98 camry stuttering at idle in D - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

wembley · 05-08-2008, 11:47 AM

Hi:

I am a newbie here, and came across the site googling for an issue I have with my 98 camry.
I am a photo forum regular and know that sometimes newbies with little technical knowledge clog up pages. I have done some googling and also a search here, but the symptoms aren't quite the same, so i am trying to to get an answer that will help me out.

So...

98 camry, 183k. In the last 48 hrs upon start-up and at lights or stoppages, when the idle is about 800 rpm the car stutters and the rpm jumps back and forth (stutters) about 600-900rpm. It feel like the car will stall but that hasn't occurred yet. my solution has been to put it into Park and the car idles at about 1000-1100rpm. (have read some use neutral). Also it does do a stutter sometimes on acceleration but that has not occurred enough for me to identify exactly when.

so research suggests lots of different things, and remember I have zero technical knowledge here. suggestions are changing gas filter, pcv valve not being too effective but ERG or coolant temp sensor as being possible solutions. Also that mechanics and codes have identified hundreds of dollars of other issues, that didn't resolve the problem. I have recently moved so do not have a local mechanic, but depend on a high street do it all type shop.

So, do I go and replace the coolant temp sensor ( or have them do it) or look into the ERG thingy? Also was going to get them to replace the spark plugs (will this help?) and they quoted a price of $110 to replaces the wires. i can buy wires for $55 or so, but is that something i want to get into replacing myself with no knowledge or can i buy some and have them install?

thanks in advance

wembley

Toy_Dreamer · 05-08-2008, 12:03 PM

I was just about to post something along these lines as well. I'm having the same problem.

Any ideas guys??

Toy_Dreamer · 05-08-2008, 12:10 PM

oh, and btw wembley, wires are quite easy to install. take the old ones out (making sure you grab by the head and NOT the wire) and pull. Coming off of you distributor the wires on there are held probably by a some sort of device that you have to push and they should pop off.

NOTE: When taking wires off, make sure you remember where they go! So when taking a wire off take a piece of tape label it with the one you took off with a number or letter. Then when putting them back on you know where they go.

SO when you stick them back on, make sure they get pushed down good with some, not a lot, of force.

Kep · 05-08-2008, 02:52 PM

When you do the work yourself it is almost always worthwhile to test the parts before replacing them. A lot of times we can clean a part and it will be fine. However, when you start paying a mechanic it is often just cheaper to replace a part than test it, let alone clean it. In those cases it is a guessing game but cheaper to guess than be wrong. On more expensive parts and systems it becomes feasible to test and/or clean.

If you want to try doing some of this yourself you could easily check the resistance of the wires with a $10 multi-meter (though if you get a digital one for more $$ you will be able to use it on other things as well). 20,000 ohms or more indicates that the wire needs to be replaced. I get the cheap lifetime guarantee wires and change them out about once a year. Do you have a distributor on this model?

Your points on the EGR System and the Engine Coolant Temperature sensor are both likely culprits. If you can reach it there is a simple test of the EGR by merely pressing up on the diaphram and bogging the engine down. Not a test of the system but a decent test of the EGR valve itself. You can test the ECT sensor with a multi-meter by monitoring the resistance as the engine warms up. As the engine warms up the resistance should lower smoothly. If the resistance fluctuates the ECT is failing and will need to be replaces.

If you plan to do this yourself, I would encourage you to clean the EGR system, throttle body and the IAC valve. Clean out the PCV valve as well. Get yourself a digital multi-meterm, some metric sockets and wrenches and a torque wrench. Get one or more shop manuals (I like the Chilton's). When the manual doesn't make sense do a search here for extensive reports or post up and someone will likely help you figure it out.

Luck,
Kep

mytoy · 05-08-2008, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wembley

Hi:

I am a newbie here, and came across the site googling for an issue I have with my 98 camry.
I am a photo forum regular and know that sometimes newbies with little technical knowledge clog up pages. I have done some googling and also a search here, but the symptoms aren't quite the same, so i am trying to to get an answer that will help me out.

So...

98 camry, 183k. In the last 48 hrs upon start-up and at lights or stoppages, when the idle is about 800 rpm the car stutters and the rpm jumps back and forth (stutters) about 600-900rpm. It feel like the car will stall but that hasn't occurred yet. my solution has been to put it into Park and the car idles at about 1000-1100rpm. (have read some use neutral). Also it does do a stutter sometimes on acceleration but that has not occurred enough for me to identify exactly when.

so research suggests lots of different things, and remember I have zero technical knowledge here. suggestions are changing gas filter, pcv valve not being too effective but ERG or coolant temp sensor as being possible solutions. Also that mechanics and codes have identified hundreds of dollars of other issues, that didn't resolve the problem. I have recently moved so do not have a local mechanic, but depend on a high street do it all type shop.

So, do I go and replace the coolant temp sensor ( or have them do it) or look into the ERG thingy? Also was going to get them to replace the spark plugs (will this help?) and they quoted a price of $110 to replaces the wires. i can buy wires for $55 or so, but is that something i want to get into replacing myself with no knowledge or can i buy some and have them install?

thanks in advance

wembley

Had exactly same problem on my 96 camry with 153k miles. just picked up the car from my local repair shop. Replaced EGR valve and Throttle Position Sensor...car now starts perfectly, rpm hovers around 1100rpm and quickly lowers itself to 800-900rpm as it warms. Now its perfect.

***Eye8Pussies*** · 05-08-2008, 05:55 PM

also check your idle air control valve

Toy_Dreamer · 05-09-2008, 12:26 AM

could you find these valves at any car shop?

Kep · 05-09-2008, 12:58 AM

The EGR is probably available as an aftermarket but I suspect that the idle air control valve and the throttle position sensor are OEM parts. Before buying new try cleaning them first.

Kep

Toy_Dreamer · 05-09-2008, 01:02 AM

how would you go about cleaning them?

wembley · 05-09-2008, 03:55 PM

thanks all so far for the possible answers. i'd definitely have tog et a Chiltern's if I was to try and do some of these things on my own. The mechanic had said that when the casing of the spark plug wires were brittle, they need replacing, so wanted to see if that makes sense, as i don't think they did any electrics on the actual wires.

Thanks for all your help with a newbie.
cheers
wembley

mytoy · 05-09-2008, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toy_Dreamer

could you find these valves at any car shop?

You may not need an IAC. They're expensive and NOT what you should be replacing willy nilly. As I mentioned in my answer tou your post, I had exactly same problems, difficulty in holding an Idle when starting, rough etc. Replaced Throttle Position Sensor and EGR valve...now perfect. I suggest getting OEM parts only, either local Toyota dealer or any online discount sourse, but use Toyota OEM. Just my opinion.

I'm restling with a different issue, I sense a harmonic/roughness at 2K RPM. Car runs perfectly, no other issuses, just this 2K RPM harmonic. We'll see!