Ok I'm not even sure where to begin with this... my Supra has been trying to scare me lately though, so I figured I'd write something up to see what you guys think...
Cliff Notes up top since this is long:
1. Temp gauge reads much lower than usual, with random fluctuations
2. Waterfall sound in dash one time
3. Birdcage lamp one time 2 weeks after waterfall
4. Sporadic grey/white smoke from cold engine on cold/wet days
5. Odd electrical problems
6. Engine runs smoothly, no fluid leaks
Showdown: bad thermostat vs. electrical problems symptom vs. BHG, where to start diagnosis?
Symptoms:
About 2 weeks ago, I fired the car up at night (air temp. was around 60F-65F) after having not run it for the whole day (daytime temps hit about 95F) and heard the dreaded waterfall sound. It only lasted for maybe 5-10 seconds then went away, and hasn't happened again.
A few days later, I happened to to notice that my temp gauge was behaving strangely. Normally, once the car has reached operating temperatures, the needle would sit very still at just a hair below center. Now the needle is somewhat bouncy... when the car is at temp, the needle hovers around just below 1/3 up from cold, but occasionally fluctuates as high as the midpoint of the gauge. This is dependent on car motion though - at 55-65, the needle stays very close to the 1/3 mark... if I let it sit and idle for a few minutes or shut down then start up after a few minutes, it flutters around and climbs up as high as halfway (or in the case of stopping the engine, starts at halfway and stays there when it's restarted).
Last night I fired up the car again after having not run for almost 24 hours, under about the same temperature conditions, though it was a little cooler, high of maybe 85... Everything was fine... got about 50 feet up the road (to the top of a somewhat but not overly steep hill) and my birdcage lit up for a few seconds right as I was clearing the top of the hill. It then shut off for about the same length of time, then fluttered for about 2 seconds, went dark, and hasn't come on since.
Also (this has happened since I've had the car on the road), occasionally on cold and/or rainy days, while the engine is warming up it puts out some odorless grey/white smoke until it reaches temp. This is not consistent, however.
Other (relevant?) facts:
I check my fluids every week, and also when something strange happens with the car. For oil, I check level with the dipstick, and also pop the cap off to check for milkshake. For coolant, I normally just look in/at the overflow bottle when the engine is hot and make sure it's at the fill line.
For about a week after I first got the car on the road (mid-May), there was a small oil leak somewhere near the turbo - I lost about a quart and a half, after which the leak disappeared. She hasn't lost any oil since then, and the oil is staying amazingly clean. Coolant levels have always been the same, and I haven't spotted any leaks (there better not be - it's a new radiator and all new hoses
I also check my engine codes regularly. Right now, I have two codes: 41 and 42. I know 41 is TPS - I thought I had fixed that, but apparently not... that's for a whole different day though I know 42 is speed sensor, which makes sense since my speedo cables are knackered (got shipping confirmation this afternoon for the parts - thanks Jeff!). Both of those issues are problems to leave for a different day however, since they *shouldn't* be related to what I'm worrying about here unless maybe it's related to the TPS code... correct me if I'm wrong
The car also has some odd electrical issues that I have spent 0 time diagnosing, though I suspect there might be a bad ground somewhere that's causing the problems. For example, I've got a 50/50 chance of the overhead lights coming on when a door is opened, and then another 50/50 shot when the do come on that I'll be able to turn them on manually with the door closed. However, the light in the ignition ring and a small LED near my hood latch light up then fade out once the door is shut every time, without fail. I also have a 50/50 chance of the tail light failure sensor lighting up at some point after the car is started, though all bulbs are verified to be fully functional. I have a one in three chance of the starter actually doing ANYTHING by turning the key, however there is a switch near the hood release that is wired to Battery + and spliced into the starter + wire that starts the car every time, without fail (I should note that my mechanic who didn't know about the starter switch was able to get it to start by tapping the side of the starter). Finally, I notice some fluctuations in voltage occasionally - eyeball test, i.e. "oh, the lights dimmed/fluttered for a moment". This doesn't seem to manifest in the headlights, only in the dash and interior lights, but I haven't checked into it too much. However, that's why I'm suspecting a bad ground, especially since it's so random and intermittent... could be a bad non-ground wire somewhere too, like I said I haven't done anything to try to troubleshoot it yet.
Other than the, the car runs fine. I get lots of power out of her with no hesitation, and she runs smoothly and as quietly as her needs-repair exhaust will allow.
What I suspect:
Based on how the car has been acting and all the great stuff I've read here, I think this could be one of two things.
1. My thermostat is stuck or at least sticky, causing the car to run colder than usual, except when it unsticks. This would kinda but not really explain the aberrations in the temperature gauge, but doesn't really address the birdcage or waterfall.
2. My electrical system is even more f***ed up than I thought. This might explain the random fluctuations in the gauge and the birdcage, but still doesn't address the waterfall.
3. Both 1 and 2...
4. Something completely different?
I'm leaning towards a helping of choice 2 with a side of waterfall indigestion after a day with a big temperature swing. Am I chasing the right goose? Do you have any recommendations as to specific things I should look for to start with? Should I be worried about BHG, since this is my 60-mile-a-day DD?
For that matter, am I a complete retard that has missed something completely obvious while searching here and in the TSRM? Don't be shy about telling me that if it's the case (I know you won't hehehe).
