-
Go Back   Automotive Forums Car Chat > Toyota > Camry/Camry Hybrid/Vista
Register FAQ Community
Reply Show Printable Version Show Printable Version | Subscription Subscribe to this Thread
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 12-16-2004, 02:18 PM
jcoble jcoble is offline
AF Newbie
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Unhappy 92 Camry won't start

Just got the oil changed last Friday on my 92 camry, and went down to Houston to visit family over the weekend. Ran great! Tuesday I filled the tank with gas before coming home, but Wednesday morning, it shut itself off while I was letting the engine warm up (19 degrees that morning). The rear defroster cleared the ice off the rear window, but before I could turn on the front defroster to thaw out my windshield, the car quit running. Lights and stereo were still on, but the engine had quit. I turned the lights off, popped the hood to make sure the outside cat hadn't tried to seek warmth in the engine bay, and all was well there. Tried starting the car again, and it cranked, but never actually started. Didn't sound like it was struggling or anything.....sounded like it always does right before it starts....only, it never did start. So, hubby and I are carpooling until he gets a chance to look at it on Saturday. He's a muscle car and 4x4 kind of guy though, so my little camry is going to be a new experience for him in troubleshooting....any ideas where to get started (we have a Haynes manual, but that's it)?
Thanks
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-18-2004, 12:22 AM
jsinton jsinton is offline
AF Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 518
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 92 Camry won't start

Use your Haynes manual to troubleshoot because you have not provided enough information. You need more investigating first.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-18-2004, 03:50 PM
jcoble jcoble is offline
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: Re: 92 Camry won't start

Quote:
Originally Posted by jsinton
Use your Haynes manual to troubleshoot because you have not provided enough information. You need more investigating first.
Should the fuel pump be working when the ignition is on?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-18-2004, 04:01 PM
don24mac don24mac is offline
AF Regular
 
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 155
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
The fuel pump will come on when you initially turn on the ignition, but only for a few seconds to build up pressure. If the engine doesn't start, the fuel pump won't continue to run. It will begin to run continuously when the engine does start up.

Are you getting spark? That's easier to check.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-19-2004, 02:18 AM
jsinton jsinton is offline
AF Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 518
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 92 Camry won't start

A wild guess is that you burn out your Ignition Control Unit. When it goes, it won't run anymore, just like a bad lightbulb. Did you try to get a spark from the spark plug wire to the engine block? If you can't get a spark, I'll give you 10 to 1 odds it's the ICU.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-19-2004, 06:58 AM
don24mac don24mac is offline
AF Regular
 
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 155
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
The reason I asked about if you're getting spark, is because your discription sounded like a broken timing belt. They'll brake any time they're old enough, even at idle. On a 92 Camry, the belt should be replaced around every 60,000 miles. How many miles on your Camry, or, when was the timing belt belt last changed? The distributor is run off the valve cam, so it's easy to check to see if you're getting spark. If you've got spark, the timing belt is OK. If no spark, remove the distributor cap and see if the rotor turns as you crank the engine. If it doesn't turn, it's probably a broket timing belt.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-19-2004, 08:43 AM
jsinton jsinton is offline
AF Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 518
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 92 Camry won't start

It's not the timing belt... If it was the timing belt it would not turn over normally. Check for spark.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-19-2004, 12:23 PM
jcoble jcoble is offline
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 92 Camry won't start

Thanks, no spark. I replaced the rotor and cap, still no spark. Also, I replaced the fuel filter and main fuel relay, now there is a groaning noise after not sarting, not during cranking. I'll look in Haynes on how to test the ICU. Thanks again, should be a world of help. Timing belt was just replaced about 20,000 ago. Current milage is 180,000. Was still purring like a kitten.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-19-2004, 05:27 PM
ludegurl's Avatar
ludegurl ludegurl is offline
AF Newbie
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 32
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: Re: 92 Camry won't start

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcoble
Thanks, no spark. I replaced the rotor and cap, still no spark. Also, I replaced the fuel filter and main fuel relay, now there is a groaning noise after not sarting, not during cranking. I'll look in Haynes on how to test the ICU. Thanks again, should be a world of help. Timing belt was just replaced about 20,000 ago. Current milage is 180,000. Was still purring like a kitten.

check the fuse box (ignition system)
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-20-2004, 10:21 AM
jcoble jcoble is offline
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 92 Camry won't start

Yeah, checked all that out. Does anyone know what the ICU looks like, and where it is located. The Haynes manual isnt very clear on this issue and I think referrs to it as the igniter. This is an expensive part and I would like to get it from a salvage yard to save some money. I have found one locally but want to make sure its the right part. Any help on this will be much appreciated.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 12-24-2004, 02:59 AM
bullitt5048 bullitt5048 is offline
AF Newbie
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 10
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via AIM to bullitt5048 Send a message via MSN to bullitt5048 Send a message via Yahoo to bullitt5048
Re: 92 Camry won't start

Sounds Like The Same Thing Happend To Me Didnt Think About Checking The Belt Gonna Do That Right Now
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 12-25-2004, 09:02 AM
jcoble jcoble is offline
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Replaced ICU, still won't start

Well,
Made some calls and found an ICU for $50 at a local salvage yard and bought it. Replaced the old one with the one I just bought, and still nothing. Decided to go ahead and change out the spark plugs, since I bought a new rotor and cap and already installed those. Unfortunately, one of the spark plugs broke while I was trying to take it out, so now I have to remove the head to get the bloody thing out! If it's not one thing, it's another, I swear.....I'll test the coil after I get the spark plugs all replaced...IF I can get the one that broke out first, that is. I'm about to the point of just towing the car to a local shop and having them diagnose it....I've never had this much go wrong in troubleshooting a car, and it's pretty discouraging.....give me something older that has a carb and I can fix it....these newer engines apparently aren't my bag...
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 12-25-2004, 08:57 PM
jsinton jsinton is offline
AF Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 518
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 92 Camry won't start

Wow, sorry to hear the ICU didn't work. I was sure that was the problem. I would have to say either your coil is bad, or the distributor is bad, but I would just be guessing at this point. Don't you hate breaking off spark plugs? I did that in the middle of the river on my boat one time... what a disaster that was. How come you can't get the plug out? Can't you get the socket in there and bite on something?
Are you sure you replaced the ICU and not something else. I know... the book is not very good at explaining where this is or what it looks like. It's actually a one ince square black chip mounted on a stupidly big metal bracket which in turn is bolted to the back side of the head (I think). It has a wiring harness plugged into it that is bigger than the chip itself. It all sits close to the distributor. Is that the "ICU" you replaced?
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 12-25-2004, 08:57 PM
jsinton jsinton is offline
AF Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 518
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 92 Camry won't start

Whoops, I'm wrong, I'm telling you to find the ICU on my Mitsubishi. Sorry.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 12-25-2004, 09:39 PM
SHAWNEE SHAWNEE is offline
AF Newbie
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: Re: 92 Camry won't start

Quote:
Originally Posted by jsinton
Whoops, I'm wrong, I'm telling you to find the ICU on my Mitsubishi. Sorry.
HI I HAVE A 92 CAMRY AND MY CAR DID THE SAME THING BUT ON MY CAR THE distributor IT SELF WENT I PAY ABOUT 160.00 FOR THE distributor THIS PART IS NOT THE CAP
Reply With Quote
 
Reply

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD

Go Back   Automotive Forums Car Chat > Toyota > Camry/Camry Hybrid/Vista


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:27 PM.

Community Participation Guidelines | How to use your User Control Panel

Powered by: vBulletin | Copyright Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
 
 
no new posts