Something doesn't feel right. - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Wangan · 05-10-2009, 10:07 AM

Sorry to disappoint but no turbo upgrades here. I did search but I'm still not finding what I need. Here goes. My car over the past few months has been running horribly. It's a stock ST185 swap. All it has done is a gutted cat and an mbc installed set at 15psi. no tuning at all and the vsv vacuum line isn't blocked either. Now honestly when I first did the 15 psi it felt amazing but the performance has slowly deteriorated to now where it's still at 15 psi but it runs slower then it did at the stock 10psi. The quarter mile time was slower as well as even having a slower mph. The slower mph is telling me that something is really wrong. Also the car backfires like an srt4 on trailing throttle. I have already changed the plugs for newer oem units. I gapped them according to the power primer but it didn't make a difference with the backfiring. It felt like it did pull a lil harder after the plugs were gapped but as evidenced by it being slower on the track something is still wrong. I do have a new set of wires from toyota to put on. Anyone have any ideas whatt I can check or change to rectify this problem. Also I should mention that the car is only getting like 20 mpg. Barely. I would like to get it back running right. Any suggestions pple? Sorry if there are a lot of typos I'm posting from my phone.

Wangan · 05-12-2009, 08:29 PM

any ideas...

bajachris88 · 05-19-2009, 07:43 PM

I'm surprised your not running platinum tipped spark plugs for that sort of application man. No gaps, and 100,000km's before replacing cause they are tough as nutz. I got sick of adjusting gaps on even just an old 5sfe.

So power wise? ur loosing power, done no changes, and its not as good. How long did it take to get to this state? backfiring a little, hmm... Check and clean out your vsv as emmissions controls can muck with that, of course, ignition timing too. fuel's in the exhaust and getting burnt there causing the backfire, so if not an ignition thing perhaps a momentarily rich mixture, air filter all clean?

I'm just stabbin in the dark here.
Might give ya some starting points.