VVT-i 2JZ-GTE - Random Power Loss/Stall/Cut-Out, intermittent

Peeps,

so been having an intermittent problem as of late...

the engine cuts out randomly, temp does seem high though (90-95degrees)

details:

1. going over a speed bump (10km/hr maybe?) car engine cuts out (electrics still on) - no engine power. car won't turn over, after about 20 minutes... car starts.

checked all fuses - were ok.

2. another car park, about to reverse into a bay... car dies. same problem. 10-15 minutes later, car starts...

3. on the way home, 70km/hr on Morley Dr same thing - car engine cuts out, i manage to just get the wheel to turn enough so I can make it up a side street instead of dying on the road blocking traffic. 10-15min later, car starts.

4. idled the car after driving for about 15 minutes, for about 5 minutes. soon as I went to drive off I didn't get about 100m down the road before it died. 5 minutes later it started again

5. plugged in an OBD2 reader and the car was idling in the driveway. idled for about 15-20minutes while I was trying to check sensors/get fault codes/graph stuff on the TORQUE Pro app. stuttered and came back to life but seemed to be in limp mode - engine light came on - no fault codes registered. Restarted the car, all was normal, went limp again a couple minutes later.

possible causes? people have mentioned O2 sensors, coil packs, No. 1 Speed Sensor, Crank Angle Sensor, Fly-by-wire, Fuel System, Ignitor, Intake Solenoid, Cam Angle Sensors... what can I start to do to fix it?

I bridged Tc and E1 (as car is VVT-i), got the following flashes: 4-1, 4-4, 4-9, 5-1, 1-2 (all abs light flashes by the way), during this time SNOW was flashing also constantly, and the engine light was flashing constantly.

Now, for a VVT-i, the codes can be 4 digit ones instead (due to OBD2 compliancy) I am assuming so it could be a combination thing...

OBD-II Check Engine Light Trouble Codes

Toyota OBD-II Trouble Codes

So I've bought this...

eBay Australia: Buy new & used fashion, electronics & home d?r

As per:

http://www.supraforums.com.au/forum/a80-mkiv-discussion/80363-vvti-ecu-fault-code-reading-more.html

Which I believe was taken off of a thread here as I have come across that very thread while searching around for my problem.

While waiting for it to arrive, I've read some other threads on here on stalling but nothing really lead anywhere.. So I am stumped..

I topped up coolant today.. and I've checked the plugs and coil packs, by that, I mean i took the cover off, had a look around, made sure everything was plugged in - didn't unplug anything as I am a noob.

Went for a test drive - no problem. Then problems 4 and 5 happened above a couple weeks later. Pictures below of engine bay in case anyone has a look and goes "that's what is wrong!!"

I'm thinking - dodgy AFM(?) - could be likely? How do you check this? Crank angle sensor?

Or - alarm relay is acting up somewhere/shorting something out - though I think this is less likely, it wasn't a backyard job and no other electrical problems, something to do with the fuel system?

seems like something is overheating (electronic component?) and shorting/causing the engine to save itself and shut down. was thinking before it could be reading no air so cuts off fuel? Not sure.

Kind regards,

Paul

First of all I would suggest you to check the battery and also if it's charged correctly. This might be electrical bug caused by bad alternator for instance.

Second thing I would suggest you to check is the MAF. How many miles do you have on it? Check for leaks after the MAF. I had some similar problems like you when the MAF was shot.

electrical conection plug maybe loose, i would check everyone you can find

Battery is new, replaced it when the car arrived on Aussie shores.

Car arrived with 44806kms, it now sits at 56XXXkms

Have owned it since April 2011, but first time driven in September 2011.

Car also has an extensive earthing kit in the engine bay.

With the MAF - how do you check it is faulty or is it just a trial and error thing?

I've tried going around every plug but I will check it again - I'll be checking the fuel control module & pump shortly to see if anything is loose there.

Edit: Stripped a bit of the rear trying to figure out what is going on, wiring seems ok, fuel pump control seems ok, stripped passenger side sill to check there, all seemed ok.

Breakthrough today - had it scanned - P1633 - Abnormal ECU/ECM - possibly caused by TPS or ETSC-i.

Not sure where to go from here but plenty of reading to do.

Subscribed

Go single!

Check the switch under and to the left of the steering wheel could be a cut off switch? Not sure but had this issue with a Capri and it ended up being that switch shorting out

Well if it is ECU, then I may as well buy something decent in preparation for eventually going big single - so in the mean time it would basically be ECU -> Titan Sway Bars -> Rear Struct Brace and Floor Brace -> Injectors -> FMIC -> Single.

