After a new distributor, check egine light coming on, getting a code 52, they (Toyota Dealership) replaced knock sensor. Unfornately it seem to improve a little bit, but same issues happen; engine not running smooth at times. Any wisdom?
94 Corolla. In the 223,000 mile club. 1.6
Was the reason for the knock sensor replacement the code 52? have any more common issues that affect how the car runs been looked at? What benifit did you expect to notice from the knock sensor replacement? simply turning the check enine light out? did you actually hear any engine pinging?
Was the reason for the knock sensor replacement the code 52? YES
have any more common issues that affect how the car runs been looked at? IN THE PROBLEM HISTORY, CAR WAS NOT GETTING SPARK, DEALERSHIP FOUND THE CONDENSER FRIED. THEY DID A BYPASS IN DIST. (AT THAT TIME, THEY DID OTHER BASIC TUNE UP CHECKS, SPARK PLUGS) AND THAT WORKED UNTIL A HUMID DAY, AND WOULD NOT START. IT WAS ONLY AFTER INSTALL 0F NEW DIST THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, GOT CODE 52, AND THEN REPLACED SENSOR.
simply turning the check engine light out? I THINK THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM
did you actually hear any engine pinging? NO PINGING
IS THIS HELPFUL?
What I am getting at here is I think you are assigning drivability problems to the failed knock sensor, incorrectly. I can certainly understand replacing the knock sensor in an attempt to both turn out the check engine light and eliminate engine pinging but I cannot associate the reported engine hesitation with the failed knock sensor. Was a troubleshooting flow chart used to diagnois the hesitation and was a failed knock sensor listed as a possible cause of engine hesitation?
Thanks. I was relying on the Toyota Dealer. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been a positive experience. If this helps, from the very beginning was the first time anything happened was in the fall (might have been humid) as I went to take off, in acceleration, the engine hesitated then came back, then at intersection it happened again, and fortunately got it going, but it spooked me… From there was the humid day, and the recommendation to take it to dealership to properly diagnosis the prob. When I talked to the after market dist. manf. (Richporter ~ O’Reilys parts store) he mentioned their might be something that shorted out the dist. Might there be issue, up the line? (is this what you mean by flow chart?)
What I ment by “flow chat” is typically in the Factory Service Manual you can find a chart with diagnostic steps listed that aid you in determining what is wrong. This chart has “boxes” on it and inside these boxes are steps that you should take and items you should check (in a very paticular order). What I was asking was if you looked over the flow chat for “engine misses, stumbles, hesitates when accelerating” and found any reference to either testing or replacing the knock sensor. I don’t think you will find that the knock sensor would be considered to be the potential source of these symptons, but I needed to ask if it was listed in the flow chart as being a possibility.
Using a flow chart is a very good diagnostic method as it involves using a dedicated stratagey in determing the cause of the problem. This stratagey based diagnostics approach is much better than trying anything and everything in any order to find the problem (called the “shotgun” approach).
Hello, I remember years ago reading something about bad igniters on Toyotas caused by a faulty rubber gasket between the distributor cap and the distributor. Also you should check for cracks on the cap. I hope it did not short it to the IGF, IGT or IG- back to the ECM or you may expect some problems with codes here.
I like the idea of the flow chart. I could try to run that idea by the Dealership, but they are not to open for customers comments. I went to the Toyota dealership assuming they were the experts. They might be, but to find a really dedicated “problem solver” mechanic, I think is a rare fine. Do you think Tom or Ray might have any insights?