UZZ31 Soarer issues (EMV blank, lack of power)

[pearl_white]

Hi guys,
Having a few issues with the 1991 UZZ31 Toyota Soarer and I've been all over the other forums and couldn't really get a 'good' answer.
In fact, the last forum I was on - i was suspended from as I was trolled constantly, and told these trolls that I would shove my size 12 boot up their freckles...
Hopefully this won't happen here as this Forum seems great

Anyway, here's a list of issues with the soarer, I'm hoping for any pointers as cash is really limited at this stage.
I've had the Soarer for a few months now.

- When I bought it, the seller had to get a RWC for me and replaced steering pump and rack. I think he put the bodge one back on the day before I picked it up as I am now leaking fluid. Must top up each month (200ml-300ml).
- No leaks under car, so I think it's the idle valve on the Power steering that's giving way, and sucking fluid up into the intake... (any ideas?)
- Day i picked it up, it had this crazy idle looping issue in park and neutral (1000-2000rpm over and over). Thought it was an easy fix (vac leak or something) so I paid for the car in full and took it home.
- Is it possible that the power steering system is stuffed, has a vac leak at random times, and that's causing my idle looping issue? - no idea.

The Soarer took off pretty fast for the first month - in any gear. In saying that, I have not raced this car, nor been a hoon in it.
As of now, the Soarer seems to have lost power upon flooring it.
When 'cold' the Soarer reaches 100kmh in 6.5 - 7 seconds or so. It is not a thing to be messed with.
As soon as it warms up however (middle of gauge), there is no more take off power. Pull up at lights, floor it, it's a slug til you reach 40km/h - then it takes off like a bat out of hell again. (would 'probably' still reach 180kmh easily.)
Put Soarer in first gear after warmed up and it's a slug. Regardless if in power or normal mode.
When 'cold', it takes off like crazy.
Soarer does not go over medium temp (half way).

Now, the Fuel ECU was bypassed with a paperclip i noticed last month. Sometimes the car wouldn't start - I assume the clip was moved out of place when driving - as each time i fiddled with it, it came back to life.
Car also had an erratic hunting idle around 2000rpm when cruising on freeway. Couldn't keep a steady speed, it'd cut in and out and jerk and screw around and as soon as foots off the accelerator, it seemed as if brakes were being applied.
- on start up usually it would idle at 1100rpm or similar ( and never go back down, even when warm).
- the power steering pump would be making noise also - whirring when the car was idling high at 1100rpm (usually Soarer will do that rev looping thing if the idle ever hit 1400rpm on start up).
- When the car idled under 1000rpm (upon randomly starting up) there was no noise what so ever.

Replaced TPS and set it properly (I think), this didn't help idle issues.
Tried to clean IACV but when i got to the part where you couldn't pull it out without removing the whole top half of the engine basically, I just put it back in the hole... (you see, I got it half way out, then that wiring thing was in the way so it wouldn't come out for a good clean without undoing everything on top of the engine... maybe I jiggled some gunk free eh?)

I bought and put in a new Fuel ECU last week (and reset main ECU) - have not had a high idle issue since.
I have driven 100km's or so, started car 5 or so times - no idle loop issue, no power steering pump noise. No high idle.
Now, this is still the testing phase and I'm expecting the idle loop thing to happen again soon. I noticed today, that the idle started creeping up from 850rpm to 1100rpm when in Park.
Of course, this depends on what actually caused the idle looping to begin with - was it the power steering, or the fuel ecu? hrmmmm.... No issues since fuel pump ecu was replaced with anything.

The next thing to go wrong was that the EMV screen stopped displaying A/C controls. It is blank. Diagnostic thingo still works, but basically all other menus are blank... (issue still not fixed).
Air con and heating still works via the knob.
Any ideas?

-I still have a lack of 'launch power'.
-I also have possible alternator whine coming through the speakers. Whine matches car RPM. Alternator and battery testing 100% good though.
-I've had an aftermarket head unit installed in place of the tapedeck thing - to try fix the above issue - but it didn't fix it. Car is now using EMV + new headunit , minus the tapedeck thing. All wired to factory speakers.

Last thing i noticed which randomly occurs when driving - (can't pull over as the issue stops) is an electrical crackling noise coming from under steering wheel somewhere... Maybe fuse box - no idea.
Happens randomly (rarely) - so I've tended to ignore it.
Still have not caught fire

If anyone has any advice or what not - that'd be most appreciated!
I'm also after a reliable mechanic who knows about Soarers - preferably located in the Western side of Vic.

This link below features two pictures. (use the tab up the top to swap)
http://imgur.com/XafOW0Y,JfsjV0W
Can somebody please tell me what the first two errors are? (Most of that Japanese text is just saying the audio and sat nav is unplugged I believe).
Also, what is that unplugged wire which is circled? - It was unplugged before i replaced fuel ecu, and still is...

