motor. The CEL lit for a moment until the new caps took on a full charge, then went out. Performance was normal on a test drive.

I then cracked open the MR2 ECU and replaced the C810 and C512 capacitors--on this one the C810 capacitor had failed and leaked onto the PCB but no CEL yet. After replacing the capacitors, I took the Lorelei out on a test drive and all was well.

Feeling confident, I replaced the C500, C101, and C109 capacitors on the GT-Four ECU. This time, when I swapped it back in and fired up the Lorelei, the CEL lit and stayed on. It was immediately obvious the motor was struggling to maintain a stable idle, then it slowly starved out. I could keep it running if I fed it gas, but the CEL never went out.

I drove the Lorelei with the MR2 ECU for a couple of days while I gave it a think. I decided that I'd not done a good enough job on one of the joints for the C109 capacitor, so I added some more material. That did the trick--when I swapped it in the Lorelei fired right up and idled strong. The CEL faded on and then faded, remaining ever so slightly lit like the ECU was making its mind up about my work, then it faded out and stayed off. Performance was normal on a test drive.

I felt pretty good about pulling this off, and I definitely stretched my skills, though I was pretty exhausted. It's nervy work. Plus working in my garage under a shop light in Northern Virginia is hot as balls in June. I practiced a little, but it's still precise work. My joints look like hammered dogshit. Lead free solder is pretty miserable for this--I would recommend leaded solder, though perhaps I just need to level up. I think I'll re-approach this sometime to clean up my work, or complete the task--I replaced two caps on the MR2 ECU and five caps on the GT-Four ECU. Or...I'll just ride these two stock ECUs out and eventually go for a standalone way down the road. I'm pretty close to moving, so I think I need to lay off and not press my luck!
 

Roreri

Active member
I’m moving out to the north side of Colorado Springs and will be there from 1 July. We’re moving into the forever house. So, I’ll be looking for all kinda resources and car friends there. The Lorelei will be a mountain car.

EDIT: To add some observations about the Lorelei's performance. This is entirely subjective, but it felt smoother overall. I imagine that the failed capacitors were very much a major cause of the hesitance and occasional dropouts. So, if anyone has similar issues, I'll certainly recommend considering it, in addition to all the other normal causes.
 

Roreri

Active member
All loaded up and ready to start the westward movement!

30067CC5-E3D4-40B3-8EAA-16DD86F7BA7A.jpeg
Lately the original 1992 JDM GT-Fout ECU that I replaced five capacitors on started doing some weird stuff. I’d turn the key to the ON position and the gauge cluster boost gauge needle would flick to full turbo indicated. When I’d turn the motor over, it would drop down toward the zero mark and the motor would stall out.

Sometimes it would do this, sometimes not.

I didn’t have time to figure it out here, so I switched out to the backup 1993 JDM MR2 ECU I replaced two caps on. Which has worked fine so far.

I’ll continue to look into it once I get established in Colorado Springs.

I am applying maximum superstition in an effort to ensure a smooth trip:

BC7019E0-D799-4EF6-87BE-276476ECEE56.jpeg
 

Roreri

Active member
The journey across the United States is underway. We reached our overnight digs in Kansas City without incident. I got some appreciative looks as we traveled, and got chatted up by a dude at a Rest Stop who was pretty amazed at the Lorelei.

I had occasion to meet grip-addict tonight, who owns a very cool AllTrac himself! I’m always impressed by the resourcefulness of the AllTrac owners I meet.

I guess my luck held. When I pulled the Lorelei off the trailer, I discovered that the ratchet strap securing the front right wheel had been frayed very badly and like to snap.

04F0E7C9-3FA2-4765-8EA3-D9F7A34D6469.jpeg
U-Haul is sending someone to replace the strap tomorrow morning so we can continue onward.
 

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grip-addict

Active member
It was great to meet another alltrac owner as well! Your car is incredibly clean and I'm impressed with just how well all of the seals and seems line up - it's something to be jealous of for sure :)

Safe travels for you, the family, and the Lorelei. I hope you find plenty of useable garage space in your new digs.
 

