My wife's '99 Camry has a bit over 100kmiles on it so I had the timing belt and water pump replaced. They also replaced the air filter. I picked the Camry up at the shop and drove it home no problems. When I went to move it later it idled rough at start up, but came out of it pretty quickly so I didn't think much of it.

The next time I drove it wascouple of dayslater and it was doing the same thing. It was fine after a few minutes. So I looked under the hood and found a hose off the airfilter housing. I put that back on and thought everything was fine.

I drove it again this weekend and it is dong the same thing again! It runs rough to the point of stalling at start up and then runs fine after it warms up.

Any ideas?

 

V6 or 4 cylinder?

If the engine runs OK most of the time the issue is not the timing belt. A bad timing belt installation would have constant problems.

Is the problem only when the engine is cold? Once warmed up does the engine run OK.

Perhaps other hoses and wires were disconnected for whatever reason.

The Idle Air Control valve (IAC) controls engine idle. If there is something wrong with this valve, it is dirty, etc the engine idle will be low or high, the engine could stall then start up again and be just fine.

 

Its the little 4 banger. I was going to take it back to the mechanic shop this morning, but it didn't do it.

It is eradict. Today was fine. Where is that valve located? I looked for other loose hoses and didn't find any, but maybe I just didn't know where to look.

I wonder if it is possible that I got some bum gas, maybe a little water in it and now it is worked its way out?

 

The engine runs rough or just idles rough. Or can't hold idle but is OK when you give some gas? Does it run OK now?

The valve would be bolted to the underside of the throttle body (where the throttle pulley is).

The valve controls engine idle speed and can cause low idle, rough running, etc. Often the problem is intermediate. It can be cleaned by spraying a throttle body cleaner into its intake port.

In changing the timing belt the mechanic should not have needed to go near the throttle body or the hose that was disconnected. Something else loose or disconnected?

 

I was going to take it back to the mechanic that worked on it to have him look at the problem. But, the morning I took the Camry to do that the problem was gone.

I am guessing that it was just an intermittent problem or some bad gas or something like that.

Initially, it was just ideling rough when cold. After it warmed up there was no problem.

I think I will put some SeaFoam in the gas and maybe the throtle body. The ol' girl has a bit over 100k on her so that might do her good.

 

I've been thinkin about doin the same thing, I just dont wanna deal with the 5 minutes of smog. Then again, after the 5 minutes it's actually better with emissions right? And gas from what I hear.

 

I went to the Sea Foam website and wathced the video. Pretty cool stuff. Yeah, the massive fog cloud wouldn't be appreciated if a person was in a populated area![:'(]

But, on some other sites I look at the guys all swear by it. I'm gonna wait until it is a hot, low wind day when the blackflies and mosquitoes are driving me nuts, then I'll fog 'em out!!!

 

Pick up a spray can of throttle body cleaner. Make sure it is 02 sensor, CAT converter and plastic safe (the IAC valve is plastic). Then remove the large air intake hose to the throttle body, you will see a slot at the bottom of the throat where the throttle plate is. This is the intake for the valve.

With engine running, increase RPM and spray cleaner into the slot, not to much at once or you will kill the engine. If the throttle body is dirty, spray into this area also.

The amount of smoke should be minimal.

Sea Foam and many other cleaners are a combination of petroleum and solvents. This is what you see coming out the tail pipe.

 

thanks toyomoho! I'll try that!