Questions and Answers
Cleaned To Death
Q. Dear Vincent, I have a 1997 Toyota Camry LE V-6, with power windows, locks, ABS and all the standard equipment. It has been running perfectly for 49,000 miles. I have done all the routine oil changes, fluid checks (I have never had to add any fluid besides windshield washer fluid). I have not had to replace the spark plugs, because the car has been running fine.
Then suddenly one day, the car would not start.
The day before, I had washed the car and sprayed the bottom using a garden hose (to clean up the salt dirt from the last snow). After the car wash I was able to start the car and park it back into the garage. The next morning, the engine did not start up the first time I tried to turn the key. So I turned the key again and noticed the abnormal ignition sound. I verified that the starter was turning, but the engine did not seem to try to start (no roaring or vibration of the engine, I guess it was because there was no ignition).
I checked all the fuses, all of them looked fine. During the following week, I tried about a dozen times with the same result. Although a few times, I noticed there was a little burst of vibration. The fuel pump seems to be working fine because I can hear the pump noise after each try, and I can also smell the gasoline after several tries.
I suspect something is wrong with the ignition or fuel lines, but I am not experienced and don't know how to check. Could you help me diagnose the problem and give me some tips on how to go about checking the problem?
Thanks,
ShengA. Normally I would think that the distributor cap got water inside,but your engine doesn't have one. So we can eliminate that possibility. Since the starter spins normally, we can eliminate that as well.
So, based on what you are saying, and I'm assuming the "abnormal ignition sound" is popping, and backfiring, I would have to say that the Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS) might have gotten wet when you sprayed the bottom of the engine and is now frozen. If this is the case, then the MIL might be on.
The CPS is only about $55.00 but it is hard to get to. I think I would want to scan the computer for codes before going through the trouble of replacing it. You can, however, check to make sure the connector didn't get knocked off or a wire broken fairly easily.
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