Roreri

Active member
Thanks much—The Lorelei is safe in Colorado Springs. I took her out to pick up coffee for my cousins who have descended on our new home to sort out our belongings. Unsurprisingly the first zoomy car I saw was a Subaru.

I immediately encountered a little gathering of car people at the coffee shop I went to:

900E3F09-2A73-4BB8-A4A7-19A753ED0F23.jpeg
“I don’t know who you are but you are my people.”

It’s good to be in the front range again.

0D86BD0D-AE6C-4FBD-9A5D-48181357354A.jpeg
 

Roreri

Active member
After correcting a weird settling in of my coilovers that had me rubbing a little, I took the Lorelei on its first long mountain drive this weekend, clocking about 200 miles all told from Colorado Springs to Bailey and back.

The route to Bailey was through Manitou Springs and Woodland Park and then north on the 67 through Deckers. Caught this great view:

78937CF4-FAEA-4697-B50A-2F236785858C.jpeg
The route back was east on the 285 then around the southwest quarter of the Denver Metroplex until reaching the 85 then south to Sedalia and then jumping over to the 105—a great twisty path through the hills fronting the Rockies.

Saw two Gen7 and one Gen6 Celicas and this grand old warrior along the way:

41627A18-9578-483D-AF20-8FB5B5F6FB04.jpeg
Performance was great on 91 octane and a bottle of Lucas Octane Boost. I used the boost controller on low which allowed me to make 8.5psi even at altitude (stock is 5.7 at 6000feet plus).

Even though the roads are reputed to be over-crowded on the weekend I was well able to enjoy the drive.
 

Roreri

Active member
Yeah Colorado is just lousy with good driving roads. Looking forward to touring the state in a very fulsome manner over the next years. Anytime you care to link up for a weekend cruise I'm game!
 

Roreri

Active member
I have come to the tentative conclusion that the Lorelei is very picky about fuel--not surprising rolling a JDM ECU.

Last weekend, I was at a quarter of a tank at the beginning of a drive. I put ten gallons of Shell 91 octane into it, and perhaps foolishly, a bottle of STP octane booster into the tank (I normally use Lucas Octane Booster if I use octane booster).

All was well until I had driven about 90 miles that day and the next day, burning off the rest of the previous tank which I'd picked up from a Conoco down at the bottom of my hill or the base exchange gas station.

Air-fuel mixture went lean, and power was lacking, so I limped it home. Over the past couple of days I've just been cogitating on it, and come to the conclusion that that the only things that had changed was between the gas and the octane booster, the mix is wrong. I went and put 4 gallons into it from the station down the hill and took the Lorelei on a test drive.

Performance was better. The lean condition was not as pronounced and was not as present. So, I'm going to watch my fuel, burn the tank out in my commute (40 miles round trip, so it won't take long), and observe.

I've also been noticing, sometimes it starts first time, sometimes it take three tries to start. Doesn't seem to be much rhyme nor reason to it, except perhaps, just perhaps, it requires more tries to start when the ambient temperature is warmer.
 

underscore

Well-known member
Roreri":2xap07ou said:
I've also been noticing, sometimes it starts first time, sometimes it take three tries to start. Doesn't seem to be much rhyme nor reason to it, except perhaps, just perhaps, it requires more tries to start when the ambient temperature is warmer.

Mine does this as well, it started doing it after it was in the shop for the overhaul so I'm not too sure what the cause is.
 

Roreri

Active member
Well, the Lorelei is garaged for now. It wasn't the fuel. I ran it quite the distance on Thursday and Friday, then on Monday had to turn around halfway to work and switch to my backup ride.

The silver lining, is that it's still mobile. Performance is like this: The motor starts right up, sometimes first try, sometimes on the second or third try (I get the feeling like sometimes I need to be a little more handy on easing in some fuel with the accelerator).

Air-fuel ratio at idle is right at stoich.

If I am gentle on acceleration--like, more gentle than any allTrac driver wants to drive--then I can keep air-fuel from leaning out too much. I can reach 120 or even 140km/h if I keep at it. If I push into it, the air-fuel ratio goes full lean and then eventually the motor enters a fuel starved state. The motor lags badly on hills, and is generally gutless. I mean, think of it as a 50hp Celica.

