really new to the supra

1988gte · 07-13-2005, 05:32 AM

I am very new to the supra, I saw it for sale and had to buy it. 1988 toyota supra turbo. The owner before said he was having problems with the car and didnt understand any of the "computer stuff" and just wanted to get rid of it. I new it was going to have problems but i thought it cant be that bad, anyway it has 163,000 miles. clean no dents, dings. It has a new head,timing belt,cat pipe, fuel pump. He gave me all of the paperwork and bills on everything that was done. Now that thats done let me tell you my problems. When i first got the car it would run and by run i mean go the speed limit and then some (70+ MPH) got home started tearing apart the car and found lots of carbon bulid up in the air flow meter (maybe from backfiring?) so i cleaned it, thats when the trouble started. I couldnt keep it running from then on. so i checked the timing belt made sure it was lined up correctly, check coil pack, wires, spark plugs (lots of carbon bulid up but didnt replace them) good spark, checked vaccum line, egr, fuel filter, fuel lines,still not running, did a fuel pressure test. found that it was very low so i bought a new pump great pressure now the car starts and runs but wont go passed 2500 rpm's any suggestions why? i tried to cover everything if i forgot something to check please tell. oh and i get these codes
14 ignition signal, 24 intake air temp sensor signal, 31 air flow meter signal. What does it mean by signal?

supramangte · 07-13-2005, 06:54 AM

replace pulgs with some nippon or densos, make sure there gaped to.031, the carbon build up is from sometimed timed wrong or a fule issue i would replace the fule filter plugs also.
code 24 is in the aif flow meter "mass air flow" little nipple hanging from the top of it inside the air flow meter , code 31 is the mass air flow look inside of it and youll see a black bar up and down in the middle of the unit if you cleaned it, what did you use, could have ruined it, this unit is very delicate check the ohms on iti would double check the timeing a dohc motor are a real hassle if you didnt make refrence marks or who ever did the head and timing belt change one tooth either way or two teeth can make a big diffrence. you could have knock a pice of carbon down itno the egr valve when you clean the lines and stuff, and you would never know it. there are 2 cats on the supra one is right of the turbo and the other is not to far after it, the first one could have melted doen from bad plugs and wires or any number of things.
also dumb question for you did you plug the air flow meter back in ive done this and the car will start for 2 secondes then die????
but im guessing that you might have messed up the air meter like i said do a ohm test on it and this will tell you right off.
when you refered to the "signal" question what is it this is what a particular sensor is telling the computer.
check out these items i have said and let use know what happens if you need more help email me at
ryanweaver1977@yahoo.com
good luck
o-ya why did you start to tear into the supra if it was allready running fine, and what kind probs did the previous owner have?

1988gte · 07-13-2005, 06:20 PM

wow that was fast!! I am going to buy new plugs later today. The gap was no where near .31 almost 3 times more gapped! The timing is good i checked it like the haynes manual says. I checked the omhms on the mass air meter, eveything is fine there, oh i cleaned it with b-12 :unsure: Oh and about the wire, plugged. and i unplugged it for kicks and it will still start. and it wont die in a couple of seconds. It just wont rev up passed 2500 with out stalling and hesitation. I think you are right on me killling it. I called toyota today and they said that even if the ohms are okay that i might have killed an "element". The local parts store told me a new mass air sensor is about $450.00. maybe a junk yard? Oh the previos problems where that you could drive the car but when you gave it gas it would hesitate stumble but as soon as you let off the gas would start to pick up speed. I checked the ohms on the throttle postion sensor, everything okay also set it up like the haynes manual says. when i unplug tps drops revs and wants to die. I check back later after i get the plugs and check egr anything else that i forget let me know again thanks a bunch!!! jago@direcway.com

1988gte · 07-25-2005, 07:49 AM

Finally after all this time i have got her running!!! I really dont know what was the cause but i will tell you what I did, maybe to help some other people. Replaced spark plugs, found 1 vaccum leak, (hose had a cut all the way down on the bottom) Pulled and cleaned O2 sensor full of carbon and metal flakes (rust it looks like), pulled and cleaned EGR valve. I dont know what the problem was but one of these things got it working again

suprra_girl · 07-25-2005, 10:25 AM

glad ya got ya problem sorted

in your travels tho.. if you find a cheap air flow meter (good working one) pick it up and have it sitting on the shelf ready tho

usually cleaning afm = bad hehe... so be ready to drop in the new one if it dies

don't forget to reset your ecu... take her for a drive then recheck her for codes.. make sure nothing new comes up

good luck and have fun with ya supra!!!