Thanks a lot

[dumbass]

pull covers off engine ecu and check for leaking capacitors

also does it feel like its selecting all gears
when its sluggish does it still take off in 1st gear

soarers are pretty bad with many problems when they hot 20 years old
best of selling it

main probs with soarers u might have them

fuelpump ecu
engine ecu bad capacitors
air suspension fails
stereo plays up
instrument cluster lcd section plays up

the list goes on and working on them is probably the worst car to work on if u have to do anything behind the dash

[Thino]

In the second picture the second line is the display and the code D2 means that the BRQ wire is not connected - it should be a yellow/green colour and links display to the main EMV ecu.

[pearl_white]

In the second picture the second line is the display and the code D2 means that the BRQ wire is not connected - it should be a yellow/green colour and links display to the main EMV ecu.

Hi guys, thanks for the replies

What does BRQ stand for?
-I also noticed that it says A/C has a 'no connection' error...
-Would the above give me back my A/C screen possibly?
For the EMV troubles, where would I start - just pull emv out and connect wire again?

Also, Dumbass:
When car is sluggish, i'm pretty sure it's taking off in first (well, when the shifter is in first anyway)...
I have a slight miss or hesitation at 1900-2000rpm, idle seems to hunt between 1900-2000rpm every few seconds randomly if kept stable, but sometimes it won't... Even tested whilst in neutral.
When warm it just sorta 'bogs down' if trying to take off quick.
Pretty sure the exhaust note changes too...


Anyone have any idea what that wire is near the fuel pump ECU in image 1?

Thanks again!

[Thino]

no idea what BRQ stands for all, best bet would be to pull out the emv and check for loose/unconnected plugs and wires. once your find the issue should give you back A/C screen.

the wire in picture 1 connects to the bottom of the seat belt reel.

[woggin]

ive had a MAF fubar itself on mine, did all sorts of weird shit, i had a weird miss occasionally too, i replaced the spark plugs, the ignition leads and the maf and all was well!

EMV is a very common issue, heaps of DIY fixes on uk soarer forums, soarercentral, alsc.

is ur whine actually from the speakers, or the gearbox, does it sound like a supercharger?? mine sounded like a supercharger, clogged transmission filter is a common cause, or dying box.

[pearl_white]

ive had a MAF fubar itself on mine, did all sorts of weird shit, i had a weird miss occasionally too, i replaced the spark plugs, the ignition leads and the maf and all was well!

EMV is a very common issue, heaps of DIY fixes on uk soarer forums, soarercentral, alsc.

is ur whine actually from the speakers, or the gearbox, does it sound like a supercharger?? mine sounded like a supercharger, clogged transmission filter is a common cause, or dying box.

Hey again - thanks for the replies once more!

Ok, now i know where that cable plugs into lol!
Also, that speaker whine i'm getting is through the speakers, not gearbox.
The speaker whine only occurs when car is running and stereo is on.
When car is off, there is no speaker whine if radio is on.
(Had aftermarket radio installed to fix, but nothing was fixed... Am using stock speakers though. Did buy a new amp however)

This afternoon - The rev looping shit started happening again.
Went out this morning, no issue - just that slight miss at 2000rpm(a stutter).
High idle (1400rpm upon turning car off whilst in the park gear.)
Started car again and this rev shit started looping again....
1200rpm to 2200rpm over and over and over. Car also self accelerates as idle is high... Cruise control won't work when this happens either sometimes.

Now the other thing is - i notice that the car seems smoother if using cruise control (regardless if rev issue is going on or not), rather than accelerator when driving... What does this suggest?
Before i reset ecu and put fuel pump ecu in a few days ago the car would jerk and stutter and 'brake' itself around 2000rpm. Sometimes it'd violently jerk, othertimes it would just jerk every few seconds... When you took the foot off the Go pedal there would be an instabrake feeling - a violent deceleration.

Now, since replacing fuel ecu, this violent crap stopped and was 90% more manageable... As of just 2 hours ago, the car has started this idle looping thing, and before it started i noticed that if i lifted foot off pedal, the car felt like it was braking again (only much lesser than before with the bad fuel ecu and paperclip in diag port...).
(car was warm, petrol was low (15L left or so). Turned car off, idle was 1400rpm. turned it back on and it looped from 1200rpm to 2200rpm over n over. That's all I can think of.)
Soon as car is warm it has issues.


Sooo...

