1990 V6 Hates the Rain...

[TBayToyotaBoy]

So my car now hates the rain...ever since I had it out in a torrential downpour about two months ago, it's been misbehaving...oddly.

*On cold starts, runs smoothly; once she starts to warm-up, idle surges (really fast surge, between 500 and 750rpm). NO VACUUM LEAKS!

*When driving (either warm or cold), I have no power until 3800-4000rpm. All of a sudden, regardless of gear (I've tried first thru fifth a billion times), at 3800rpm she puts-out full power. I mean, the turbo lag on my old Talon wasn't this noticeable! Head-snapping!!!

*Problem randomly and temporarily goes away...only to return (esp on warm starts).

I've already replaced the Igniter/Coil (I get free parts from the scrap yard where I work, thank God!), and the rotor/distributor don't show any signs of leakage...

Any other ideas? Anyone had similar problems? AFM perhaps, or a fuel pump issue?

Help is GREATLY appreciated.

[Mike Gerber]

The problem you are experiencing does sould like an ignition system problem. After the obvious tune up parts (plugs, wires, cap and rotor), I would check that used coil that you installed with a DVM and the specs from any manual. That coil was a problem area on this generation Camry. They have a tendancy to develope hairline cracks and short themselves to ground on any metal part inside the distributor. The used one you used could also be bad. These problems tend to be worse in wet/damp weather.

If those things check out OK, and since you said the car runs OK cold, I would again use the DVM and the manual and check out the O2 sensor(s). The O2 sensor is out of the loop on a cold engine. Once the sensor warms up it comes in to play and starts feeding information to the ECU.

Mike

[TBayToyotaBoy]

Thanks Mike, your reply reads like my thoughts all afternoon at work (at the scrap yard, where I'm surrounded by cars and can think of nothoing else). The O2 sensor didn't occur to me until this afternoon because the last two I replaced threw trouble codes (this one has not); since there are no cracks on either of the coil/igniter assemblies, I'm thinking you're right on the sensor...

Cheers!