7 months and everything is still the same

@UC, if you have a wiring diagram, check to see how the relay signal, or low amp, side is wired. Many use a 12v switched source, and the ECU grounds the relay to trigger it. Maybe others send a 12v signal to the relay. The high amp side is usually 12v battery.

If you don’t have or can’t decipher the wiring diagram, using a multimeter to probe the relay connections. At key-off, you should have one 12v source, the high amp. The tang opposite it should be the fan positive. The other two are the relay signal wires. One should read 12v with key-on. The other will be ground. Intercept the ground wire, and cut, splice, and ground it to a nearby bolt. The fans should kick on anytime you have key-on.

If the signal side has no 12v at key-on, one tang should be continuous to ground. In that case, intercept the non-grounded wire and cut, splice, and tie it int a switched power source, preferably fused. These relays on the signal side use very little amp draw, so circuit overload should not be a problem.

Honestly, this sounds to me like an incompatability between the new motor you put in and the ECU. Did the new motor come from a similar car? Do you have access to its ECU?

Was it from a rebuilder? If so, did the directions it came with discuss the ECU programming (reflashing)?

I have decided to go with a new ECM, another 230 dollars isn’t going to kill me

or my bank account. Thank you all, special thanks to the one who told me about

the failsafe codes. I’m on it.

I’ll be back with pictures of it, like I said, this isn’t your ordanary carolla.

I’m looking forward to seeing it, as well as to finding out how you made out with the new ECU.

I’m also wondering if the new engine is stock. If you’ve increased the injector size or made other modifications, that too would require reprogramming of the computer.

The engine in the 01 and the 04 Corolla’s are the same, 1ZZFE but the bodies are different. If it had an automatic transmission, that would be different also, but I don’t know about the manual, I think they are the same. The ECU for the 01 should work in an 01 body with the 04 engine, but an 04 ECU might not work.

One thing struck me that might help is the compressor fan relay. It will not solve all the problems but it might explain why the AC isn’t working.

This is for the 03-08 Corolla, it might help.

http://madstyle1972.com/Repair/05/200o8c04/cip0115.pdf

fyi, There are places that repair these modules too. The one I’ve heard of is called “Module Master” or something like that. (I’ve never used any of them myself.) I’m not saying that your ECM (aka ECU) is broken and to get it repaired at one of those places, but if you phoned them up, they might could offer you some free advice on whether or not you have a compatibility problem or not. And if so, the best way to address it. These outfits answer these kinds of auto electronic module questions every day, so they have all the manufacturer’s module spec’s at hand to know one way or the other. Good on you for keeping your Corolla on the road. Best of luck.

The trans bolts to the 04 engine, just through differant holes in the block,

it tried to make me crazy too, but I whipped it, it takes one less bolt now.

everything from my 01 engine fit right on because as the one poster said, “it’s the same motor.”

I’m getting the ECM from a place in Florida, it has a one year warrenty, but I can upgrade that

to life time warrinty for an extra 100 bucks, I believe I’ll do that.

Oh, this car has D2 racing coil over shocks 17 inch wheels 12 inch dics, twin piston calipers,

all new bushings, ball joints, rack and pinion, power stearing, Japanese cherry burl interior

dressing, and I just might install the Lambo doors, The wife doesn’t care for them that much though.
As far as a sterio system, I couldn’t care less, I’d rather hear the car.

@UC

2001 and 2004 are different body styles, correct?

Yet you say the motor is the same, correct?

I’ll use this as an example to show that things aren’t always so simple.

2002-2006 Camry 4 cylinder uses 2AZ-FE engine.

2007 and up Camry 4 cylinder uses 2AZ-FE engine.

Guess what?

They’re not identical.
There are various and subtle mechanical differences.
The engines are definitely in the same family, but they’re basically kissing cousins, not twins.

"I have changed all fuses, relays, temp sensor.

thermostat, water pump, head gasket (three times), radiator cap, Now I still have the same problem.

Oh, I put a new motor in it too, along with a new clutch, pressure plat and throw out bearing -

At what point is it more cost effective to take it in for service to a dealer or garage ?

At what point is it more cost effective to take it in for service to a dealer or garage ?

I don’t trust them, they are there to make as much as they can, and there

are enough people in the country for them to just keep screwing over anyone that

comes through the door, I’m not going to be one of them.

I can’t even begin to tell you where the problem lies but am dubious about an ECM curing the problem. Keep in mind that ECMs can vary even on the same year model. A look at some parts listings show half a dozen for 2001 model and seven for a 2004 with a notation about possibly needing additional programming.