1988gte · 07-26-2005, 04:42 AM

suprra_girl, will do! I have a air flow sensor on order not cheap but what the heck. Did the code thing and none

I love this car. suprra_girl or anybody out there have any suggestions on rewiring the stereo? The person before me cut the cars radio harness (both) and i have no interior lights, no guage lights (hard to see how fast im going at night) my gas guage, oil pressure, temp guage dont work either. dont know if this is because of cutting into the wires but any help would work

suprra_girl · 07-26-2005, 01:44 PM

wow.. you have a few little quirks huh :P

i would suspect that since your dash lights and interior etc aren't working you have a blown fuse in the kickpanel... check the fuses and replace if necessary

check all the plugs in the engine bay to make sure they are plugged in... oil pressure is on exhaust side of block almost at the front, you might be able to see it if you peek between the intake pipe and manifold at the top
temp gauge is the top one on the side of the thermostat housing, the one pin spade plug (not the green two pin plug) just check the wires and make sure they're good
gas gauge... hmm that's a new one heh... does your fuel light work? if not... try unscrewing the metal plate located in the boot/trunk right rear.. 3 screws and make sure both plugs are plugged in

radio harness... how far back is it cut? can you see any of the colours?

1988gte · 07-27-2005, 08:42 AM

just bought and replaced all fuses still no oil water or gas (but gas warning light works) The radio wires are not cut to far so i can tell the colors I just dont know what goes where? power, speakers, antenna, dimmer for my lights. I think this has to do why none of my dashlights work. My boost, speed, and tachometer work if this is any help on answering the questions thanks again.

07-13-2005, 06:54 AM	#2
supramangte 3" Exhaust Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 60	replace pulgs with some nippon or densos, make sure there gaped to.031, the carbon build up is from sometimed timed wrong or a fule issue i would replace the fule filter plugs also. code 24 is in the aif flow meter "mass air flow" little nipple hanging from the top of it inside the air flow meter , code 31 is the mass air flow look inside of it and youll see a black bar up and down in the middle of the unit if you cleaned it, what did you use, could have ruined it, this unit is very delicate check the ohms on iti would double check the timeing a dohc motor are a real hassle if you didnt make refrence marks or who ever did the head and timing belt change one tooth either way or two teeth can make a big diffrence. you could have knock a pice of carbon down itno the egr valve when you clean the lines and stuff, and you would never know it. there are 2 cats on the supra one is right of the turbo and the other is not to far after it, the first one could have melted doen from bad plugs and wires or any number of things. also dumb question for you did you plug the air flow meter back in ive done this and the car will start for 2 secondes then die???? but im guessing that you might have messed up the air meter like i said do a ohm test on it and this will tell you right off. when you refered to the "signal" question what is it this is what a particular sensor is telling the computer. check out these items i have said and let use know what happens if you need more help email me at ryanweaver1977@yahoo.com good luck o-ya why did you start to tear into the supra if it was allready running fine, and what kind probs did the previous owner have? __________________ save a tree eat a beaver........

07-25-2005, 10:25 AM	#5
suprra_girl 7M POWAH! ;) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: New Zealand Posts: 2,312	glad ya got ya problem sorted in your travels tho.. if you find a cheap air flow meter (good working one) pick it up and have it sitting on the shelf ready tho usually cleaning afm = bad hehe... so be ready to drop in the new one if it dies don't forget to reset your ecu... take her for a drive then recheck her for codes.. make sure nothing new comes up good luck and have fun with ya supra!!! __________________ Please use the forum to ask your questions as they will get replied to much faster than pming me Pics of my build. "Good girls are just bad girls that don't get caught" Do a diagnostic first!

07-26-2005, 01:44 PM	#7
suprra_girl 7M POWAH! ;) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: New Zealand Posts: 2,312	wow.. you have a few little quirks huh :P i would suspect that since your dash lights and interior etc aren't working you have a blown fuse in the kickpanel... check the fuses and replace if necessary check all the plugs in the engine bay to make sure they are plugged in... oil pressure is on exhaust side of block almost at the front, you might be able to see it if you peek between the intake pipe and manifold at the top temp gauge is the top one on the side of the thermostat housing, the one pin spade plug (not the green two pin plug) just check the wires and make sure they're good gas gauge... hmm that's a new one heh... does your fuel light work? if not... try unscrewing the metal plate located in the boot/trunk right rear.. 3 screws and make sure both plugs are plugged in radio harness... how far back is it cut? can you see any of the colours? __________________ Please use the forum to ask your questions as they will get replied to much faster than pming me Pics of my build. "Good girls are just bad girls that don't get caught" Do a diagnostic first!

