Intermittent running, and won't start at all

[andrewrobuk]

Hi All

First time in here and I was hoping someone might be able to help.

I just got the car (Rev 2 Turbo) early December and not long after running the car would stop, the engine would just cut out and eventually when the revs drop to nothing it stalls. It did this a couple of times with very poor running inbetween, and eventually it just didn't start. There was a flickering of the engine management light when running, literally a split second, so hard to see it I thought my mind was playing tricks. Then when it wouldn't start and the ignition was on, the engine light would light up, flicker, fade and reappear in random sequence.

The car had to be recovered in the end, and the recovery man tested some obvious things by the roadside, and it was sparking at the plugs, but he seemed to think it was fuel related. I had said about the light and to me it was electrical, with possibly the fuel not getting there because of the ECU??? It certainly turns over alright, but just doesn't fire up.

I've just been reading past posts to get an idea of possible faults, and saw the one from Sunday by Heslop, which sounds very similar but there was no mention of the engine light. I was still going to go through the suggestions given on that post of testing sparking, vac leaks, and fuel pump, but then came across a post on the site about a known ECU fault, and how the capacitors breakdown inside. Apparently more common with Celicas, but I have the symptoms it mentions with the light, poor running and not starting, and the car hasn't been used much recently only covering around 3000 miles in the last 3 years.

Has anyone had the same issue with the MR2 ECU?

Has anyone got a Rev 2 Turbo ECU for sale?

Does a Rev 3 one fit? As I can't seem to find a Rev 2 anywhere else I have looked so far?

Any help or advice is much appreciated.
Thanks

Andrew

[_Al_]

Rev 3 ECU won't work in a rev 2 and an NA ECU won't work in a Turbo. I think that a Celica GT4 ST185 ECU will work in a rev 2 turbo.

I'm no expert on the capacitor fix but I understand that it's not tricky.

If you need it urgently try Trevor at TCB Spares (Google should give you the number).

If you're really stuck you could try eBay - you see them coming up every now and then.

Good luck.

[andrewrobuk]

Thanks Al.
I didn't think the Rev 3 Turbo ECU would work, but thought I'd ask. It doesn't seem a difficult job to take the ECU out and repair, and might be worth doing just to have a look inside first.
If worse comes to worse I need a new one and will look into contacting Trevor like you say and keep an eye out in meantime on eBay etc.

Thanks again
Andrew

[doogal44]

Could be worth finding a kind member near you that could just swap over the ecu to test if that's at fault before diving in and taking yours apart.
Even see if anyone is breaking a turbo around your area.

[chefey]

You seem to be assuming the problem is the ecu, have you checked for error codes, and are plugs getting wet after trying to start it, I would check for weak spark, and for fuel delivery, rather than just assume the ecu is at fault because symptoms are similar to another.

[Howlin_Mad]

I had similar problems to you with my Turbo (intermittent ECU light, stalling, complete cut out in the end). Happened one morning on the way into work, so no real way to fault find. Turned out the ECU threw a wobbler. Replaced it and it was fine again. Opened up the knackered ECU (curiousity more than anything) and it looked mint condition.

Try looking for codes first, then swapping the ECU if you can and go from there.

HM

[Chris_D]

Check for error codes. (guide is for GT4 but proceedure & codes are the same, the diagnostic connector looks the same but is in a different location in the engine bay)

http://www.gt4dc.co.uk/info/howto/ecu/e ... _codes.htm


Sounds just like the ECU capacitor problem. Have a look at the following thread to see what to look for to diagnose - read on in the thread to see the second one on the upper board. Flickering engine light while running but no stored error codes is a prime symptom as a correctly working ECU will always store any code which brings on a light no matter how briefly.

http://www.gt4dc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5617

If you have this problem, just replacing the capacitors is unlikely to solve the problem as the symptoms are most likely caused by the tracks on the PCB corroding. If you need it done, I'm happy to repair for the cost of return postage (£10 ish) or nothing if you're local (Bournemouth area).

If you need me, I'm on 07584 161581 - it'll get a quicker response as I don't come on here so often since selling my 2.

[PaulWoods]

Try the simpler more likely things first, check the earth connection on the underside of the inlet plenum is clean and tight, if that is not 100% good you will get your symptoms.