1st & 2nd Generation (1983–1986 & 1987-1991)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1983-1986 & 1987-1991.
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
Hello , I'm stuck on this one ! I have an 86 camry 2SE engine . when I go to start , it has a breathing or fluctuating idle. Let it be known that I just washed the engine , thought I covered everything well enough , but evidently not ! I have swapped the following parts but still have the same problem (The parts were swapped from my other 86 that is running fine) Distibutor, Igniter box, fuel filter, pressure regulator, computer, mass air flow sensor & unplugged the throttel position sensor. After further troubleshooting yesterday I shorted out pins E1 to T on the Diagnostic plug , that solved the idle problem , but of course when you go to step on the gas it stalls out. I'm assuming since the engine was washed and the shorting out of the terminals making a change in the problem that this would be some electical descrepency and not fuel or vacum related. Are there any experts out there ?? I would really appreciate any help ! Thanks in advance ! ontherdagain@usa.com
Bill
Last edited by Ontherdagain; 09-21-2005 at 06:08 PM.
fredk , thanks for your reply, wouldn't disconnecting the the plug to the TPS take that switch out of the system ? We kept the car running with it disconnected but it still had the same discrepency with the fluctuating idle. I will try to replace the switch and see what happens.
1. Excuse me for sugesting the obvious, but you didn't state you switched out the plug wires or checked them for resistance with a DVM. I would try that first.
2. Also, try cleaning out the idle air control valve with some throttle body cleaner. It is on the bottom of the throttle body and you can just spray the cleaner down in the hole that is accessible once the air intake tube is removed.
3. Last, since this happened after washing down the engine, I would recommend removing every electrical connector I could find and spraying both the male and female ends with some WD-40 to remove any moisture that could have got in there.
4. When you shorted T and E1 did you get any error codes?
Thanks for the inputs ! My bad for not mentioning the the wires and cap , that was the first thing I did do, thinking that I got moisture in there somehow. All of the connectors were taken apart and sprayed to remove moisture. I will try cleaning out the idle air control valve tomorrow and see if that makes a difference. I also swapped out the throttel position sensor today , still the same problem. :0( When shorting out T and E1 I get 3 flashes which states the ignition . there were only 11 codes with the 86 model according to the book . The car idles fine with the plug shorted. Running out of parts to replace !! My other camry has 336,000 miles and runs like a champ !! Never had any problems like this before .
1. Did you inspect the big tube running to the throttle body for cracks or breaks? The car is 19 years old and that tube could be very brittle. It is possible the water pressure produced some cracks in that tube. That would allow unmetered air to enter the throttle body without the computer knowing anything about it and adjusting the fuel mixture accordingly. That would cause an unstable idle.
2. I would also try switching out the air flow meter with your other Camry. Be sure to remove the electrical connector the proper way by prying back the wire lock tab from each side. Do not try to unscrew it. This will break soldered connections within the meter.
3. I would also try cleaning out the EGR valve. A carboned up EGR valve will produced a very unstable idle.
4. I would also inspect the "cold start time switch" with a DVM for being in spec when the engine is cold. It is located in a metal water port coming off the right side of the engine block as you are standing in front of the car. It is the one under the brown electrical connector. (The one under the green connector is the coolant temp sensor.) The "cold start time switch" makes the fuel mixture richer for a quicker cold start and better running until the engine warms up a bit. These go out quite a bit in my experience.
5. My wife and I used to have an 86 Camry DX 5 speed. (Best car we ever owned by the way. We put 173,000 tough Chicago area miles on it and then donated it to a local charity and never had to replace the clutch.) Back to your problem, I had a very strange problem with it about 6 years ago where the car would run properly when cold, but after a few minutes it would give me all kinds of problems. My problems were mostly on acceleration. I checked for codes and there were none. I checked everything I could think of. I finally gave up and took it to a dealer. They couldn't figure it out either. I have a friend who is an ex-Toyota tech. He looked at it and couldn't find anything either. He suspected a bad O2 sensor, just from instinct. We had another Toyota O2 sensor on hand from another vehicle with the same connector. We shut the engine and disconnected my O2 sensor and pluged in the other one, just hung it over the front fender and started the can and took it for a ride. Problem solved! We then got a generic O2 sensor and spliced it in to my Toyota connector and installed it properly. The O2 sensor was the problem, even though it didn't throw a code. I called Toyota corporate in California about this and was able to speak to someone in their tech department. I had discussed the problem with him previously and called him back with the solution. When I asked him why it didn't throw a code he said some of these early OBD 1 systems can be a bit hit and miss. If nothing else works, you could try switching out the O2 sensor from your other 86. Unfortunately, on the 86, it can be a pita to get to without the car in the air. It is on the back side of the engine in the exhaust manifold.
Did already replace the mass airflow sensor and hose, My freind and I discussed the possibility of it being the EGR valve and that was the next move , we feel like we are reaching for anything at this point. I will inspect the tube from the throttel body and see if I find anything . We've got everyone stumped down here on this one too ! If and when the discrepency is solved , I will definitely post the results. Thanks again for all of your suggestions !!
One additional thought I came up with. Also check the coolant temp sensor with a DVM when the engine is cold. It's the one under the green connector, next to the cold start time switch I described earlier. It also controls the fuel/air mixture based on engine temperature and if defective it can cause an erratic idle.
Bad news :0( Have done all of the above and the car still has the same discrepency ! If anyone out there has any other suggestions on what might be wrong . Please let me know ! If I don't come up with an answer soon this is going to become a parts car !! That would be ashame because this car still has the potential for a lot more mileage.
ok, a couple wild hair ideas, check the cam timing and get the egr valve off the intake manifold and plug up the hole with your thumb, and also ckeck the big intake tube real good
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
ToyotaNation.com is an independent Toyota/Lexus enthusiast website. ToyotaNation.com is not sponsored by or in any way affiliated with Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. The Toyota, Lexus and Scion names and logos are trademarks owned by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
86 Camry will not idle ! Any Idea's ?
Linear Mode