I'm going to probably go down the route of TPS/Intake manifold -> Igniter -> ECU. So I'll be doing a lot of reading now trying to figure out what everything is, how it works, and wow it can malfunction.

Anyone got any links they can post? Particularly interested in understanding the ETSC-i system.

Check the switch under and to the left of the steering wheel could be a cut off switch? Not sure but had this issue with a Capri and it ended up being that switch shorting out

Do you have more info on this switch? I'm not aware of anything in the Supra as you described... :-/

Is there such a switch on the supra?

No idea but I have a vvti and a switch in that place... Just not touched it, ever

check main relay

No idea but I have a vvti and a switch in that place... Just not touched it, ever

Is this a switch for your alarm as I don't have one

Interested in this thread (though sorry I can't help). If you find any english instructions on how to reset the TPS I'd be grateful if you could pass them my way

So car cuts out then won't even crank?

If earths and hot feeds are all fine (check main fuses and main ign relay)

check main relay

Could you be more specific? I'm pretty much a person who knows NOTHING about cars and trying to learn so I have no idea. Apologies. Very willing to learn though!

Interested in this thread (though sorry I can't help). If you find any english instructions on how to reset the TPS I'd be grateful if you could pass them my way

It is an odd problem, but hopefully I/other Supra members can figure out what is wrong - could be a good troubleshooting thread for others if anyone ever comes across this problem.

Not sure on the TPS, though someone mentioned there is a carbon brush in it so it could be cleaned (though a sealed unit)?

So car cuts out then won't even crank?

If earths and hot feeds are all fine (check main fuses and main ign relay)

Car won't start after for at least 5 minutes, sometimes 20 minutes.

However then all of a sudden it will start, as if something cools down enough to let it start. Completely random - after the first time I checked EVERY fuse in the engine bay and the driver's foot well - all very fine. Based on the code that was pulled, I don't see it being a fuse issue however I could be wrong - my knowledge is limited and I am still learning.

However main ignition relay - this could link then to a problem with the installed immobiliser/pin code setup I am assuming?

When it won't start what precisely does it do?

Bypass the alarm altogether for a few days, preferably throw it far away, in my experience most random seeming problems like yours are down to poor aftermarket wiring or "gizmos". ESPECIALLY alarms.

When it won't start what precisely does it do?

it just won't start. if it does, it immediately dies.

Then about 20 minutes later it is sweet and starts normally and drives fine again for a while.

Bypass the alarm altogether for a few days, preferably throw it far away, in my experience most random seeming problems like yours are down to poor aftermarket wiring or "gizmos". ESPECIALLY alarms.

I'll call the guys I know at the shop today and ask them what the go is, seeing they do all the Police cars and etc. I didn't really suspect them.

That's not precise....I mean does it fire the starter? Does it do anything when you turn the key.

If it doesn't fire the starter then I'd say it was immobilised / badly earthed.

If it turns without firing that could still be earth but equally sounds like something gets hot and trips out...and you have to wait for it to cool to get going again.

That's not precise....I mean does it fire the starter? Does it do anything when you turn the key.

If it doesn't fire the starter then I'd say it was immobilised / badly earthed.

If it turns without firing that could still be earth but equally sounds like something gets hot and trips out...and you have to wait for it to cool to get going again.

Well the car basically tries to crank over and it may start if I try pump the accelerator but straight away dies thereafter instantaneously. Immobiliser and pin code system are both deactivated. If either is activated then obviously car doesn't start. Apologies but I'm not that savvy with engines and stuff (still learning!) but very keen to learn!

Video of ETSC-i module (I think) making a funny noise once after it happened...

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/824/616dvybpbauurozzraqrvb.mp4/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/824/616dvybpbauurozzraqrvb.mp4/

What someone else has said:

Sounds like you have something wrong with the electric throttle. When the fly by wire system detects a problem it will either turn the etcs off or turn to a fail safe which only gives you 20% throttle control, at the bottom of the pedal. They are common to play up on the early fly by wire systems. I'v had two vvti JZ engines with the problem. I tried changing APP sensor and tps but they are very tricky to calibrate on vvti's. In the end i just bought a whole throttle body assembly off wilbo, never hand a problem since.

That don't sound right

Mine does nothing like that

Has it got a fuel cut eliminator? If so remove it an see what happens.

very similar or should I say exact same issue that I had in my r33 gtr. No fault codes etc were showing and everything sugguested that the afms were fine. We replaced them anyway and now the issue is gone so dont just reply on a bit of tech telling whats wrong.

Sadly the gtr has found a new owner though