YACT: My 96 Camry is giving me issues... please help!!!

[evident]

History: Ok. I have a 1996 Toyota Camry 4 cyl. It has an a keyless entry system by Executive. If you enter the car without using the remote, the engine will not start if you crank, so you always need the remote. when you lock it with the remote, i guess it has some type of disabler system so you cant start without it.... this is the normal operation of my car for the last 10 years.

the car was passed down to me from my mom about three years ago, and it runs great, aside from regular maintenance( brakes, oil, one tuneup), i've had no issues, except for one which im about to describe that happens sporadically and randomly. it's happened to me about 5 times, in all seasons since i've had this car.

The problem: So I made a quick trip to the post office, the mall and a deli to pick up a hoagie, turning the car on and off in between each. When i turned my car on from leaving the deli, the engine would crank, but then would just die. The rpm goes up to about 13-1500 when cranking, but then just sputter and die out and can't maintain the 750 rpm needed to be idle. So i lock, and then unlock, try this again, same thing. I did this a couple times, then decided to lock, unlock, crank and hold gas so it goes to about 3-4k, but as soon as i let go of the gas pedal, it sputters and dies. I repeated this about 3-4 times. I gave up and ate my sandwich in my car 2-3 minutes later ( I scarfed it down) i pushed hte unlock , cranked the engine, gave it some gas to about 3-4k for about a minute, released slowly, and hten it started to idle at 750 and was able to drive down the street to my house.

this happened to me before when i was at a gas station getting gas ( 4 months ago), when i went to my car to go to lunch a few times too... and this same solution usually does the trick, but sometimes it takes me 2 hours, somtimes it takes me 20-30 min. to get the car working, then it drives normally and reliably afterwards for a long period of time. anyone experience this problem? what could it possibly be? I feel like it may have to do with my immobilizer, but i really have no idea...

Please go easy on me. I'm a car n00b (I can change oil, oil filter, air filter, fix flat, thats about it )


cliffs:
started my car when leaving the deli, cranks normally, but dies,
tried holding gas down while cranking, still dies
tried doing the same thing 5 min later, works
i have a keyless entry remote thing, without it, the engine does not start, i don't know how it's related but just thought the extra details would be good.

EDIT: MORE DETAILS:

Tune up 4 months ago, had this problem before and after tuneup, plugs wires/cap rotors coil were replaced, i replaced the air filter myself a month ago. fuel filter was replaced a year back( i really hoped the tuneup would fix it. )

the car purrs like a kitten when idle, 750 rpm, engine hits all the time, no knocking or anything, the car def does not idle rough.


also, does anyone know of a good toyota camry forum i can cross post this problem on too?

UPDATE :: suggestions to clean the throttle body will be heeded, as it's the easiest and cheapest thing to do. Here's a link on how to do it if anyone else may be interested cleaning the throttle body

 

[Heisenberg]

It's probably the idle air control motor (or whatever Toyota calls it). It's a little motor that controls how much air the engine gets when the throttle is closed. Over time carbon builds up in the passage and they can get sticky or fail altogether. I doubt it's related to the keyless entry system.

 

[AStar617]

The killswitch from the alarm/keyless entry will give you nothing at all. The engine will not even turn over when the key is turned. Look elsewhere...

When was the last time this car had a real tune-up (plugs/wires/cap&rotor/ignition coil/fuel filter/air filter/pcv valve/etc)? Is it idling rough?

 

[evident]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
It's probably the idle air control motor (or whatever Toyota calls it). It's a little motor that controls how much air the engine gets when the throttle is closed. Over time carbon builds up in the passage and they can get sticky or fail altogether. I doubt it's related to the keyless entry system.

how much would that cost to get repaired do you think?

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
It's probably the idle air control motor (or whatever Toyota calls it). It's a little motor that controls how much air the engine gets when the throttle is closed. Over time carbon builds up in the passage and they can get sticky or fail altogether. I doubt it's related to the keyless entry system.

Is that the same as the O2 sensor? I had one to fail in my Mountaineer and it did the same thing.

<--- not a car person.

 

[evident]

Originally posted by: AStar617
The killswitch from the alarm/keyless entry will give you nothing at all. The engine will not even turn over when the key is turned. Look elsewhere...

When was the last time this car had a real tune-up (plugs/wires/cap&rotor/ignition coil/fuel filter/air filter/pcv valve/etc)? Is it idling rough?

Tune up 4 months ago, had this problem before and after tuneup, plugs wires/cap rotors coil were replaced, i replaced the air filter myself a month ago. fuel filter was replaced a year back( i really hoped the tuneup would fix it. )

the car purrs like a kitten when idle, 750 rpm, engine hits all the time, no knocking or anything, the car def does not idle rough.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: evident

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
It's probably the idle air control motor (or whatever Toyota calls it). It's a little motor that controls how much air the engine gets when the throttle is closed. Over time carbon builds up in the passage and they can get sticky or fail altogether. I doubt it's related to the keyless entry system.

how much would that cost to get repaired do you think?

I would guess $250 or under, but I'm really not sure.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
It's probably the idle air control motor (or whatever Toyota calls it). It's a little motor that controls how much air the engine gets when the throttle is closed. Over time carbon builds up in the passage and they can get sticky or fail altogether. I doubt it's related to the keyless entry system.

Is that the same as the O2 sensor? I had one to fail in my Mountaineer and it did the same thing.

<--- not a car person.

Not remotely... the IAC (idle air control) is in the engine, whereas the O2 sensor is in the exhaust flow somewhere.

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
It's probably the idle air control motor (or whatever Toyota calls it). It's a little motor that controls how much air the engine gets when the throttle is closed. Over time carbon builds up in the passage and they can get sticky or fail altogether. I doubt it's related to the keyless entry system.

