Here's the full story:

Yesterday, before going to a job interview, I noticed that it took normal starts (turning the key for 1 or 2 seconds before the car fires) before my car would start, but when it did it was fine. (NO CEL)

After the job interview, it did the same. (NO CEL)

A few hours later I go to start my car and it just wouldn't fire at all. I tried 5 ore 6 times and the car wouldn't turn over, but it cranks perfectly fine.

So I pop the hood and notice a weird low humming sound coming from somewhere in the engine bay, it sounds like it's coming from the circled area:



So I wiggled some wires/connectors around and then try to start the car again. Still doesn't fire, but the noise went away.

So I'm advised to try cleaning the MAF sensor. I do so with MAF sensor cleaner and the car fires up right away the next time around, but when I clutch out, the car kills itself. This happens twice.

The third time I tried to crank it after this, the car returns to not starting. I wait 10 seconds, try again, car fires and stays on this time.

I take a quick 5 minute spin around the neighborhood, car idles, revs, and sounds fine.

I come back home, turn off the car, take out the trash and stuff, try to fire the car, and it fires again. I turn it back off, come back 5 mins later, try to fire it, takes two tries for it to fire.

Mind you there is still no CEL at this point.

So I decide to risk it and take the car to lunch with some friends and it fires up the first time, but after we ate and we go to leave, it takes about 12 times of me cranking before the car fires....

on the way home i get two CEL codes = p0113 and p0117.

0113 = Intake Air Temperature Circuit High Input
0117 = Engine Coolant Temperature Circuit Low Input

I clear the codes and I unplug the MAF and attempt to fire it up.

Doesn't fire the first time, but does the second time and obviously throws a new code. Basically says the MAF = busted.

I clear the codes, plug the maf back in, attempt to fire, it doesn't the first time, but does the 2nd time. The I gave up because I'm completely dumbfounded as to what o do next.

I'm thinking maybe swap MAF's with some to see if the MAF is busted or something.......

suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

Well I've spent the last couple of hours driving around, turning the car off, and trying to start it again.

It almost never fires the first time and when it does fire, it kinda putters to get started.

Again, once it's on though, it runs fine.

Again, no CEL's

so frustrating >_<

 

mods on the car or miles? try checking your plugs or reset the ecu and see if that helps

 

Intake air temp is part of the MAF on this car I believe. So that code could very well be part of that.

The engine coolant temp code is a bit of a question. If the engine coolant temp circuit is open then the ECU thinks it is below zero out and will run way too rich. If it is shorted it will lean out thinking it is very hot out. This itself can cause running issues to some degree.

The fact that both circuits seem to have issues (The coolant temp code I beleive is related to a self check on the circuit failing) leads me to wonder if a harness did not in some way get damaged, or if there is a bad ground which can cause flakey readings on multiple circuits.

 

what i want to know is what are those hoses for?

did something happen to the MAF when you installed your CAI? try cleaning it off with MAF SENSOR CLEANER and let the car run. too bad you dont work at a toyota dealer i would suggest using TECHSTREAM that thing is awesome

 

I clean the MAF with MAF sensor cleaner every time.

The hoses go to an oil catch can. It's normally the hose the recycles extra oil back into the intake tube down into the throttle body.

What really gets me now is that I can't reproduce the CEL's. In addition, if it was a MAF issue, wouldn't I see the issues while the car was on and while I was driving around?

My engine coolant is a little low, but it's not alarmingly low or anything, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to fill it the whole way.

Here's also a bit of information on my sensors....they were all replaced about 10k miles ago when i sucked a bit of water vapor into my intake.

I might be able to get it to a toyota dealership with my mods on but that's all in hoping

 

have you checked to see if your intake could be loose from your throttle body or if your air filter is still on your CAI bottom pipe? hope you get it fixed soon.

 

check your valve on the back side of the valve cover,same codes on buddies car and same symptoms,he found his had come loose and was leaking vacume.

 

I am running short ram right now so the intake is good. I will check the throttle body tomorrow (I think that's what valve your referring to)...thanks for the suggestions

 

if you had a vac leak it would give off a lean code.

maf sensor not work = your symptoms

take a dmm and take a pin and stick it into the holes try not to split the insulation

test all the holes because i can't remember which is which

blow into the maf to see if it produces a signal, if it does and it climbs it's not the maf

 

so for anybody who was wondering what had happened here.....

I don't know what was up with the CEL, but I was never able to reproduce the codes.

I went to the dealership and it turns out it was the sensor in the key that starts the motor...It was getting weaker and/or old so I just use my spare and now my car fires everytime.

Weird eh?

 

weird how some things happen. strange that the sensor in the key was getting weaker and weaker. i would have thought that it would be good, or just die, never get weaker and weaker.

 

^^ sounds like it's the transponder chip, could be faulty, dropped it a couple times could affect it.