88 Camry mystery issue

[Gootcamry]

I just purchased a 1988 Camry Wagon with the 3Sfe 2.0 engine. This car has 252k miles on it.I picked it up for $600. It passed the test drive and I drove it 80 miles to the house with no issues at all.It started easy,ran smooth and overall drove like a new car.

Next morning the car cranks over fine but only sounds like 1 cylinder firing when it finally starts.I have to Press the accelerator to keep it running too.

I tested the resistance at the cold start injector timer.....reads 32ohms
I pulled the cold start injector off and started the car with the fuel line still connected.It starts right up and runs at a high idle.

I replaced the cold start injector with one from the boneyard thinking it might be carbon clogged but that didn't help at all.

Any ideas before I take it to a shop?

[white90dx]

I'm a little confused by the story, but I can try to help...

When cold, the cold start injector time switch should read close to 0 ohms.

Did you cover up the hole in the manifold when you took out the cold start injector?

When starting the engine, the cold start injector should spray fuel for a few seconds to a few minutes, depending on engine temperature - did any fuel come out?

Its probably the cold start injector time switch that is the problem, though that often causes hard starting (though decent running once started and perfect after warmed up).

How does the car run once warmed up now?

-Charlie

[Gootcamry]

Originally Posted by white90dx

I'm a little confused by the story, but I can try to help...

When cold, the cold start injector time switch should read close to 0 ohms.

Did you cover up the hole in the manifold when you took out the cold start injector?

When starting the engine, the cold start injector should spray fuel for a few seconds to a few minutes, depending on engine temperature - did any fuel come out?

Its probably the cold start injector time switch that is the problem, though that often causes hard starting (though decent running once started and perfect after warmed up).

How does the car run once warmed up now?

-Charlie

I did not cover the hole when I took out the cold start injector. I just left the injector in front of the intake and watched it when I cranked it over.

The CSI sprayed fuel when cranking and running.

I cant get the car to stay running. It Only runs with the csi out of the intake spraying fuel everywhere.

The csi i got from the boneyard sprays more fuel than the original but same results.

[TOYOPARTSMAN]

Have you check the EFI water temp sensor, or the Throttle position Sensor, or the IAC valve?

Also, just a note and I may be way off base, but remember that the plug wires are part of the distributor cap, so if the wire is bad inside or the rotor isn't making good contact, it could be there. Just a thought. I have also had experience where the distributor had to be replaced in those years.

Originally Posted by Gootcamry

I did not cover the hole when I took out the cold start injector. I just left the injector in front of the intake and watched it when I cranked it over.

The CSI sprayed fuel when cranking and running.

I cant get the car to stay running. It Only runs with the csi out of the intake spraying fuel everywhere.

The csi i got from the boneyard sprays more fuel than the original but same results.

[Gootcamry]

UPDATE**********

Left it on the charger for 4 hours today.Gave it another try,Engine Fired right up and held an idle with no foot on the gas at all.It sounded like it was only running off one cylinder though.Let it idle for about 3-4 minutes like that(crap) when suddenly it smoothed out and sounded like all 4 hitting again.Took it for a 20 minute drive and it ran perfect.Yeaaaa!!

Now I'm hoping it will start tomorrow morning.

[Gootcamry]

Originally Posted by TOYOPARTSMAN

Have you check the EFI water temp sensor, or the Throttle position Sensor, or the IAC valve?

Also, just a note and I may be way off base, but remember that the plug wires are part of the distributor cap, so if the wire is bad inside or the rotor isn't making good contact, it could be there. Just a thought. I have also had experience where the distributor had to be replaced in those years.

I didn't check any of those sensors yet but I did spray some throttle body cleaner on the iac valve.

**I put a cap,rotor,wires/ngk plugs set on it last night but it still wouldn't run after that. Runs like new now!! The ngk plugs I took out looked like they had some miles on them too.

[Doctor J]

Let me contribute with some info:1) the cold srtart injector stays on for about 3 to 9 seconds only when starter is on. 2)The cold start injector timer will disable that injector if the engine is hotter then 30 to 40 degrees C depending on model OR the bimetal strip inside it is heated by electrical current (after about 9 seconds of cranking time (during cold weather -25 degrees C)In all other times the cold start injector should not spray the fuelNot sure if that relevant, but the high meleage engines may have carbon and ash deposits on the valves; during the hot run these particles are getting on the valve sealing surfaces preventing them from being closed fully.Thus the engine may miss at the beginning until these particles will fly out.