Thanks in advance for any input you may have!
[edited to remove forum move request - thanks!]
Cliff Notes up top since this is long:
1. Temp gauge reads much lower than usual, with random fluctuations
2. Waterfall sound in dash one time
3. Birdcage lamp one time 2 weeks after waterfall
4. Sporadic grey/white smoke from cold engine on cold/wet days
5. Odd electrical problems
6. Engine runs smoothly, no fluid leaks
Showdown: bad thermostat vs. electrical problems symptom vs. BHG, where to start diagnosis?
Symptoms:
About 2 weeks ago, I fired the car up at night (air temp. was around 60F-65F) after having not run it for the whole day (daytime temps hit about 95F) and heard the dreaded waterfall sound. It only lasted for maybe 5-10 seconds then went away, and hasn't happened again.
A few days later, I happened to to notice that my temp gauge was behaving strangely. Normally, once the car has reached operating temperatures, the needle would sit very still at just a hair below center. Now the needle is somewhat bouncy... when the car is at temp, the needle hovers around just below 1/3 up from cold, but occasionally fluctuates as high as the midpoint of the gauge. This is dependent on car motion though - at 55-65, the needle stays very close to the 1/3 mark... if I let it sit and idle for a few minutes or shut down then start up after a few minutes, it flutters around and climbs up as high as halfway (or in the case of stopping the engine, starts at halfway and stays there when it's restarted).
Last night I fired up the car again after having not run for almost 24 hours, under about the same temperature conditions, though it was a little cooler, high of maybe 85... Everything was fine... got about 50 feet up the road (to the top of a somewhat but not overly steep hill) and my birdcage lit up for a few seconds right as I was clearing the top of the hill. It then shut off for about the same length of time, then fluttered for about 2 seconds, went dark, and hasn't come on since.
Also (this has happened since I've had the car on the road), occasionally on cold and/or rainy days, while the engine is warming up it puts out some odorless grey/white smoke until it reaches temp. This is not consistent, however.
Other (relevant?) facts:
I check my fluids every week, and also when something strange happens with the car. For oil, I check level with the dipstick, and also pop the cap off to check for milkshake. For coolant, I normally just look in/at the overflow bottle when the engine is hot and make sure it's at the fill line.
For about a week after I first got the car on the road (mid-May), there was a small oil leak somewhere near the turbo - I lost about a quart and a half, after which the leak disappeared. She hasn't lost any oil since then, and the oil is staying amazingly clean. Coolant levels have always been the same, and I haven't spotted any leaks (there better not be - it's a new radiator and all new hoses
I also check my engine codes regularly. Right now, I have two codes: 41 and 42. I know 41 is TPS - I thought I had fixed that, but apparently not... that's for a whole different day though
I know 42 is speed sensor, which makes sense since my speedo cables are knackered (got shipping confirmation this afternoon for the parts - thanks Jeff!). Both of those issues are problems to leave for a different day however, since they *shouldn't* be related to what I'm worrying about here unless maybe it's related to the TPS code... correct me if I'm wrong The car also has some odd electrical issues that I have spent 0 time diagnosing, though I suspect there might be a bad ground somewhere that's causing the problems. For example, I've got a 50/50 chance of the overhead lights coming on when a door is opened, and then another 50/50 shot when the do come on that I'll be able to turn them on manually with the door closed. However, the light in the ignition ring and a small LED near my hood latch light up then fade out once the door is shut every time, without fail. I also have a 50/50 chance of the tail light failure sensor lighting up at some point after the car is started, though all bulbs are verified to be fully functional. I have a one in three chance of the starter actually doing ANYTHING by turning the key, however there is a switch near the hood release that is wired to Battery + and spliced into the starter + wire that starts the car every time, without fail (I should note that my mechanic who didn't know about the starter switch was able to get it to start by tapping the side of the starter). Finally, I notice some fluctuations in voltage occasionally - eyeball test, i.e. "oh, the lights dimmed/fluttered for a moment". This doesn't seem to manifest in the headlights, only in the dash and interior lights, but I haven't checked into it too much. However, that's why I'm suspecting a bad ground, especially since it's so random and intermittent... could be a bad non-ground wire somewhere too, like I said I haven't done anything to try to troubleshoot it yet.
Other than the, the car runs fine. I get lots of power out of her with no hesitation, and she runs smoothly and as quietly as her needs-repair exhaust will allow.
What I suspect:
Based on how the car has been acting and all the great stuff I've read here, I think this could be one of two things.
1. My thermostat is stuck or at least sticky, causing the car to run colder than usual, except when it unsticks. This would kinda but not really explain the aberrations in the temperature gauge, but doesn't really address the birdcage or waterfall.
2. My electrical system is even more f***ed up than I thought. This might explain the random fluctuations in the gauge and the birdcage, but still doesn't address the waterfall.
3. Both 1 and 2...
4. Something completely different?
I'm leaning towards a helping of choice 2 with a side of waterfall indigestion after a day with a big temperature swing. Am I chasing the right goose?
Do you have any recommendations as to specific things I should look for to start with? Should I be worried about BHG, since this is my 60-mile-a-day DD?For that matter, am I a complete retard that has missed something completely obvious while searching here and in the TSRM? Don't be shy about telling me that if it's the case (I know you won't hehehe).
Thanks in advance for any input you may have!
[edited to remove forum move request - thanks!]
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