Need Help with a Car repair

I took my 1996 Toyota Carolla in to get new brakes and and oil change at R&S Strauss, I know they arent the greatest, but they have been good to me in the past. They said that I should get my spark plugs and spark plug wires changed soon and some kind of valve cause the car leaks a little oil.

I decided to buy the spark plugs and wires cause they wanted $300 for this repair, and I just spend $300 on brakes and the oil change. My brother in law put the new spark plugs and wires in, and now the car starts, but when you release the gas pedal it just shuts off.

I took it back to Strauss and they said that they have no clue what is wrong, they said the spark plugs and wires were all installed correctly and working well, they did a fuel pressure test, or something like that and said that my fuel pump is fine.

I know that today being a holiday they had a skeleton crew, so maybe they just dont know what the fuck they are doing, but they called me to ask for permission to do an engine diagnostic for another $90 as they have no clue what is wrong. They said they put in a new distibutor cap and that didnt fix it, and they just want to hold it another day and do more tests. Any idea what is wrong and how much it might cost me? Also advice, should I just have AAA tow it to a Toyota Dealer. I cant afford a new car, but I also cant afford to start sinking money into an old car over and over.

Thanks a lot.

Check Engine light ON ?

Just a quick guess here but you should look for anything wire connector wise that you brother may have knocked loose.


( I'll be here for a bit tonight if you want to hear more)
Or just a PM will work.

or maybe a vaccuum hose?

Strauss said there the check engie light was NOT on.. and that is why they needed me to authorize them for a $90 diagnostic, cause they have no clue what is wrong.. We just spent $400 on new tires, and $400 on new brakes and and oil change, so I am nervous that this repair will be another few hundred dollars.

Did you try replacing the MAP(Manifold Absolute Pressure) sensor? If the MAP sensor is bad the car will not be able to idle it will just stall when you let off the gas. That is not an expensive fix(relatively) and if there are a lot of miles on the car you might need to replace the idle air control motor and clean the throttle body as well. I would try replacing the MAP sensor first since that isn't too expensive and see what that does. Good luck!

Run as fast as you can from that place and find a place with a bit of sense.

They are going to plug in a scanner that will tell them zip without a check engine light on.

I'm thinking wire connector or as has also been said, vacum hose.

yes it has 200K miles on it. I cannot try repairing anything right now, the repair shop has the car, but I can leave them a message and try to direct them, which they will then bill me for, but I dont want them trying to do expensive stuff like a head gasket to find out it is something less expensive. I dont mind if it is like a $100-$200 repair, but they guy was trying to talk me into just junking the car, which sounds ridiculous, this is the first problem that I have ever had with this car...

Quote:

Originally posted by shn05333

Did you try replacing the MAP(Manifold Absolute Pressure) sensor? If the MAP sensor is bad the car will not be able to idle it will just stall when you let off the gas. That is not an expensive fix(relatively) and if there are a lot of miles on the car you might need to replace the idle air control motor and clean the throttle body as well. I would try replacing the MAP sensor first since that isn't too expensive and see what that does. Good luck!

'96 Toy doesn't have one.

any recommendations to take it to? More of a local mechanic?

Key words here are it ran before my brother worked on it.

Quote:

Originally posted by Notech

Key words here are it ran before my brother worked on it.

Indeed, and my bet would be something got disconnected by accident...

should I just call Strauss, tell them to stop all work and tow the car to another place? I took it there cause it was a holliday and I figured it would be a cheap quick repair and wendesday night my wife and I both need a car, so we needed a quick fix.

I can't make that call for you, I guess it all depends on how confident you are in their ability to get the problem solved for you. I'd say if you have a lot of doubt then yes run and find another place

are any of the chain places any good? I have heard a lot of horror stories about Pep boys lately...

I honestly don't have a clue about the chains, I'm kinda lucky in the fact that I have a brother who is a mechanic, ironically enough, at a Toyota dealership

But I do know most chain stores will throw a scanner on your car for free, and that is what I've done from time to time if I'm in a hurry...

But like has been said, without an engine code triggering the check engine light to come on, that probably won't do any good

@ TheGame,
Check for a hose off or loose connection between the air filter- box and the throtle-body.

@thegame14

i feel your pain. wish i could help. listen to notech.

Az

Thank you!! You guys are the best and are probably saving me a few hundred dollars. I am calling Strauss first thing in the morning and my neighbor told me that his mechanic is good, so I will be sending him my business in the future.

It is nice to be part of such a nice community. With the economy and the recent hurricane, every dollar is important and Strauss was telling me this was going to be a $800-$1K problem and they were telling me that I might need a new car, which I dont have in the budget anytime soon. Thank you all for your help!!

I'm not so sure how much help some of us were, but I would really like to know what you find out is wrong with it so, keep us posted and good luck mate

Just as an after thought..Did anyone make sure the spark plugs are gapped correctly?