I might have distributor problems...what do you think?

[nogard]

This is on a 1988 3S-FE 5 SPD 160,000 miles. About 1.5 months ago I put a "new" distributor on from Advanced Auto. Come to find out it is just a rebuild for $147. I didn't know this then but they sell a new non-rebuilt for $299. I believe the dealer$hip wanted something crazy like $600. Well I learned my lesson with cheaper spark plug wires, I put a good set on and it fixed most of my problems. I learned you don't skimp when it comes to ignition parts. My gas mileage is still a little lower than it usually is. I think there is something wrong with my distributor. I'm going to see if they will let my take it back and give me credit so I can put it toward the better one. They had two I think the names were durant and cormin? The guy said the cormin is the way to go. With the new wires the car does not see to miss like it did, but it seems to drop a spark now and then. Also I used to run 13 degrees BTDC timing with the test jumper in the diagnostic port. The car ran good. I use the same brand and grade of gas. Now I have my timing down to 10 degrees and the car will still knock. Mostly if I'm in a higher gear with low RPM and I push the pedal down a little going up a slight hill. There is this on bridge I can heard it on. At about half throttle and 15 - 20 MPH in 3rd gear. It never did this before. Seems like it started happening when I put the new distributor on.

So here is were I'm at car knocks never did in the past. I have new OEM cap, rotor, wires. New NGK V-Power plugs what I've always ran. Same grade and brand fuel. Checked all my connections on the electronics of the ignition system.

So do I point the blame to the distributor? It seems to be the one thing that has changed. Is what I'm experiencing maybe caused by something not right in the distributor? Or do I look else where in the ignition system? I thought I had things fixed, but now I feel like I'm chasing my tail.

[Mike Gerber]

It sounds like what you are trying to describe is pinging. That most often is caused in Camrys by overadvanced timing or carbon in the EGR valve and/or the tube connected to it. Since you said you set the timing to 10 degrees BTDC, which is stock timing, I would lean toward a carboned up EGR valve. Do a search on this forum for "EGR valve cleaning" and try that first. See if that solves the problem.

Mike

[fredk]

i can guarantee the egr valve is clogged, let it idle and put a vacuum hose from the valve to your mouth and suck the valve open, the motor should die

[nogard]

I do have a small vacuum hand pump I can use instead of sucking the valve open. So fredk you are saying in the normal functional state the valve would open and the engine would stay running. And if it is clogged and I do the test the engine will stall?

Mike you are right I'm talking about pinging. Interesting I never realized that the EGR valve being clogged could cause pinging. I'm curious how does this actually tie into making the engine ping? I understand the basics of what the EGR does and how timing works, but not how the two are related to end up with pinging.

[fredk]

if it dies or almost dies its not clogged, the valve simply lets some exhaust gas that is low on oxygen into the intake stream on slight accell and cruise to cool combustion down and reduce nox gases and you can run more initial timing