car will not start after 5 speed swap *update* 9/19/09

[ozone]

I think I would probably wire the auto ECU to think it still has the auto transmission, then see how it drives. Other than that, you could go stand-alone fuel injection. Someone here probably has fuel maps for you to use. Plus, I think Haltech now makes a stand alone fuel injection unit that programs itself. Sounds like a pretty cool idea. Think I'll look into that.

Good luck with the swap. You'll figure everything out and in the end you will have a huge smile on your face on that first drive with the 5 speed.

[ozone]

Ok, it was actually Megasquirt, but it turned out not to be a self-learning ECU after all. Scratch that.

[JavaJoe_2]

AEM has something similar. (drool) If you have the spare cash.
I would try your ecu to see if it would work or not.
On my old Explorer I went from a 5 speed to auto with no issues.
You should be able to find what you need in a junk yard or eBay. You might also talk to some Toyota service guys about reflashing ecu's. A trans shop said that they had a local Toyota shop scan their ecu for problems and when they got it back and reinstalled it. It worked...now I don't know if they installed it wrong in the first place or something else had changed.
Just some thoughts.

[TxBmbleBee]

the only solutions i have up to this point is that i need 3 things to get a manual ecu with an immobilizer to work. 1) ecu
2)chipped key
3)ignition can

[JamesT]

How does the immobilizer work?

I don't see why it can't be bypassed (you're not afraid to open your ecm are you?)

[SpeedySolara]

If the auto ECU allows you to start your car, why dont you ask Greg to help you wi0e it so that you can drive it around for now until you can sort everything out with a manual ECU. SCV6 had done a manual swap on his SLE and was using his auto ECU so if you can get in contact with him he might be able to remember how he did it. He reinstalled his auto tranny before selling the Solara so he should know how to do it but question is, will you be able to get in contact with him? I suggest using your auto ECU unless you find a manual ECU WITH KEYS or else you wont be able to program your keys. Good luck with all of this.

[TxBmbleBee]

yea i know scv6 did the swap. i read his thead. i think he unscrewed all the solenoids from the auto tranny and plugged them back into the harness.

[ozone]

I don't believe the ECU can be bypassed unless you have the ability to open the ECU and tap into the ECU and reflash it. It works by communicating with the key via RFID technology. There are antennas in the steering column that interrogate the key. The key transmits a code which is picked up by the antennas and sent down wires to the ECU. The ECU is programmed with a code. If the code from the key does not match what the ECU is expecting, it will not send fuel to the cylinders (or spark, not positive), which is why his engine will crank, but not start. As long as the ECU controls the fuel, the car will not start. Unless I am forgetting something, there are only three ways to make it start. Get the key that has the code the ECU is expecting. Change what code the ECU expects to see, or go with a stand alone or similar fuel injection system.

There is a procedure in the book to program a key, but it requires that you put in a valid master key first. Then you have to go through a real dance of pressing on the gas pedal and brake pedal in certain sequences.

The dealer can do this with their tool, but I'm pretty sure they will need to know the VIN of the car the ECU came from. Have you tried seeing if the dealership can reprogram it based on what's printed on the ECU itself. They have to have this ability if they ever replace a faulty ECU so it's possible they can do it if you can get the car and the ECU to them and convince them to do it. In fact, I know they can, I just read in the book that all they have to do is put the ECU in "Automatic Registration" mode and stick the key in the cylinder. The ECU will then register it. This may be the way to go.

Good luck.

[ozone]

To be more accurate, the key doesn't "transmit" a code. The key coil in the steering column transmits a signal and causes the key to reflect the signal back in a coded manor. Just wanted to be a little more accurate, since our keys don't have batteries, they cannot transmit, they are passive.

[TxBmbleBee]

I did some searching through the forums just to confirm what I thought I had read prior to the swap. SC V6 did have ecu problems, and like me, he bought the manual ecu without its 'partner' chipped key.