Will clean the MAF this week.
This rev and lack of power thing could still be the IACV right? - it has not been cleaned.
Had no issue til the rev thing started again today...
Will check out a Toyota wrecker to fix this steering fluid leak issue also...
(you see, I can't find a specialist Soarer guy, the closest thing I have is a Toyota wrecker with a few Soarers in the yard... Sigh)

[pearl_white]

One more question.
My Soarer's dash has a scroll feature.
You push it and it cycles: brake fluid, coolant, coolant temp, efi, and so on.
There is no error message or numbers displayed near any item which scrolls.
It does not say "brake fluid OK" and "coolant OK", it just says "brake fluid" and "coolant".

Now - does this mean the items that are scrolling are 'errors'?
or does it mean 'nothing is wrong' - that's why it has no error code near each item, and if something is wrong it will say "brake fluid - bad" for example, instead of just "brake fluid"...

No idea. (all fluids are full however... Actually, have NOT checked trans fluid yet ... Will do in the morning.. Wonder if that can cause lack of power and or an idle loop...Even with no trans noise, and shifting smoothly. No idea what kind of fluid is in there.)

[woggin]

the up and down idle thing indicates there is a fault with the idle speed control valve (iscv) or idle air control valve (iacv)

id suggest removing it and giving it a clean out first off, there heaps of DIY vids and tutorials on doing this..

With the scroll feature it will come up in orange if there is a fault, so no need to worry there.

[pearl_white]

the up and down idle thing indicates there is a fault with the idle speed control valve (iscv) or idle air control valve (iacv)

id suggest removing it and giving it a clean out first off, there heaps of DIY vids and tutorials on doing this..

With the scroll feature it will come up in orange if there is a fault, so no need to worry there.

Hey woggin, thanks for that! - no errors seemingly

I sorta had a feeling that it was the IACV playing up (and if it isn't that, the only thing I have left is a power steering vac leak - if it even has one - or the ECU playing up).
I'll be heading out later to clean the IACV when rain stops - otherwise i'll do it on wednesday and get back here with an update.

Wait... Wouldn't a bad iacv throw an error code or something?

Thanks

[woggin]

could be a vac leak, but thats normally characterised by a high idle, not a fluctuating idle...i wouldnt rule it out...fix the leaks!

if the ecu thinks its operating ok, it wont throw a code, sometimes it will, sometimes it wont!

[pearl_white]

Hi guys,
Noticed a fuel leak today I think.
Since i bought the car, I took it weekly for a wash and refuel.
Upon returning home i noticed streaks of goop coming out of the fuel tank.
- Thought "oh , must just be dust n crap inside the fuel lid which the car wash musta flushed out" each time.
Read some posts last night on the subject - and quite possibly it's not goop from the carwash, but rather it is fuel goop.
Turns out - that I could have a leak.
The nozzle thing inside the fuel lid has about 1cm of play on either side - you can wiggle the whole thing.
I notice a ring of liquid around the nozzle - but am unsure if that's where i spilt the fuel injector cleaner or if that's actual fuel leaking out.
I smell petrol with my nose near the cap. The liquid smells like petrol also (when i ran my finger under the nozzle).

So, i have a lack of 'take off' power when warm, and an idle looping issue.
Could a fuel leak cause either issue?

How much fuel is likely to leak out on a full tank if I do have a leak - and when is it going to leak out most likely? - when i turn, floor it, or so on ?
I'm hoping to have the issue fixed ASAP as i assume this is most dangerous.

Where do I go from here anyway? Who fixes fuel tank nozzle thingos?

(pretty sure it's a leak. unsure if its from cap or nozzle (restrictor) instead.)

Thanks guys!

[pearl_white]

Anyone got an EMV from a uzz31 (91) for sale?

[pearl_white]

Ok, so a lil' update:

1. Mucked about with the TPS (no feeler gauge yet) and now, seemingly, I have no more jerking at 2000rpm (so far).
2a. Rev looping issue still happens when i restart the car after a 10 min drive (when it feels like it).
2b. Letting the car sit for 10 minutes turned off usually puts the idle at a normal rate upon restarting.
3. Bought some 2 part epoxy for the fuel restrictor thing as I have a leak from the cap area - this goes on tomorrow.
4. I still have not taken the EMV out and checked wiring - but will do it tomorrow probably.
5. Car still has a lack of power when warmer. This is the last issue i will tackle.
6. Oh, i can't seem to be able to get the car into diagnostic mode through the EMV now either...
7. 2 hours later - Waiiiiit, i can get the car into diagnostics mode. I was just doing it too slow... Sigh.

Fun fun

[Kedderz]

Replace coolant temp sensor(s) as well, mine used to be great cold then very lethargic once warmed up, replaced the coolant temp sensor along with thermostat and performance was as expected, also had a decrease in fuel usage as the ECU finally knew what temp the car was actually running at.