1988 Toyota Celica Dies While Driving

1988 TOYOTA CELICA
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
hi,i have a 1988 toyota celica gt 2.0 manual trans with 125,000 miles on it
i have had my car for a few months and everything was pretty good untill recently i was driving down the street and the car sputtered and died out i pulled off to the side of the road tried to start it and it reved up to about 1500 and then died. it did have a problem before starting up when on a slight hill but nothing like now.

i have it parked and tried to start it today it idled good for about 20 minutes then i attempted to rev it up a little hitting about 3000 and let off as i let off it died.i tried starting it again and it reved to about 1500 died down to about 1000 then died out then wouldnt start for a minuite then when i tried again after a few minutes it started shortley and died. i replaced the rotor distributor cap pluggs and wires a few weeks ago and i ran some fuel injector cleaner thrue it.this was all after it did the sputter on the hill when i tried to start it a while back.it seemed to help for a while but now its doint the sameand wgot worse i thought it might be a fuel problem so i bought a new fuel filter but when they went to replace it they said it looked new. a friend told me to try a throttle possitioning sensor but i wanted to see if you had any other ideas.

please let me know if you any idea what it could be thank you.
Dec 11, 2006 at 6:31 PM
Advertisement
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
:)

Lets try checking the actual fuel pressure-then we'll go to the engine management system sensors and actuators.

again we need the fuel operating pressure.
Dec 11, 2006 at 8:44 PM
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
how do i check the fuel pressure?is there a valve i can connect to or do i have to tap into a line? i have never had to check pressure on a car before please let me know.
Dec 17, 2006 at 2:23 PM
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
[quote:2dbd7bcf25="pasta847"]how do i check the fuel pressure?is there a valve i can connect to or do i have to tap into a line? i have never had to check pressure on a car before please let me know.[/quote:2dbd7bcf25]


Remove the fuel filter and connect your pressure gauge, KOEO verify readings with the book as per specifications.
Dec 17, 2006 at 3:43 PM
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
i havent got a fuel pressure tester yet but i have noticed something else on the car. i removed the gas cap and it seems to have a lot of pressure in it. it makes a loud swooosh sound for about 3 seconds after the car has been ran and turned off.is that normal or could that be a effect from the problem?
Dec 21, 2006 at 2:42 PM
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
Lets take things one at a time-check the fuel pressure-than later we'll head on over to the Evap system.
Dec 21, 2006 at 8:55 PM
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
havent been able to check fuel pressure yet dont have tester or jack yet but i ran the codes dont know if it will help any but i got 12...say in book it is a r.p.m signal codes 13. says r.p.m signal. code 43 says starter signal code 51 says swithch signal.please let me know if that would hve nything to do with it or if im just going way off of track with this.
Jan 10, 2007 at 7:45 AM
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
[quote:34a357ffcf="pasta847"]havent been able to check fuel pressure yet dont have tester or jack yet but i ran the codes dont know if it will help any but i got 12...say in book it is a r.p.m signal codes 13. says r.p.m signal. code 43 says starter signal code 51 says swithch signal.please let me know if that would hve nything to do with it or if im just going way off of track with this.[/quote:34a357ffcf]

look for spark from coil wire disconnected from the distributor
Jan 10, 2007 at 7:56 AM
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
i was just starting and letting the car run then shutting it off i noticed that their would be a click, it would run good but after about a minute i would hear another click and it would die a few seconds after i had my brother listen for the fuel pump and he said after the click it would shut off. sometimes there would be click then another it would run a little longer then another click would happen and would shut off after a few seconds again. the click souds like its comming from the back of the hatch. i also dissconnected and reconnected the connector for the pump but did not help is this the pump over heating or a relay or swich to it?
Jan 10, 2007 at 8:59 AM
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
Find the diagnostic check connector-find the Fp and Batt terminal jump this two together, is the pump constantly running.

Also Check the pump relay
Jan 10, 2007 at 9:08 AM
Advertisement
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
Fuel pump relay okay-check and test the mass airflow meter it powers up the pump-the blue wire.
Jan 10, 2007 at 1:11 PM
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
[quote:16015b8d7d="rasmataz"]Fuel pump relay okay-check and test the mass airflow meter it powers up the pump-the blue wire.[/quote:16015b8d7d]

i aready tried the mass air meter i took it out of my friends working celica i been trying most of his parts in my car trying to figure out what is wrong with mine.
Jan 10, 2007 at 1:25 PM
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
[quote:2beef1dfea="pasta847"][quote:2beef1dfea="rasmataz"]Fuel pump relay okay-check and test the mass airflow meter it powers up the pump-the blue wire.[/quote:2beef1dfea]

i aready tried the mass air meter i took it out of my friends working celica i been trying most of his parts in my car trying to figure out what is wrong with mine.[/quote:2beef1dfea]

Try swapping the EFI relay and Circuit Opening Relay and see what happens from your buddy.

BTW have you tried jumping the Fp and battery terminal in the check connector? This will constantly run the pump-when you do this and pump works for a short period time and goes kaput-you're dealing with the pump.
Jan 10, 2007 at 2:39 PM
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
i tried jumping the pump today the bat to the fp and the car still died does that mean its the pump?
Jan 11, 2007 at 6:05 AM
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
[quote:e98ef1ffbf="pasta847"]i tried jumping the pump today the bat to the fp and the car still died does that mean its the pump?[/quote:e98ef1ffbf]

Yeap-to get there you probably have to go thru the backseat and also change the fuel filter.

