Ok, I bought a 95 celica ST with 70,000 miles on it for 500.00 bucks sometime ago. I have installed a custom cold air intake, racing plugs, wires, and a new cap. I have removed the 1st cat and hollowed it out (so if I get pulled over I can show its still there) and have a B5 bomber muffler. I have also just installed my bullet fenders (painted too). I have alot more planned but have run low on cash.

Now my problem.......My check engine light has come on and the car seems to run sluggish. It seems to take a long time to get the car to move. Does anyone have any ideas what the problem might be? Im thinking it might be a clogged fuel injector, or fuel filter. Any ideas would be great!

Check the How-To section on this site for instructions on reading the codes stored in your ECU. Post the results and we should be better able to help.

If you haven't changed the fuel filter in a while, go ahead and do that. You don't know what the previous owner did as far as upkeep, and a new filter can't hurt.

you shouldn't need a new fuel filter at 70k miles. they are lifetime parts on our cars but have a tendency to go bad around 110-120k miles.

-gh0st_d0g+May 20, 2004 - 12:22 PM

This ST I bought was beaten the living crap out of it. I can tell it has been in 2 or 3 accedents (hence the fact I needed new fenders and a new bumper). The interier is all stained and it needs new seats, and all the wiring is messed up. So judging from that I dont think this car was taken car of at all. In fact I bet oil changes were done every 10,000 miles.

Also does anyone have any ideas what I could do to give the car more pep? I know it has the 4cyl 1.8l engine and a swap will be done in a year or so, but for now I would like to move alittle faster.

-S_C_M+May 20, 2004 - 4:14 PM

But some injector cleaner in it.

after i put my hp headers on my celi my check engine light came on too it might be psycological but i also feel i bit more sluggish (not much tho) any way anybody can tell me whats up

make sure that all of your air sensors are all plugged in and working correctly. For the problem with the header make sure that you have that exhaust temp sensor installed and that is working properly. But as far as the first post goes check the engine light codes in the ECU and you can go from there or ask the nice folks on this site.

This post has been edited by canyonking: May 20, 2004 - 3:04 PM

Go down to your local auto store buy some of that "engine restore" and dump it in...it really does help out a bunch for seals, craks, ect. helped me at least

that combined with some smoke stop stuff helped me pass my emmisions >>

Sounds like you're in "limp" mode caused by a faulty O2... does the tail pipe suddenly spit a LOT of black smoke? If not black smoke... at least a lot more soot stains than before? If yes is the answer to any of those... it's most likely a faulty O2 sensor. I doubt it's the fuel system. That has other noticeable side-effects.

This post has been edited by Kwanza26: May 20, 2004 - 4:43 PM

-kuruptedsnake+May 20, 2004 - 5:24 PM

werd on the o2 sensor! So get that fixed and the car will be back to normal....only pretty sluggish instead of really sluggish!haha

Ok, so I ran the codes last night and recived a code 52 which I belive is the Knock Sensor. What the heck is a knock sensor and where the heck is it located? Does anyone know where I can get a new one (autozone?)

IIRC, the knock sensor is located on the back of the engine block, under the intake manifold. The sensor's purpose is to keep your engine from destroying itself due to detonation. If engine knock is detected, the ECU will pull back ignition timing in an attempt to prevent serious damage.

I don't have a shop manual in front of my to pinpoint the sensor or the proper values for testing,sorry. When you do find it, check out the wiring fron the sensor as much as possible; some info on the net claims that wiring is a major cause of code 52 being displayed.

Heres what I found on the web......I figured I would post this incase anyone else has this problem.


I just finished replacing my dead toyota knock sensor with a cool GM unit courtesy of Mr. Bunch (thanks Aaron). I was a bit worried about the job since the sensor is way down under the intake manifold. And I was kicking myself becuase it wasn't two weeks ago I had the intake manifold off (yes it can come off without taking off the head, I have done it twice) doing some work and could have easily replaced the sensor then (wasn't bad at the time). But, for all of those "code 52-ers" our there, I found a way to get at the sensor that makes the job a snap! Here is the run-down on the new "Rob Method."

What you will need:
· Send Aaron B. the $80 and pick up the GM sensor.
· 27mm deep socket
· Normal 22mm socket Ratchet
· Small extender Flashlight
· Jack
· jackstand

Take off the RH front wheel (use the jackstand to support the car, trust me on this, I have had a close encounter with death because I was lazy and stupid).
Use the flashlight to peek in the steering linkage hole. Holy Crap! There it is, the green plug. Within arm's reach. Reach in and unplug it. Put the 27mm socket on it, then the extender and ratchet. Out it comes. Use the handy-dandy quick connector thing that Aaron sent you to connect the new sensor's wire to the old connector (this took a little dexterity). Screw in the new sensor with the 22mm socket. Voila! Piece o' cake!
No more code 52, and my car runs great again. No more bogging and bucking under boost!

Well theres a good posibilty that your knock sensor is alive and working and you are actually getting detonation. Having an mr2t I know all about it. Can't you check the code and see what its saying?

-Uppitycracker+May 21, 2004 - 6:36 PM

-Uppitycracker+May 21, 2004 - 6:36 PM

-Tru_Pol+May 21, 2004 - 7:42 PM

-Kwanza26+May 22, 2004 - 5:55 AM