Fuses are not a guess as to whether they’re bad or not and changing all of them along with changing a head gasket 3 times is wild guessing at the extreme.

To be brutally honest, a dealer should approach this car with caution and a clear understanding of what is or is not going to be done. Assuming they would even want to touch it, they should state to you that an X dollars estimate will only provide a preliminary look-see and after that the check is left blank.
If the dealer refuses to even wade into this car do not get upset with them.

I don’t think we know nearly enough about this new motor or the car to even make an educated guess. All we know is that the motor has been replaced and “it isn’t your ordinary Corolla”. I think the source of the problem is hiding in those two statements.

OK4450, I agree with you.

There is one way to reduce the mistrust with the dealership. I rarely go to a dealer for anything, but when I do, I ask to meet with the mechanic that will do the work or the troubleshooting. The service writer just gets in the way of a good communication stream. By talking with the actual mechanic, I can express what I expect and he can explain exactly what he will be delivering. No filter in the middle.

This is a cooling system problem and it doesn’t matter whether the engine is exactly the same or a kissing cousin. I may be wrong but I think the cooling temp sensor for the fans is located in the lower radiator tank and not in the engine. I linked the troubleshooting procedures for the 04 model, the 01 will be the same except for pin numbers and possibly wire colors. It should be easy to figure it out.

Right now the most logical guess for me is that the switch in the bottom of the radiator is shorted out and you have a separate problem with the AC, possibly the compressor relay.

Keith is absolutely correct about the service writer being in the way of the communication stream and in my opinion a lot of problems are caused by that filter in the middle. The only problem with this is that it cuts into the mechanic’s time and cost him money. A few minutes here and there is not a problem but if the conversations turn out to be many during the course of the week and/or lengthy it can be very frustrating for the mechanic.

In this particular case, it could theoretically go like this.

  1. The shop gives a preliminary estimate and the cause turns out to be comparatively cheap to fix.
  2. The shop gives an open ended estimate which the customer agrees to and sorting it all out turns into a nightmare which then leads to:
    A. Customer outraged over final bill even though they agreed to it from the get-go.
    B. Shop is vested in the sorting out to the tune of say 10 hours already and no end in sight
    with the customer wanting to stop the bleeding. They now owe a tidy sum on a car that is
    not repaired yet.

I’m not saying the OP would do the latter; only pointing out that a situation like this is not rare.
There’s nothing worse than going into something and having to try and figure out who did what.

“The car starts and remains on fast idel, the fans don’t come on unless I unplug the temp sensor, but if I shut the car off
it will not start until I plug the temp sensor back in”

With respect, Keith, I don’t think it is a cooling system problem. I think it’s an ECU problem. The ECU is actually controlling the fans based on its sensor inputs. And we agree, I’m sure, that the ECU controls the starting. Besides, there’s no indication of an inability of the cooling system to cool the engine, or to allow it to get to operating temp.

I absolutely agree with your comments about the service writer getting in the way of the communication stream and about going directly to the mechanic. Especially in this case. I’d be amazed if a service writer actuallly wrote down an accurate description of the events surrounding the problem, being the engine swap without an ECU swap, or a complete and accurate description of the symptoms. I also suspect that being able to ask questions about the source of the motor and any modifications would be a big help to the tech, and the service writer isn’t going to know this.

Well, no dealer or anyone else need worry about touching this car because, THEY’RE NOT.

If I have but one day left in my life let me spend it working on this car.

Some people are addicted to sex, others addicted to drugs or drink, I

am addicted to this car.

My comments about the dealer methodogy is based on your comment on the first page where part of your comment is shown just below so I assumed the dealer was an option.

“but my next stop is going to have to be a dealer”

What’s wrong with a shop making as much money as possible? As long as it’s done ethically then power to them and the more profit the better.
What often happens is that many assume the definition of high repair bill is rip-off and in most cases that is not correct.

My guess is it would be money well spent. The shop is probably going to have to do some research into the engine using the serial number, and perhaps some research on the ECU as well. They’d have access to necessary information that you might not. My sense is that this isn’t going to be a simple “downlooad a code and change a part” solution.

This thread is over, I found out what I needed to know.

Like all forums it has it’s shills and trolls.

Good bye.

UC, there are about 1/2 dozen people here that have reached out to offer help at your request. Don’'t you think it would be a nice gesture to let us know what you found? Perhaps we can use the information to help others.