His solution was to take the solenoids out of the auto tranny, and plug them into the auto wiring harness and tuck it away. I am really SOL on this and will most likely have to do the same since finding an ecu with its key is damn near impossible. He claims the car ran fine doing this, however I have my reservations as to what the long term effects might be.

Here is the link in case future people who do the swap search and find this...

http://www.solaraguy.com/viewtopic.php? ... ranny+swap

Oh and btw ozone. Its not that I dont believe you, but I have called several dealerships in the area that say reflashing the ecu is impossible and I will have to buy a whole new ecu with keys. Are they trying to screw me?? Yes most likely. They insisted to me it cannot be done. I call bs.

[Gibson99]

His solution was to take the solenoids out of the auto tranny, and plug them into the auto wiring harness and tuck it away. I am really SOL on this and will most likely have to do the same since finding an ecu with its key is damn near impossible. He claims the car ran fine doing this, however I have my reservations as to what the long term effects might be.

the long term effects is that you'll have the solenoids hanging around in the engine bay, clicking, and adding a pound or two to your car. i wouldn't worry about that. oh, and the auto trans won't be worth as much for resale if it's missing the solenoids. they're small, but are inside the tranny pan.

I have called several dealerships in the area that say reflashing the ecu is impossible and I will have to buy a whole new ecu with keys. Are they trying to screw me?? Yes most likely. They insisted to me it cannot be done. I call bs.

no, it really is true that some models cannot be reprogrammed. i remember this being teh case on a 97 or 98 avalon that they'd lost all the keys for. had to replace the ecu and make a new set of keys. new ecu was already in autoprogram mode. rather annoying imho. there's a table on TIS showing which models can or cannot be reprogrammed based on production date and trim level (options).

craig - what year did your donor ECU come from? once i know that, i'll call my buddy who still works there and see if he can get on TIS and look it up to be sure. if it turns out it CAN be done, i'm pretty sure he'd let me use the scan tool and do it for you so you can use your existing keys with the new ecu. we'd just have to drive it up there with the auto ecu (no big deal).

did you find the battery drain problem yet?

[TxBmbleBee]

date on ecu says 6 8/99

[SC V6]

Sorry for being a bit out of the loop, but depending on what ECU you have, you may have an ECU with theft control. If that is the case, you need the Master Key so you can program keys etc. If you don't have that key, the car won't start. I tried asking the dealership what they could do for me, and they didn't know what to do. There might be someone out there on the web that has the programs to reprogram without a key. I never found anything like that.

I ended up using my stock computer and tricking the computer to think it was in neutral all the time. I had a switch on my dash, which flipped the park/neutral switch to say it was in reverse. If you don't run a switch like this it will cause a CEL everytime you put the car into reverse. It does this because it senses the reverse lights going on while it is in neutral and pulls a code. Not a huge issue.

The solenoids in the engine compartment wasn't a major problem. It was a bit ugly, and they can get hot since they are 1) in the engine bay and 2) are not being lubricated/cooled by ATF. You can find the correct ohm reading required to trick the computer to think the solenoids are there and working, but the site I saw had issues with them melting etc.

I called a local junk yard for months trying to get an ECU with the key. The issue is that they pull the ECU and column (w key) and sell them seperatly. You have to let them know before they tear the car apart, that you want the key and ECU. I got both on one occasion, but the key was not a master key so it wouldn't work with my car since I couldn't program it.

Good luck with the search, and let me know if you need any help/info. Send me a PM or what not. I will try to check in every once in a while.

[Gibson99]

ya, we've already gone through the whole thing with the immobilizer bit. Not too much fun, really.

when you say melting, do you mean the resistors they installed to be fake solenoids, or the solenoids themselves? big wattage resistors need to have heat sinks or yes, they will melt.

do you have a link to that site you mentioned about using resistors to fake out the auto ecu?

[SC V6]

What actually melted was the plastic enclosure they used to contain the ceramic resistors. I didn't wanna mess w melting containers etc, so I stayed away from the ceramic resistors.

Can't find the site that I saw it at.. its been quite a while... I found it googling E153 Swap... lots of diff car's swap this transmission, so there might be some resources that way