first camry, a few problems

[88CamryDriver]

hi I'm new to the forum and new to owning a 1988 Camry Le, since I got it I have had a few problems.

first after my dad added some fuel system cleaner it started to stutter at low speeds, 0-30 or so mph, if I give it a medium amount of gas...a little gas and I mean very little, barely pushing pedal, it would be fine, and it wouldn't stutter if I punched it(don't like doing cause car shutters) we so far have replaced the fuel filter and plan to do spark plugs and distributor cap and wires in the next week. any other ideas about what I might have to fix/replace could be handy. O, and this only happens if I'm in gear

second after driving for 35-45 minutes, between home and school, on a few occasions if that I have went to leave 10-20 minutes after getting to my destination the car won't start...won't crank at all, all I hear is a slight click like its trying to engage but won't....now how I had to fix this was to pop the hood, open the fuse box n pull n put each fuse back in, they all appear fine but after pulling n replacing each fuse it will start. this however other than a possible bad fuse that i cant tell about I don't know how to fix any ideas at all about this would be nice.

[fredk]

you need to clean up the butterfly in the throttle body area, be sure there are no cracks in the big intake air hose and its air tite, and check the battery connections and look for corrosion on the small terminal of the starter, if nothing put a starter on it

[Kep]

Pretty much what fredk said. I think that you will really like this car. They were great. Start a maintenance program over the next several months and begin cleaning things. This forum has fabulous records that you can search and find all sorts of information. Don't forget to check out the GEN 1 & GEN 2 site. It is directed specifically at your 1988.

Consider cleaning the outside of the throttle body also and in the near future start cleaning out the IAC valve and the EGR system. If you don't have a history of the car's maintenance start replacing fluids and filters. Get a couple of manuals (there are some on line as well) and become familiar with the sensors and vaccuum hoses.

If it has an automatic transmission spend a few hours searching and reading up on what various people have done in the past. There are several different approaches and we still don't seem to agree on what is best. Personally, I would drain the transmission from the plug at each and every oil change for the rest of the time that you own it. If I recall, the transmission of the older generations hold 8-12 quarts and only about 2 quarts drain out when you open the plug. Remember that the automatic transmission has a differential with its own fluid reservoir (always make sure that you can open the fill plug before you open the drain plug!!!)

Start eyeballing the rubber suspension bushings. When these begin to wear they cause slop in the suspension and the resulting vibration, in turn, causes damage to the remaining bushings.

There's more. But all of this is stuff that you should do with any car. At least with the Camry you come out with a great ride. Keep in touch with the forum.

Kep

[88CamryDriver]

thanks for the pointers, gonna spend a few days a week when I'm not working to fix it up, hopefully i get it running good and from what i read these things are tanks and last forever, i would love to have this last a few years until I'm done with college