Holy bucking bronco!! My '98 2.2L went from perfectly fine to bucking like a bull! - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

redgtxdi · 12-22-2011, 08:11 PM

So I'm out for lunch today & my '98 2.2L is driving perfectly fine. 4 hours later, I go to leave work & the thing bucks the whole way home & stalls at every other intersection. WTF??

Only suspicion I have is that I've been nursing the intake tube w/ duct tape but could that cause something like this?

***JohnGD*** · 12-22-2011, 08:44 PM

The I4 doesn't use a MAF sensor but rather with MAP. So even without the intake hose it should affect it except the dirt getting in. Does the car buck when in neutral?

redgtxdi · 12-22-2011, 09:18 PM

Well, not much if it did. I threw it in neutral and/or park at a couple lights to save it & I kept an eye on the tach & it hiccupped a couple times but nothing like when I apply gas.

***JohnGD*** · 12-22-2011, 09:48 PM

So in P and N it will still buck when you step on the gas? If so then that rules out the torque converter clutch.

redgtxdi · 12-22-2011, 10:47 PM

Well, it won't really buck, it just hiccups if you leave it without stepping on the gas but that might have just been in park, I don't really remember. (I did actually rev it at one of the stop lights but it didn't buck when I revved it).

What might it be in the torque converter that would make it act so funny so drastically?

EDIT: If it matters.......it was definitely worse the more I stepped on the gas. IOW, if I drove granny style it bucked significantly less (or at least a lot less noticeable)

RichieRichJP · 12-22-2011, 11:16 PM

You might have a vacuum leak somewhere. Check your hoses..

***JohnGD*** · 12-22-2011, 11:31 PM

Maybe fuel delivery, EGR system or iginition system??

When was the fuel filter last changed? A quick test for the EGR is to pull a 3-5 in/Hg vacuum on the valve. Does the engine run rough or stall? When were the plugs last changed? Maybe do a check of the coil and igniter with a multimeter.

If the problem is with the torque converter clutch not releasing then when you let go of the gas then the stopped/slowing drivetrain will stop the engine from turning and stall the car. And if the TCC problem is intermittent then the car can behave like a bucking bronco as the TCC stops the engine and then lets go, rinse, repeat.

redgtxdi · 12-23-2011, 07:42 PM

OK, well I'm not sure I found *the* problem, but I definitely found *a* problem. here's what I found in cylinder #4 (? furthest away from timing belt side).

Above is a better overall shot of the hole & below is my best attempt at a closeup. I can't tell where the oil's coming from but I've never had the valve cover off before so I can't say I'm perfectly familiar w/ how it would. I'd have figured those spark plug tubes would be easily sealed but obviously not. And, yes, the nuts for the spark plug tubes were hand tight.

(I've had Toyota replace the valve cover gasket once at about 90,000 miles and Goodyear another time at 150,000 miles)

Lastly, here's another pic of the wet/oily #4 plug w/ the nice & dry #3 plug......

Sooooo..........I snugged all the spark plug tube nuts, checked & cleaned the spark plugs, wires, etc. and swapped the #4 & #3 spark plugs to allow the oiled one to burn dry & give the dry plug a shot at staying alive in the wet hole. No joy. It felt ok but within a couple minutes returned to its bucking self. I screwed up my back last night & am in no mood to deal with this at the moment so Camry's parked & sitting til I decide if I want to mess with this crap.

LostSouthernStar · 12-23-2011, 07:48 PM

Question...do you baby your Camry or do you floor it and rag it out from every stop and go? Because that cause excess heat to build up and possible spark an oil leak somewhere, just as you showed us above.

I know it's an older car with many miles on it but it also depends on how it is driven.

***JohnGD*** · 12-23-2011, 07:57 PM

So maybe it's ignition related after all? Try to clean out the plug wires boots the best you can and wipe clean the plug ceramic insulators and see if this helps.

Yes, this valve cover gasket design stinks. The spark plug tube seals take a set and lose tension. I can only recommend periodically retorque the tube nuts. Maybe couple of times year to find out how long you can leave them in between.

redgtxdi · 12-23-2011, 07:58 PM

It definitely gets babied. In fact while I drive it smoothly because I like how smooth she rides anyway, the wife definitely drives it more than me (well, less since the Venza) but she's even softer on the foot than I am.

I'm also making the assumption that this is the problem I'm feeling. I don't really want to throw new plugs & wires on it til I get a new valve cover gasket so I don't sabotage the new plugs. And then, of course, it'll just royally tick me off if all of this is not the problem at all.

(P.S. I checked all vacuum lines & no leaks showing. They all look good)

Aetebet · 12-23-2011, 08:59 PM

After changing my spark plugs and wires I forgot to hook up a tiny piece of vacuum line on the valve cover and it bucked like hell. Any chance you've sprung a leak somewhere? The one that gave me trouble was the little ~3" section that came off the top of the valve cover.

It shifted very hard between gears, bucked while idling, stalled constantly.

redgtxdi · 12-24-2011, 11:07 AM

OK, PCV valve hose is looking fine. If I get motivated today I might pry it out & make sure it's clear of any crap but I have a concern first........

I can't figure out how oil got into that spark plug tube.

Unless the tube had a hole or crack in it (and there's none I can see) I don't get it. The valve cover slides over the tubes and tubes extend above the nut surface so I just can't wrap my head around where oil is coming from.

I could even see into the cylinder w/ the spark plug out & piston face looks nice & clean so I'm hoping somebody here has an insight?

***BMR*** · 12-24-2011, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redgtxdi

I can't figure out how oil got into that spark plug tube.

Unless the tube had a hole or crack in it (and there's none I can see) I don't get it. The valve cover slides over the tubes and tubes extend above the nut surface so I just can't wrap my head around where oil is coming from.

I'm guessing the oil leak into the spark plug tube is coming in at the bottom. They screw into the head and have a sealant on the threads that can spring a leak. Here's a DIY thread showing how to reseal them. Scroll down a bit to get to it.

Dunno for sure if that's responsible for the bucking, but it could be.

Mike Gerber · 12-24-2011, 01:41 PM

If you found the large 30MM nuts loose when you tightened them, I'm guessing the oil came from the top. There are rubber seals under those nuts. When the nuts get real loose there is not enough compression placed on the rubber seals and the oil splashing around inside the valve cover comes in over the seals. Gravity brings the oil down to the bottom of the spark plug tube and in and around the plug. If left there long enough, it can destroy the spark plug wire. Tightening the 30MM nuts can sometimes reseal them. As has been suggested above, clean the plug wire and while you have it off check to see if the oil has stopped pooling down in that plug well (tube). If the oil is no longer getting in and cleaning the plug wire doesn't solve the issue, you might have to replace that plug wire or the complete set.

Mike