What Should I Do With My Celica?hi

[dave8la]

Hi, posted this last night and I got one reply but when I click on the link to see the reply the post appears to have been deleted. I'll summarise the issue. My car has 190,000 miles. Engine warning light comes on all the time and Toyota garage said I need new catalytic converter and few other bits totalling £2600. I got it M.O.T'd yesterday with another garage and it passed. I need some help deciding if I should simply run the car into the ground or sell it now while its got some value (i.e. years M.O.T)? Despite 190,000 miles it is immaculate.

Any advice would be great. Thanks, Dave

[edwardio]

190k miles is fine and is certainly not heard of.

As for the engine light it could a number of things.

1: Dirty MAF

2: O2 sensor failing

3: Cat

If it was the cat, then you wouldn't have passed the MOT.

When was the car last serviced?

[dave8la]

Cheers

How much do you think a Celica with 190,000miles would be worth (in good condition)?

Toyota plugged their computer into my car and said I needed a new catalytic converter and something to do with device that determines fuel to air mixture. But M.O.T showed emissions are fine. Last serviced in May 2010. Before that its been serviced every year since it was made.

Problem is, if I went to sell it I'd have to justify what the warning light means and all I can say is 'Toyota says its the catalytic converter but here's the M.O.T that suggests otherwise'!

[edwardio]

Honestly you won't get much as Celica's apart from the GT have lost a lot of their vaule.

I'd say you cat is fine. It's an O2 sensor (you have 2 - pre & post cat) that is causing the issue. That or your MAF is dirty.

Ok it was last serviced 2010. What was done?

When were the plugs last changed (depending on the make, they can be every 40-60k).

What type of driving do you do (obviously lots of motorway driving). Are you heavy footed etc?

[dave8la]

Yeah it doesnt look like Celicas with low mileage fetch much these days.

Is the 02 sensor something I can easily change? If its not a stupid question what is MAF?

I'm not sure what was done in 2010 but it would have been the B-grade service so probably just spark plugs and oil.

I'm doing about 20,000 miles a year. Generally have fast moving dual carriageway conditions in the morning and stop start traffic in the evening. Am heavy footed every now and then depending on whether someones driving really or causing road rage.

Cheers

[edwardio]

O2 sensors are easy to change but they're not cheap. For the type of driving you do, it's not likely to be the fault.

The MAF is the Mass Air Flow meter. Google an image. I have tried posting images, but this site is too anal about image links.

Remove it & with a cotton bud & some WD40, gently & I mean gently clean the bulbus bit.

Once you've refitted it, then ECU needs to be reset. 2 ways to do this, 1) Take the ECU fuse out for 10 secs or disconnect the Battery for 10 secs.

This will put the ECU back into learn mode for about 50 miles.

If it had a basic service in May 2010, then it would have been filters & oil. If its had Denso or NGK plugs, then they are changed every 60k.

My advice would be this!

1) Clean MAF & reset ECU

2) Remove plugs - examine their condition (then clean or replace)

3) Service it, so oil air filter & oil filter.

4) Run the car on V-Power or BP Ultimate ONLY for about 3-4 complete tank fulls.

[dave8la]

Great stuff, I'll give those tips a go at the weekend and see how I get on.

Is it fairly straight forward to remove the MAF? I take it the ECU fuse is with the rest of the fuses under near the stearing wheel?

Thanks very much for your help, much appreciated.

[edwardio]

No the ECU fuse is in the engine bay.

If you do all that, its either free or fairly cheap. Plus you can do it all yourself, as the Gen 7 is so easy to service yourself.

Use this site for guides for bits & bobs. On there it has Clearing the ECU & cleaning the MAF.

Celica Gen7 guide website

[dave8la]

Ah thats very useful, thank you

[dave8la]

Hello again. I've just consulted the Toyota garage paperwork and they claim the following:

"Checked for fault codes and found fault relating to Catalytic converter and Control Module, both will require replacing"

"Replace ECM and Catalytic converter as per bulletin:

M Y17410-22080 N/STK EXHAUST FR.PIP (£999.41)

M Y89661-2G420 N/SKT COMPUTER ENGIN (£601.20)"

Still not sure how my car has passed M.O.T if all this needs replacing!

Due to the above is it still worth me cleaning the MAF and potentially replacing the O2 sensor? Can you fix a broken ECM?

Cheers

Dave

[edwardio]

I'd do what I suggested first.

Clean Maf, clean plugs, reset ecu & put some good quality fuel in beforehand. This is all FREE!

Then see how it goes. I cannot see how you need a new ecu (ECM), plus as you mainly do motorway driving again I can't see how your cat would go. Short journeys & over fuelling do that.

Besides if you do need a new cat, going to a custom exhaust place WILL be cheaper for the cat.

[edwardio]

When does the light come on - at start up, once wamr up, on & off randomly?

[dave8la]

Cheers, it comes on and off randomly although its hardly doing it at all now.

[edwardio]

Cheers, it comes on and off randomly although its hardly doing it at all now.

Is this since the MOT?

[dave8la]

No, its since I took it to the Toyota garage for diagnosis.

The car was really low on oil when I took it to the garage so that may be why the light was on constantly before I took it to Toyota. About 6 months ago the light was on solidly for a few weeks then its was intermittent until I took it to Toyota.

[edwardio]

No, its since I took it to the Toyota garage for diagnosis.

The car was really low on oil when I took it to the garage so that may be why the light was on constantly before I took it to Toyota. About 6 months ago the light was on solidly for a few weeks then its was intermittent until I took it to Toyota.

When yu say low on oil, how low? and long for?

Apart from the light, how does the car run/feel normally?

[dave8la]

The oil was very low but I dont know how long for.

The car runs and feels really good. Everything works well. If I drive between 50 and 60mph, dont accelerate harshly and keep revs low then I can get about 90 miles out of 10 litres of fuel.

[edwardio]

I’d be more inclined to say that your MAF is dirty (assuming it’s never been cleaned), as a result it its giving the ECU the wrong data & therefore incorrectly fuelling and maybe clogging up the cat a little. Well that is until you give it some beans.

What fuel do you use?

[dave8la]

I generally fill up with standard unleaded at Shell, BP or Texaco.

To clean the MAF you said I should use a cotton bud. Should I use special solution if its so delicate?

[edwardio]

I generally fill up with standard unleaded at Shell, BP or Texaco.

To clean the MAF you said I should use a cotton bud. Should I use special solution if its so delicate?

Well you are not using cheap fuel, so that is good. Try a couple of tanks of V-Power, it'll only cost a couple of pound more per fill up.

Just use a cotton bud & some WD40 to clean it.