Check for codes or stored codes in the ECU... any codes??

?

 

Light not on but it has a p0420 stored. I know its my cat looks rotted by the flange.

 

Usually the throttle body and intake caked with oil, igniter getting old, If it has a distributor, usually the cap and rotor needs replacing. Injectors need cleaning..


All these are symptoms of poor performance

 

I need to get that done. Has no distribution. How do i have the fuel injectors clean? Car runs really good no missing just seems like it lost power.

 

Been noticing a little lack of power when taking off.

Doesn't give us much. Missing? Hesitation? Just your butt dyno?

 

Planning to drive it out of state and back. Done it a few times before with now problems. Has 178k miles.

 

Use the Techron fuel additive.. it usually does a good job.

 

I used it on my corolla ill gove the Camry a try.

 

"butt dyno"; I'm stealing that one...

"Has no distribution" it might not have a distributor, but it has in igniter, which does the same job of spark distribution, so it could be part of the problem.

sounds like you need to do what I call a 30k mile tune up. seafoam the intake, egr, tb, iac, check for vacuum leaks, seafoam in the tank for injectors, plugs and wires as they're due, fluids and filters including trans which is 30k overdue, and then you can go from there.

i give the same advice to all who report similar problems. plus, get a haynes and voltmeter if you don't already have them as they'll be helpful too for the next phase which will entail checking the sensors for proper resistance readings such as the cts, iac, maf/map, etc., and checking the vacuum hoses for leaks using a dollar store cigar.

tony

 

The plugs and wires have like 40k on them. I will get a shop to clean the throttle body and to cpean the iac and ect.

 

^^^

I dont do the seafoam unless the O2 sensors need to be replaced. even tho seafoam says its safe for sensors, sensors arent designed to be used with nothing but gas.


So, when they need replacing, Ill wash down everything and let the engine get cleaned, then replace the sensors when its cleaned. Theres too many stories of sensors going bad after a cleaning.


Lets see this engine to see if it has a distrbutor

 

No distribrutor

 

"I changed the plugs and wires a round 60k miles ago". ok... was going by what you posted.

as far as seafoam hurting the sensors, you could be correct but i've used it on every toyota i've owned in the last 10 years from a 94 to an 06 and never once had a problem of any sort using it in the intake, through the brake booster, and in the tank. dunno what other guys are doing but used as directed, it works great.

as far as taking it to a shop "to clean the throttle body and to cpean the iac and ect", there again, that's just part of DIY on these cars. try it and save some bucks. (hint, the ect doesn't need cleaning - it needs to be ohmed out using that vom i mentioned you need to look into purchasing as there are several sensors and vsv's that need to checked on these cars periodically, including the o2 sensors).

let us know you fare.
tony

 

Thanks i will look into it. I did forget to mention the car spun out on the freeway and when it did the front bumper swiped against the center divider wall and bent the frame behind the bumper. Had it fixed where it looks decent had the frame straightened out. But ever aince after that the car lost power after that.

 

Go with the code clue first.... p0420 = cat not working right...

- you got into an acident on a curb, this could have crushed your cat matrix causing a clog or ineffeciency

- a clogged cat = reduced power which matches your symptons

go with the simplest guess first... a clogges cat is the same as stuffing a bannana down your tail pipe...

once the cat matrix gets loosened or breaks apart due to age and/or collision, it can all 'bunch up' in 'one spot' inside the cat and act as a restriction to exhaust flow...

 

A clogged Cat will cause a loss of power. I had one on an old 1987 200sx Nissan. It really only showed itself at the higher rpms though, but once that CAT was replaced, it made it a different car. My Camry also feels a bit sluggish, but I am unsure if that is just the way it is for that engine. I have done all the maintenance on the car. I mean everything has been done. Fuel filter, plugs, wires, all gaskets, egr, throttle body cleaning, etc. No codes stored either.

 

Is there anyway I could test my catalytic converter?

 

^^

Usually if you bang on it and you hear bits and pieces bouncing around, its shot. Other times might be clogged with carbon.

