Corolla problem running - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

owt · 11-06-2009, 04:15 PM

Hello,
Have a problem with a 1.8 corolla 1995, hope someone can help.
Starts and idles fine, press the gas and it will go to aprox. 1500 rpm and pulsate between about 1500 and 800 rpm. Sometimes it even runs backwards for about 10-20 seconds before shutting down. If the throttle is held down it will die, have to pump the pedal to get it to any rpm but it will idle great. Checked the timing belt and everything set up correctly. Changed the ecm under the dash, same result. Checked the spark to the plugs while it fluctuated in rpm and all the plugs continued to fire, no miss fires but still fluctuated, changed the fuel pump, filter and even the tank. Changed the fuel pressure regulator on the fuel rail, nothing seems to help.
Bought this as-is, do not know how it ran before but it has problems now.
Any help would be appreciated.

trife96 · 11-06-2009, 09:37 PM

so when you let off the gas and roll at idle. What does it do? Still fluctuate? This is about as weird as it gets. I'm also thinking a vacuum line is hooked up wrong or something

owt · 11-06-2009, 09:50 PM

It is never moving when this happens, it is sitting in the driveway. At first I thought it just had a vac line off or broken but could find none, it really does not have many lines attached to begin with. Going for the distributor next, just hate changing parts to see if it works but that is where I am at now.
When at idle, it runs great, no fluctuating, just normal as it should be., give it gas or attempt to race the motor it goes about 1500 rpm and drops off like the fuel was cut off then it drops down to a high speed idle and if held at a high speed it will eventually die but then runs backwards for about 10-15 seconds, never had one do this.
I have 2 other of these cars that are driven daily, everything looks normal on all of them.

trife96 · 11-06-2009, 10:11 PM

I would normally say check fuel pressure. But you changed all that stuff already so I'm really confused. If you have the EGR system, you should check your VSV

owt · 11-06-2009, 10:20 PM

Thanks for all the information, lost me on the VSV, changed the fuel filter also, bad crap in the old tank.
Just thought, might need to check the fuel lines in case they got pinched when installing the tank, do not believe so but will check, doesn't explain why it runs backwards. This one simply has me confused.