Also double check the ground wire before you get the pump-make sure the harness is clean and tight and making good connection within.
Jan 11, 2007 at 9:08 AM
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
today while trying out the jump and all that i reset the ecu and only got one code this time it was 51 the switch code doesnt seem to be big deal but thought i i would just metion it. also i went under the rear seat and there is a circular hole with the fuel pump wires commin from out of it i removed the top there was 5 screw and when i lfted it up there was 2 long metal rods one had a yellow square thing on one done know what it would be called but it held fuel and the other had some black float or some thing on it i could see the pump back a little further in the tank so im gona have to drop the gas tank to replace it but out of curioucity i was wondering if you know what the thing was that i pulled up i think it was some thing to do with telling the fuel level to the fuel guage. but was wondering if you knew. also thank for the help im gona try to get this fuel pump done see if it fixes the problemand i'll let you know how things go. thanks again for your time and help.
Jan 11, 2007 at 9:47 AM
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
[quote:98646facb4="pasta847"]today while trying out the jump and all that i reset the ecu and only got one code this time it was 51 the switch code doesnt seem to be big deal but thought i i would just metion it. also i went under the rear seat and there is a circular hole with the fuel pump wires commin from out of it i removed the top there was 5 screw and when i lfted it up there was 2 long metal rods one had a yellow square thing on one done know what it would be called but it held fuel and the other had some black float or some thing on it i could see the pump back a little further in the tank so im gona have to drop the gas tank to replace it but out of curioucity i was wondering if you know what the thing was that i pulled up i think it was some thing to do with telling the fuel level to the fuel guage. but was wondering if you knew. also thank for the help im gona try to get this fuel pump done see if it fixes the problemand i'll let you know how things go. thanks again for your time and help.[/quote:98646facb4]


That's the fuel sending unit-
Jan 11, 2007 at 6:42 PM
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
put the new pump in today and am still having the same problem i went and put new gas in then drove arround arround for abought 20 miutes i got home. turened the car off when in the house for a few minutes got back in the car to go to a friends house started it up it ran for about another 2 minutes and it died any other ideas? the car died at the same time as i turned on the rear defroster never had that problem before does that have anythig to do with it?
Jan 27, 2007 at 11:53 AM
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
[quote:3aa3e3eb0a="pasta847"]put the new pump in today and am still having the same problem i went and put new gas in then drove arround arround for abought 20 miutes i got home. turened the car off when in the house for a few minutes got back in the car to go to a friends house started it up it ran for about another 2 minutes and it died any other ideas? the car died at the same time as i turned on the rear defroster never had that problem before does that have anythig to do with it?[/quote:3aa3e3eb0a]v

Disconnect the wire harness on the pump-read How many volts/

Test the fuel pump relay or substitute.

At check connector jump TE-1 to -E1 count the flash. You're begining to make me think! computer.

When it dies-look for spark and fuel.
Jan 27, 2007 at 2:01 PM
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
i ran the codes again today and got 43 starter code and 51 switch code. i put in a new coil today and didnt help. i have a few people tellin me its the tps do you think that it would be that. any other ideas?
Feb 16, 2007 at 6:47 AM
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
i just replace the tps and also the coolent temp sesor. same problem still happens. do you have any other ideas? i think the only thing i havent cheked yet is the fuel pump relay i gotta try to figure out where it is i think its in the kick panel but i am not sure. a mechanic friend of my told me to also check the cat converter says it might be plugged do you think that would make it cutt out after about 15 minutes?
Feb 18, 2007 at 4:12 PM
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
Have you tried the MAF sensor-
Feb 18, 2007 at 8:26 PM
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
[quote:114ab81b48="rasmataz"]Have you tried the MAF sensor-
[/quote:114ab81b48]


What is it doing now. Still won't start or what?
Feb 19, 2007 at 4:33 AM
Avatar
PASTA847
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
yeah i tried the mass air flow sensor a while ago the car still does the exact same thing as before it will run for abought 15 - 20 minutes then sputter down and turn off. usually it will starts back up but will die again almost instantly. if i hold the gas pedal down it will usually stay running but once i let off it dies it sometimes it sputter when im also holding the gas.
so far i have done spark pluggs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, coil, coolent temp sensor, mass air flow sensor, throttle possitioning sensor,and the fuel pump.
Feb 19, 2007 at 4:55 AM
Avatar
RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
Verify the actual fuel pressure with a gauge with and without vacuum to the pressure regulator. Test the fuel pump relay both coil and switch side resistances. All these checks out-try substituting the ignitor and check all connections to the coil.

Did you replace the distributor?
Feb 19, 2007 at 8:13 AM

Suggested Repair

Verify fuel pressure with a gauge both with and without vacuum applied to the pressure regulator. Test the fuel pump relay on both the coil and switch sides, then substitute the ignitor and inspect all coil connections. Also confirm whether the distributor itself was replaced.

Conversation Summary

A 1988 Toyota Celica GT stalls after running, often after about 15-20 minutes, and may restart briefly or stay running only if the throttle is held. Ignition parts, the fuel filter, fuel pump, MAF, TPS, coolant temperature sensor, and coil were replaced or swapped without curing it. Codes mentioned included RPM, starter, and switch signals, and tank pressure and a clicking fuel-pump circuit were discussed. The expert's last advice was to measure fuel pressure, test the fuel pump relay, substitute the ignitor, check coil connections, and confirm the distributor was replaced.

Advertisement

Related Repair Questions

Add a reply
Join 2CarPros for free, one of the most advanced car repair communities on the internet. From first-time drivers to seasoned mechanics, everyone is welcome to reply, share details, and get better answers. You can add a temporary image or video first; uploads are limited to 20 MB.

Ask a new question

Frequently Asked Problems for This Vehicle