 

I was looking at rock auto for one but it says cali emissions but not legal to sell in cali. Anyway is there just one they can weld in the spot or i have to buy the pipe with it? Thanks

 

Also take a look at the air filter. Some sort of rodent crawled up the air intake on my '93. Built a nest and left about 2" of acorn shells in the bottom of the housing. Got greasy rodent hair all over the filter. After a filter replacement the power was back. FWIW. YMMV.

 

Will check

 

Also too the car blows out blue smoke from it sitting for a day. I l know its the valve guide seals. But could that clog the cat up?

 

Theoretically, yes. But my Camry's valve stem seals caused it to belch a big ol' cloud of blue smoke for ~10 years before I replaced them. It was using a quart or two of oil between 5k mile OCI's. It went to zero after replacing them. Never had a problem passing emissions.

 

wow bmr, 2 qts in 5k? i felt bad cause my son's 06 is burning 1/3 qt in 5k on his i4 due to valve guide seals. good to know that's not the most important thing to worry about right now.
tony

 

Just saying, you should replaced the guides as well. Seals rarely fail unless theres play in the guides.. If theres play, even new seals wont stop the leaks and youll have to pull the head all over again.


But, if you get the head serviced, might as well spring for a 3 angle valve job, deck the head 010-015 and get a bit more compression and a touch more performance.


I would even take the head home, put some sanding barrel cartridges on a drill and smooth out any cast marks in the ports. The drop it back off to the mechanic. (cost: 20.00, better flowing head + more power)

The head is where the power is made, so while its off, might as well clean it up and squeeze more performance out of it.

 

OP.. Had an old miata with frozen oil rings... the oil would enter the compustion chanmber and come out as blue smoke... the cat matrix failed prematurley due to this... presumably the hot oil baked on the cat matrix cuasing it to fail... as someone suggested, bang on the cat to see if you can hear loose elements inside... you are getting a bad-cat code, you're burining oil, and you're down on power... so a bad cat is a good logical starting point...

cali cats are expensive as you know -- a carb cat can be welded on for a cheaper price.. bolt on carb cats are more expensive...

 

So will a carb catalytic converter work on this one? I rather just have one where I can weld it on and not replace whole pipe. I will hit the catalytic converter to see if there's any loose stuff.

 

I did a quick reach under the car i didnt have a jack. But barely reached the pipe to the cat and shook it and didnt hear any rattling inside the cat but i do see the flange where it bolts up to the cat looks like flakey rust. So when i do replace it right i gotta get a new flange welded on. Tomorrow if i can i will jack it up for a better grab i also hit the cat too sounded solid didnt hear anything either could be full of crap. Anyways thanks

 

P.s accordingly this car originally from new york according to the car fax and brought to ca years back.

 

So we are looking at removing the head? Sorry dont know much about this. It has 178k miles. Im kinda scared doing the head around this mileage cause on my 93 camry it has a little over 200k a month later the bottom end went out.

 

what engine did the 93 have?
tony

 

2.2 4cyl sorry it was a 92. My first one was a 93 loved that car.

 

We are planning to drive the car to wa and back in july. I saw a guy parting out a camry 98 to 00 and he wants $100 for a used cat. I also was checking out millers cat and they dont have a camry for an option on there but then again i dont want to put a new cat if its gonna get clogged again. I think 100 too much for a used one. What do you guys think?

 

^^^

Valve guide seals


Which means the head need to come off for new guides and seals.

So youll need a new headgasket as well, plus coolant, and oil change since water will probably fall into the oil..

Yea, to do it right, it all adds up.

 

Ok so now i know i need a new cat but my sister been noticing exhaust smell in the car now. Is this the part we need to stop driving it till the cat is fixed? She said the smell cones and goes. It aint the rotten egg smell.

 

Sorry for repeating myself but is it ok to get a cat for now till i can get the valve guide seals replaced?

 

Yes.

 

Head doesn't need to come off for Valve seals. Mechanic with the right tools can do it without pulling the head.