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07-13-2005, 05:32 AM	#1
1988gte 3" Exhaust Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lubbock Texas Posts: 140	I am very new to the supra, I saw it for sale and had to buy it. 1988 toyota supra turbo. The owner before said he was having problems with the car and didnt understand any of the "computer stuff" and just wanted to get rid of it. I new it was going to have problems but i thought it cant be that bad, anyway it has 163,000 miles. clean no dents, dings. It has a new head,timing belt,cat pipe, fuel pump. He gave me all of the paperwork and bills on everything that was done. Now that thats done let me tell you my problems. When i first got the car it would run and by run i mean go the speed limit and then some (70+ MPH) got home started tearing apart the car and found lots of carbon bulid up in the air flow meter (maybe from backfiring?) so i cleaned it, thats when the trouble started. I couldnt keep it running from then on. so i checked the timing belt made sure it was lined up correctly, check coil pack, wires, spark plugs (lots of carbon bulid up but didnt replace them) good spark, checked vaccum line, egr, fuel filter, fuel lines,still not running, did a fuel pressure test. found that it was very low so i bought a new pump great pressure now the car starts and runs but wont go passed 2500 rpm's any suggestions why? i tried to cover everything if i forgot something to check please tell. oh and i get these codes 14 ignition signal, 24 intake air temp sensor signal, 31 air flow meter signal. What does it mean by signal?

07-13-2005, 06:20 PM	#3
1988gte 3" Exhaust Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lubbock Texas Posts: 140	wow that was fast!! I am going to buy new plugs later today. The gap was no where near .31 almost 3 times more gapped! The timing is good i checked it like the haynes manual says. I checked the omhms on the mass air meter, eveything is fine there, oh i cleaned it with b-12 :unsure: Oh and about the wire, plugged. and i unplugged it for kicks and it will still start. and it wont die in a couple of seconds. It just wont rev up passed 2500 with out stalling and hesitation. I think you are right on me killling it. I called toyota today and they said that even if the ohms are okay that i might have killed an "element". The local parts store told me a new mass air sensor is about $450.00. maybe a junk yard? Oh the previos problems where that you could drive the car but when you gave it gas it would hesitate stumble but as soon as you let off the gas would start to pick up speed. I checked the ohms on the throttle postion sensor, everything okay also set it up like the haynes manual says. when i unplug tps drops revs and wants to die. I check back later after i get the plugs and check egr anything else that i forget let me know again thanks a bunch!!! jago@direcway.com

07-25-2005, 07:49 AM	#4
1988gte 3" Exhaust Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lubbock Texas Posts: 140	Finally after all this time i have got her running!!! I really dont know what was the cause but i will tell you what I did, maybe to help some other people. Replaced spark plugs, found 1 vaccum leak, (hose had a cut all the way down on the bottom) Pulled and cleaned O2 sensor full of carbon and metal flakes (rust it looks like), pulled and cleaned EGR valve. I dont know what the problem was but one of these things got it working again

07-26-2005, 04:42 AM	#6
1988gte 3" Exhaust Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lubbock Texas Posts: 140	suprra_girl, will do! I have a air flow sensor on order not cheap but what the heck. Did the code thing and none I love this car. suprra_girl or anybody out there have any suggestions on rewiring the stereo? The person before me cut the cars radio harness (both) and i have no interior lights, no guage lights (hard to see how fast im going at night) my gas guage, oil pressure, temp guage dont work either. dont know if this is because of cutting into the wires but any help would work

07-27-2005, 08:42 AM	#8
1988gte 3" Exhaust Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lubbock Texas Posts: 140	just bought and replaced all fuses still no oil water or gas (but gas warning light works) The radio wires are not cut to far so i can tell the colors I just dont know what goes where? power, speakers, antenna, dimmer for my lights. I think this has to do why none of my dashlights work. My boost, speed, and tachometer work if this is any help on answering the questions thanks again.