Is that the same as the O2 sensor? I had one to fail in my Mountaineer and it did the same thing.

<--- not a car person.

No, the O2 sensor is different.
OP: You might also want to check and see if the computer recorded any codes. Most auto parts stores will do this for free.

 

[evident]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
It's probably the idle air control motor (or whatever Toyota calls it). It's a little motor that controls how much air the engine gets when the throttle is closed. Over time carbon builds up in the passage and they can get sticky or fail altogether. I doubt it's related to the keyless entry system.

Is that the same as the O2 sensor? I had one to fail in my Mountaineer and it did the same thing.

<--- not a car person.

No, the O2 sensor is different.
OP: You might also want to check and see if the computer recorded any codes. Most auto parts stores will do this for free.

Is there a time span in which i would have to do this? How long would a typical car's "history" be?

 

[cjchaps]

It sounds to me as if for some reason you the engine may flood by a misfire or something when you try to start it up. You have said that one way to fix it is to hold down the gas and crank it for a while and it works.

One way of starting cars with a flooded engine is to do this exact same thing because it opens up the engine to fresh air.

Next time it happens if you are not having any luck with anything before you put the key in old down the gas pedal all the way. Next crank it for a while and see if that helps.

 

[evident]

also, what do you guys consider a "rough" idle?

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: evident

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
It's probably the idle air control motor (or whatever Toyota calls it). It's a little motor that controls how much air the engine gets when the throttle is closed. Over time carbon builds up in the passage and they can get sticky or fail altogether. I doubt it's related to the keyless entry system.

Is that the same as the O2 sensor? I had one to fail in my Mountaineer and it did the same thing.

<--- not a car person.

No, the O2 sensor is different.
OP: You might also want to check and see if the computer recorded any codes. Most auto parts stores will do this for free.

Is there a time span in which i would have to do this? How long would a typical car's "history" be?

It depends on the car and the type of code. Some cars will erase particular codes after so many ignition cycles if it doesn't reoccur. Other codes are permanently stored until reset by a reader/scanner. I would have it checked reasonably soon since it just did it.

 

[theeedude]

Check and secure the idle control hose (usually sticking out of the intake tube in the throttle body area). It may be disconnected or lose vacuum, causing the idle to drop and engine to stall.
Happened to me once.

 

[BornStar]

I had this exact same problem in my 92 Camry. The only thing I ever noticed was that it only seemed to happen when it was very cold out and I had only traveled a mile or two. The forward gears in the transmission on that car died so I have had no further problems with it not starting.

edit: Sorry I can't be of any real help. I took it to a shop for them to look at and they couldn't duplicate the problem.

 

[richardycc]

have you ever replaced the FUEL filter?

 

[evident]

Originally posted by: richardycc
have you ever replaced the FUEL filter?

yes, a year or year and a half ago

 

[funboy6942]

Originally posted by: cjchaps
It sounds to me as if for some reason you the engine may flood by a misfire or something when you try to start it up. You have said that one way to fix it is to hold down the gas and crank it for a while and it works.

One way of starting cars with a flooded engine is to do this exact same thing because it opens up the engine to fresh air.

Next time it happens if you are not having any luck with anything before you put the key in old down the gas pedal all the way. Next crank it for a while and see if that helps.

Or flooded because your holding down the gas pedal on a fuel injected car
That will flood the car, make it die and not want to restart till the excess fuel evaporates, and then run rough till the excess gas is still burned away.

Have you ever tried to start the car without ever touching the gas pedal, have you ever gotten a tune up recently because worn out plugs, and wires will flood the car as well when starting and do what your describing.

Also the built up carbon thing that was mentioned and can have built up carbon behind the butterfly/throttle plates choking it for air when starting flooding the engine. If it hasnt had a tune up in a long time I would start with that. The lock unlock stuff you talk about, have no clue on.

Could also be a weak fuel regulator or pump, but start with keeping your foot off the pedal when starting the car at all times no matter what, the computer if working right will make sure it gets the right amount of air/fuel mixture and should NEVER touch the pedal on a fuel injected car EVER, then tune up and go from there, IMO.

 

[evident]

Originally posted by: funboy42

Originally posted by: cjchaps
It sounds to me as if for some reason you the engine may flood by a misfire or something when you try to start it up. You have said that one way to fix it is to hold down the gas and crank it for a while and it works.

One way of starting cars with a flooded engine is to do this exact same thing because it opens up the engine to fresh air.

Next time it happens if you are not having any luck with anything before you put the key in old down the gas pedal all the way. Next crank it for a while and see if that helps.

Or flooded because your holding down the gas pedal on a fuel injected car
That will flood the car, make it die and not want to restart till the excess fuel evaporates, and then run rough till the excess gas is still burned away.

Have you ever tried to start the car without ever touching the gas pedal, have you ever gotten a tune up recently because worn out plugs, and wires will flood the car as well when starting and do what your describing.

Also the built up carbon thing that was mentioned and can have built up carbon behind the butterfly/throttle plates choking it for air when starting flooding the engine. If it hasnt had a tune up in a long time I would start with that. The lock unlock stuff you talk about, have no clue on.

Could also be a weak fuel regulator or pump, but start with keeping your foot off the pedal when starting the car at all times no matter what, the computer if working right will make sure it gets the right amount of air/fuel mixture and should NEVER touch the pedal on a fuel injected car EVER, then tune up and go from there, IMO.

during normal operation, i NEVER touch the gas pedal when starting.

UPDATE: suggestions to clean the throttle body will be heeded, as it's the easiest and cheapest thing to do. Here's a link on how to do it if anyone else may be interested cleaning throttle body