Help!!! Starting Problem

[rjfoste09]

As of yesterday my 2000 solara has a problem starting. it has never done it before, but it did do it about 5 or 6 times yesterday and once today. it turns over, sometimes it will go to about 400 or so rpms, stumble a little bit then shut off. i try to restart and it either keeps turning over until i turn the key all the way off, then it starts right up like nothing ever happened. We have been used car shopping lately so alot of on and off, but most of the time (9 out of 10 times) it will start up, no problem at all. i know the car does need a oil change, it has 123,000 on it and does have a CEL for o2 sensor and some evap canister or something by the gas tank. Please help me as this is my daily driver and i have no idea what is going on.

once it starts, it runs great. no loss in performance or gas mileage. I'm vvvery confused. any suggestions?

[rjfoste09]

BUMP^^^

[ToyoSolV6]

Check your maf sensor or clean it out.

[beanslicer]

there's your problem, youre used car shopping, the solara knows...
which o2 sensor is it? one of them takes about 1 minute to replace and costs around $45 online, the other is really hard to replace, you should consider replacing that if its the easy to reach one. the sensor shouldnt have any effect on how your car is starting though. from what you are saying it sounds more like an electrical problem (i dont know much about engines but i understand computers) so it could be that when you start it and its turning over the battery is making it turn over, but the signal that makes gas flow into the engine is not registering and thats why the engine is not starting, and when you start again, the signal registers.
again, not sure, but just an opinion.

[jetbtkng]

its probably the iac, idle air control thingy, they need to be cleaned or replaced once in a while..............

[rjfoste09]

there's your problem, youre used car shopping, the solara knows...
which o2 sensor is it? one of them takes about 1 minute to replace and costs around $45 online, the other is really hard to replace, you should consider replacing that if its the easy to reach one. the sensor shouldnt have any effect on how your car is starting though. from what you are saying it sounds more like an electrical problem (i dont know much about engines but i understand computers) so it could be that when you start it and its turning over the battery is making it turn over, but the signal that makes gas flow into the engine is not registering and thats why the engine is not starting, and when you start again, the signal registers.
again, not sure, but just an opinion.

ironicly, this problem stopped as soon as i bought the other car. i guess once she found out she wasnt getting traded in, everything was all good. i will clean the iac and the maf tomorrow and post what i find. any suggestions other than maf safe cleaner?

[rjfoste09]

also forgot to mention o2 sensor was bank1 sensor 1 (one closest to firewall) i replaced it with a denso sensor from advanced. took a 5 hour drive to NYC this weekend and no problems what so ever.. also averaged about 400+miles to the tank, i also replaced the plugs with denso dual tips since the car had been running rich. now cel is off and car is running smooth

only other thing i notice is it seems the car has a deeper/ growling sound almost at WOT now, almost sounds like its bogging out a little. maybe i just didnt notice it before, i had been driving the other car around a good bit.. not use to switching cars lol.

[rjfoste09]

had this problem once again today, i searched but can not find anything on cleaning the iac or its location, anyone car to give me some short instructions? thanks for your help!

[dudutzu]

the IAC is attached to the bottom of the throttle body by 4 screws and it has 3 hoses, about cleaning can't help you there

[dudutzu]

check this out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i82s4ZfR ... age#at=212