Well, I finally had the distributor to my '92 Camry LE replaced, which had a faulty ignition coil preventing the car from starting 100% of the time.

Well, now it starts 100% of the time just fine! However, the engine is missing when idling, and even more when driving the car. Above 2k rpms, it misfires every 3 seconds or more, when gassing it.

I called a mechanic and he couldn't pinpoint it at first, just suggested a tune-up. I did so, and he ended up replacing all 4 spark plugs and the fuel filter. $160 later, the issue still exists, but he says he believes he sees/hears the issue:

He said he doesn't know what the part is called, but the round rubber piece I've circled in the photo at the bottom has a hissing sound coming from it. It then has a tiny hose that comes up to the right in a half circle for about 6 inches, and connects to the top as shown.

He says I should "hopefully be able to find out what that part is called, and maybe it will be just a few bucks" - but so far I can't find out what that part is called.

Does anybody by chance know what that part is called, and if it's easy to find/replace/install?

Many thanks for all your time!

 

Its the idle dashpot, which controls idle.

My hose fit loose so I changed it out with another new hose I had laying around, and it too was loose, so I grabbed a wiring zip tie, and put it around the vacuum tube connections, and now I know its not leaking.

However, a vacuum leak can be hard to find, and I've tried every method, but this, and that is the smoke test.

You can make a "smoke tester" very easy with a pickle jar. I'll post the Youtube video in a moment. Basically, what the smoke machine does is blows smoke into your engine. So all you have to do is look for where the smoke is coming out of the engine [non running engine], and that is where your vacuum leak is.

Here is a YT video on how to build a smoke machine.

 

Many thanks!!!

It seems this will be a very difficult part to find, as it appears to be part of the "Throttle Body" Assembly which goes for between $200 and $500 depending on new or used >.<

I am almost tempted to just sell the car and let somebody else deal with it, as it's just one thing after another, and I'm unfortunately without access to a garage or tools.

 

First, don't buy another throttle body assembly, as its most likely not the problem. Usually, the only problems you see on a mechanical throttle body like the one on your car is gunk/carbon build up, and for that all you need do is spray it inside with the intake tube pulled off.

Rent a vacuum gauge from any local chain auto parts store. Do a Youtube search on how to use the vacuum gauge.

I plugged the gauge into the rear of the intake [opposite side of where the throttle body is located]. You will have to pull one of the vac lines off, plug the line you pull off, then plug the gauge into where the vac line was attached.

Read the gauge with the engine running at idle. Usually, the vac gauge will have marks along the dial with writing. Where ever the needle points be sure to read what it says on the gauge. My gauge actually said it was a leak in the intake. I installed a new intake gasket, and now the engine runs great. The idle is rock steady after installing the new gasket.