3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
I have a 94 Camry 2.2l sedan. A few weeks ago I was going to change the timing belt and oil pump seal. After tearing apart most of the engine (using the Toyota tech manual for reference) to get to the belt, I made it up to the removing of the crank pulley. Well, I tried and tried and couldn't get it off. I finally gave up and decided to put it all back together again. (I had the belt off the cam pulley and idler). I had the crank at TDC zero mark, and the cam at the reference point. Put it all back together, rotated the crank 2 full turns and everything was still dead on. Car started no problem, and I thought all was OK. The next day I drove the car to work, and after about 15 minutes, as I tried to merge onto a highway, it started to sputter and died out completely. No restart at all. I towed it home, and verified timing, still dead on for both reference marks. I verified spark and fuel flow. Still no go.
I changed out fuel pump and filter, along with the plugs and wires. The car starts now (although not as quick as before all this happened.). The big thing now is this: If you very slowly push the gas pedal, it is OK. You can take it up to 3000 - 4000 rpms, no problems. However, if you push the gas pedal midway or all the way, the car sputters and dies (but you can feel the car wanting to save itself from dying). After about 6 - 8 tries, you usually can get the car to start up again. Also seems it does the sputtering more in the lower RPMs. I tried hitting the gas hard when I had it going 3000 RPM and it still ran. At this point I am ready to throw the towel in.
Timing as far as the timing belt side? I really don't know how much better I can set it up. Like I wrote before, I put the crank pulley at TDC (zero) and cam at the reference mark. All the documentation I have says thats the way it should be, and everytime I check it after I finally get the motor to run, it still is lined up that way. I borrowed a timing gun and verified ignition timing too, that also is within spec.
Did you retime the ignition timing using the Toyota manual method. Changed a belt once on a Camry (did not move the distributor), timed it and it ran terrible after restart. Re-timed and everything was wonderful again.
What would you consider a toyota method for ignition timing? I followed the instructions under the hood, which meant bringing it up to temp, put it in neutral, jumpered out 2 pins, and check it for 10 - 12 degrees on crank. Is that the method?
to me, it sounds like the timing is fine. if it was off, it would be off at all RPMs and not some of them. especially since you checked the timing marks and they are correct, it sounds okay. my money is on a fuel issue or possibly electrical, but im leaning towards fuel. why did you change the fuel pump? if the pump isnt running at a high enough pressure, it can stumble at the sudden acceleration and starve the motor, plus that would make it take longer to re-start due to the lack of fuel in the line.
I changed the fuel pump because I thought that it could be the problem like you said, starving the motor. Just trying everything I could think of. Maybe the ECU took a dive, or the fuel regulator?
Can we assume that the car started acting funny AFTER you attempted the timing belt change? If so, then it must be something you did during that procedure or else you got really unlucky and developed new symptoms from something else. The Camshaft pulley timing hole must align with the bearing cap mark BEHIND it. You rotated the CS clockwise twice, right? Did you create position marks on the belt and the camshaft pulley as well as marking the belt at the top of the bottom cover? Did you perform the retensioning prodecure for the idler pulley by tigheting it after a 2c clockwise rotation of the CS?
That is safe to assume, yes. Strange thing was that after I fooled with it, the car started up fine and ran normal for about 15 mintues. Only after I made a turn and tried to merge onto a highway did it start sputtering and died.
I have lined up the camshaft pulley hole with the mark no problem. I didn't mark the belt at either location because I had the intention of actually changing the belt and idler. I just didn't have any luck getting that crankshaft pulley nut off. Should I try again to get that crank pulley off? Maybe setting up the new belt will cure it? Someone else today was saying it maybe the fuel regulator.
a bad cat would never let you rev the motor high, even if it was done slowly so i dont think its the cat.
if you have any starter spray handy, disconnect the intake from the throttle body and rev the car a couple of times manually (by turning the part the accelerator cable connects to) to get the feeling and sound from under the hood. then try it again and spray some starter spray in and see if the problem persists.
Going on a friends suggestion, I was going to check the fuel pressure regulator (and then a few other items, it was just easiest to get to). I disconnected the regulator, and didn't find any gas in the vacuum hose, but I fired up the car just to see how it would respond. The car ran darn good! Almost perfect, just a slight studder here or there, but not nearly as bad as before. Now this was with the vacuum line not plugged, it was open. I then plugged it back into the regulator and it ran OK for a bit then started to bog again. I unplugged it from the regulator again and then plugged the vacuum line. The car ran bad again as before. Maybe the regulator is bad or does the MAP sensor (which comes off the same fitting on the intake manifold) have something to do with this?
Should I try again to get that crank pulley off? Maybe setting up the new belt will cure it? Someone else today was saying it maybe the fuel regulator.
Well if it is the fuel regulator, then it is a hell of a coincidence. You may want to check the fuel pressure at the rail or top of the fuel filter then with a gauge. Maybe your local autozone has a tester to borrow? I have this one and it works fine:
There are a few tricks to get the CS pulley bolt out if you don't have a decent 250ftlb + impact driver.
1. stuff a rope down #1 spark plug hole with the CS about 45 deg. after TDC on the compression stroke, then use a good breaker bar on the bolt. The rope will jam the piston without harming the valves. I have done this several tiimes before.
2. Jam a breaker bar against the garage floor with the socket on the bolt and turn the engine over briefly. It's a little dangerous of course so keep clear of the passenger side.
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