SixxiA

Just here to join the club. "I'VE GOT A CODE 52 ERROR ON MY 4RUNNER AND IT SUCKS"

westernbound

Stiil got the same thing going on,changed my fuel filter and still the same.So now Im thinking of changing the distributor and the pcv valve and if that dont do it I guess its time to take it to the shop I cant believe all these people with the same code and problem and no solution,if anyone takes theres to a shop and they fix it,please ask them what they did to fix it.......I refuse to let people touch my stuff after alot of bad experiences with mechanics but...if somone coulf fix this problem Id alomost kiss there a$$,lol

bluAM2

i replaced my distributor ... no fix. i changed the fuel filter ... no fix. brand new knock sensor/wire combo ... no fix. my last three options are: o2 sensor, complete wire harness (mine is ancient and a little crispy), or injectors (no idea how old, but i imagine they've never been changed). i'm gonna hold out til the end. no shop for me ... well unless i do the wire harness. me + wiring = bad juju. someone help!

yotaman85

maybe you have a crack in your intake tube... check the whole thing VERY thoroughly. a little leak in the intake will cause your motor to run really rough and may trip a code 52..

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

check your wires at the ecu. Stop throwing parts at it and check the voltage readings to make sure the signal is making it back to the ecu. Otherwise no amount of parts will fix it. Good luck. I went the easy way and swapped in a 3.4

yotaman85

the 3.4 is too expensive IMHO. but is a great motor.

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

honestly .. no its not. have you looked at prices for a brand new 3.0? I was able to buy my swap *complete* minus tune up parts and some battery wire and finished my swap for 2100. The best reliable rebuilt 3.0 i could find was 1900 bucks. Then you still need to get the rest of the kit to install the damn thing. OH and lets not forget the aftermarket support for the 3.4. and they handle a sc without the need expensive internals.

yotaman85

good point vital22re. but I have the 3vze already and i do all my own work. so for me its just a matter of a rebuild kit. but I have 248K miles on my 3vze with no problems..

westernbound

My injectors are brand new so...

Jollyradar

Ok add me to the CLUB.
New plugs, new fuel filter, newer distributor, wires, cap, rotor, coil, ignitor.

somebody help please..

Is there a thread on how to do the 3.4 swap? im going to go look now.

westernbound

So I replaced my distributor with some new wires and its runninig alot better but I still get the code first start up of the day with some slight power loss.My oil pressure keeps going up and down so I dont knw whats up with that,any takers?

Tribaltalon

do a compression check. make sure all cylinders are firing.. check the easy stuff first before trying to run around chasing a gremlin that may not exist.

Korey

I know how you feel. I'm in the same boat myself. Can't figure it out either and it's been almost two years. First it would come on once in a while. I could even shut it down on the highway and restart it while still moving and it wouldn't come back on. Now it comes on after 1500 rpms. I've pretty much replaced everything except the distributor and ECU.

HeavyD

Add me to the list of code 52 frustration. I have a 1990 4Runner with a newly rebuilt motor and it runs very smooth and quiet, but is a dog on power with the code 52 error coming on. I had most everything replaced including the sensor and wire lead to the harness. I have researched this a lot, and I am down to the wiring harness to the ECU, the ECU itself, or the distributor. The distributor seams in good shape and I can set timing and watch timing advance as I rev it up, as it should. I cleaned the contacts on the wire harness connector for the KS and the harness itself looks good, so I am leaning toward the ECU.

The code 52 in the book states it is an "open circuit in knock sensor signal", with the trouble areas being "knock sensor, knock sensor circuit, or ECU". The book also states when the check engine light comes on, the motor will go into safe mode, which will kill the power to protect the motor. Although I could not see the difference in the timing after the light comes on.

My code also does not come on until I get RPMs above 2000 or start driving it. My last test was to unplug the KS from the harness, thinking the computer should pick this up immediately, but it was exactly the same as before. This leads me to think the ECU isn't reading correctly. Does anyone know if an ECU should immediately detect if a sensor is not plugged in?

Korey

Yeah please let us know.

HeavyD

I finally check continuity through the wire in the main harness, and made sure it wasn't grounding, which all seems good. I finally bought an ECU and installed it, and I still have the same problem. So, I have either changed or checked everything involved and I am still screwed. I don't get it!

Team420

code 52... ok ...

I fixed mine after driving it for 2 years with the cel on, and not being able to figure out what to do...

I started with the obvious, and replaced the pigtail wire, that didnt do me any good, so next I rewired it drectly to the ecu... still no go, the next thing was a bit more dramatic, and I'm not 100% sure what actually fixed it, but I got in there and replaced the knock sensor itself, the pcv valve, and the valve cover gaskets ( mine were leaking thus causing a vacuum leak), now, a lot of people will say, the code 52 is an electrical problem and nothing more, so it would have to be either the ks itself, or the wires going from it to the ecu or ground.... however...my theory is... If you have a vacuum leak, your motor will run lean, thus causing a knock, the ks in turn senses this knock and retards timing to compensate, however, the ecu only has a certain amount of pre-programmed room to compensate, so once it reaches that point, and can do no more, the code 52 pops up.....
so as I said....I'm not 100% sure if it was the vc gaskets that did it for me, but...if you have a code 52, and leaking valve covers... you are gonna have to get in there anyway, so might as well replace both, and the pcv valve.... unless you wanna do one at a time to confirm what the actual problem is....but thats a lot of work.

rocketguy13

i have a 52 code as well. i did replace the valve cover gaskets but not the pcv valve. i will do that tomorrow. i noticed it runs so rich it burns my eyes. is that because of the knock sensor code?

HeavyD

Thanks Team420 for the insight. I will look at replacing the PCV valve to see what that does.

I had the engine completely rebuilt due to a blown head gasket. The code 52 showed up right after the rebuild, and may have been there before, I'm not sure. My motor guy tore the intake back off to replace the knock sensor and pigtail. All seals were replaced including the valve cover gaskets. The vacuum reading is good, and the motor runs very smooth and quiet. I have since checked all connections, the harness, played with timing, and replaced the ECU.

After spending good money on the rebuild, this code 52 is so frustrating to me!

westernbound

Well I havnt really done anything since my last post..I am noticing the more I drive latley the better the motor is running.The cel is still coming on witht he same code but I am noticing after the motor is good and warm it getting some decent power and less of the symptoms before.The light still comes on with the first start up of the day but doesnt really come on as much after stoping and restarting throgh the day.when it does come on there isnt as much powerloss as b4.Some days it will only come on wth the first start and wont come on any nore the rest of the day.Another thing I noticed it it wont come on mch and the motor runs tip top on days thats it is raining or has rained and the air outside is crisp and cooler(O2 sensor-IAT sensor,mabye)So I dont know whats up..gonna get a new o2 sensor and put a cat and flowmaster on,then we will see what happens.Think the cat is getting more stoped up anyway,could be it too,gas backing up in case causing knocks only the sensor can pick up?