I switched out to the old original ECU to try and isolate the problem to the ECU. The issue was not fixed--which tells me that either BOTH ECUs are at fault, or neither ECU is at fault. Getting another ECU or sending in the original 3S-GTE ECU to a guy to get it "legitimately" refurbished is an option if I want to fire the cash cannon in the problem's possible general direction. Or I could re-approach the capacitor solder joints and see if I can do a better job of establishing a rock solid connection.

So, my thoughts as I proceed:

Fuel Pump (an obvious point of failure as it is likely 30 years old)
Fuel Injectors (could be failing electrically--they are likely 30 years old)
Throttle Position Sensor (I don't know why I think that one. Maybe optimism that it's a simple part.)
Air Flow Meter (a common bugaboo given that it's an older analog part)

Keeping my eyes open for a good shop. An old timer in my new forever neighborhood pointed me to someone who has taken great care of him--I can see going down and having a conversation with them to see how they feel about it.
 

simple

Member
Nixspeed is in Arvada. Nick knows the 3SGTE engine very well. I've got a guy in Denver that cleans fuel injectors for $20.
 

Roreri

Active member
Grip-addict pointed me toward Nick as well, and we’ve been in touch. I just haven’t followed up since I’ve been hors d’combat with moving and getting started in a new. job. And that tip about your guy who does injector cleaning is much appreciated. If you PM me I can make arrangements.

I’m busy right now but over the next few weeks I’ll work up a plan.

I think just assuming the fuel injectors are dirty is a safe starting point. I’ll go down the list.
 

Roreri

Active member
I'm reaching out to WitchHunter to see about cleaning.

I imagine there's a way to clean the injectors on the vehicle as well, I'm just unsure about the method and tools required.
 

Roreri

Active member
Thanks for your thoughts, Gert. And thank you Underscore for linking Fuel Injector Specialists.

Allright, then I’m going to dig out the injectors. From what i see in the BGB this is a bit of a project.

EDIT: One hour and fifty minutes to pull the throttle body--because I'm learning the process as I'm going. That's step one of several as laid out in the BGB, the necessity of some which I question, like the charcoal canister and air filter...wtf?

This guy appears to just get right down in there and pull the injectors once he has the throttle body off.

https://youtu.be/u43sNubKPJo?t=423

So unless someone hops on real quick and says otherwise I'm doing that.

EDIT EDIT: Okay, so I must be some kinda pussy (to use the period-correct term), because I sure can't get the injectors out like old dude in that video does. It appears he's doing some tugging to get the injectors off the rail, but he can get them out. Whereas I can't get mine to budge. I think it helps him that in his case he can get a better angle to pull. Nor can I seem to get the whole rail free--after I took the three bolts out I just couldn't navigate it free from the tight space.

This is where I stand:

Fuel Rail 7AUG2022.JPG
I've got the backplate loose, and I have the fuel rail loose. In trying to get the injectors out, or the fuel rail out, I got my hands good and grimy with a thick solution of mixed fuel and oil--old stuff from what I could tell. Anyway, there it sits for now. After watching another video that showed me how the thing is set up, I just need to pull the fuel rail with the injectors and then separate them from the fuel rail. Perhaps on a better day after I've had time to think on it.

EDIT EDIT EDIT: Something about calling myself a pussy fired me up. I went down, looked over the situation, disconnected the fuel line banjo bolt at the top of the fuel filter, pulled out the feed rail toward the fuel filter, then sorted out some of the hoses and disconnected the cold start fuel line, and I was able to get it out.

Fuel Injectors O-Rings and Rail 7AUG2022.JPG
The thicker rubber bushings at the outside of the bottom of the rail were still pliable. The o-rings at the bottom of the injectors inside the rail were brittle--these will definitely need replacing.

Fuel Rail Manufacturer Mark.JPG
The fuel rail was manufactured by Arsam or Aasom, it appears. I found this a little unexpected. I have no idea who the OEM fuel rail manufacturer was.
 
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