I didnt try the ignitor cuz I got it running before getting the chance to get one and I didnt want to front the $240 if I didnt have to. do you think It could still be bad? I do have the light hooked up to cyl #1. passanger side opposite the disty and transmission. so just to clarify, when I remove the jumper wire, the timing should go from about 8-10* Btdc to about 12-22*Btdc. instead when I remove the wire, the timing goes to 3-5* btdc. (the opposite direction). the idle was fine before the car died. I will take a look at the timing belt but I still dont understand what could be making the computer retard the timing when I remove the jumper wire as apose to advancing it like it should. Thanks again Pedro, your the only one out of all the places ive tried that has consistantly helped me out with this. Not to say that I dont appreciate those of you who occasionally drop by to give advise. I appreciate it all. this is my girlfiends car so its not my specialty. If you guys ever have problems with a ford PGT, taurus SHO or datsun 280z ill totally return the favor. Thanks again.

 

I don't think it's bad but for free test I thought you might have tried it since this problem is so hard to trace.

Yes

Also, was I correct to assume that you said if you give it gas it runs fine?

 

with Te1 and E1 shorted the timing should be set a 10 deg...making sure the check engine light is flashing...when the jumper wire is removed the timing should go back to 8 deg..

 

Pedro: yeah, I still should get the ignitor. I thought that maybe after I got it running that the car was fine and I just needed to adjust the timing or something. Now that Im more unveiling that there is a larger underlying problem, I still might pick one up. Its just Im obscenley broke right now (spent about $600 this month on other car repairs) and cant front $240 even if Im getting it back. Next paycheck.
and yes, if I give it gas and just drive it normal, it runs great untill I have to sit at a light for a little bit.

toyoboy: are you sure the timing is suposto to retard when you get out of diag mode. everything I have read (haynes, several forums, toyota tech) says that it will advance (go from 10* to 12-22* btdc), which is why Im so confused that my timing is going from 8* in diag mode and then dropping to 3-4* when I pull the jumper, but if I am mistaken and you are correct, than the car is performing as it should. Can someone please verify this as this will answer many of my questions.

 

deanp, don't bother with the igniter, if it runs ok off idle don't waste your time or money - the igniter's fine. I'll check my timing tonight when my wife gets home with the car and let you know what my jumper off timing is. Check to make sure your lower timing belt cover is on strait as that will shift the timing mark. Also make sure you havethe right mark on the crankshaft pulley. I mark mine with white paint or correcting fluid. Your bad idle may be why your timing is off??? Maybe an IAC cleaning is in order.

 

Well I just checked my timing without the jumper wire, it was 5 degrees BTDC. I know the jumper-on timing was 10 degrees so I guess you're OK deanp. Just adjust it to 10 degrees with jumper-on as is instructed on thefactoryhood sticker. I guess you need to find out why the idle is so poor. Back toleaking EGR, vacuum leak, IAC needs cleaning.

 

So your timing was at 10* btdc with teh jumper on and 5* btdc with the jumper off. Thanks... alot. Now im less confused but still frusterated. oh well, at least it will drive fine. back to the drawing board.

 

ok so... I drove it around a bit yesterday and it drove just fine. Just as much power as I expected. the stumbeling at idle went way down but now the situation is:

after it has heated up, if it is sitting at idle in park or neutral, the car will idle pretty darn smooth and at the right RPM with the random occasional hickup, which just looks like a slight bump on the tach. a slight prob but nothing to worry about. BUT, when it is in gear, Reverse or Drive, it will hicup and learch a little. the stumbel is way more severe and common when the car is in gear. once it felt like it was going to die ( but it hasnt yet ) after I got done with a long drive and just sat there idling with the car still in gear. the timing is set right and there wasnt an idle problem before the car died. What does the car change once you shift into gear. is runs to redline fine so I really doubt its a fuel prob, what could be causing it to tweak out when it is in gear but run much smoother in park?

is it possible that the starter fluid gummed up the idle air controll valve?????

once again, thanks guys for all your help.

 

Since the idle is ok now I don't think your IAC is a problem. Starting fluid is usually just ether and does not leave a residue. When you put the car in gear you begin to load the engine so problems with fuel or spark will be more noticable. Did you run it to redline in gear or park/neutral? Try taking it up some hills where you have to really give it gas and see if the missing gets worse. Missing under load is back to spark or fuel. Have you done a compression check since all this started? I don't know if you have a shop with a dyno or not, but if you can afford it, using one with a scope might pinpoint the problem pretty fast. I'm travelling right now so maybe someone else could give their thoughts.

 

well yesterday I did one final ignition timing check and now its right on the dot. 10* BTDC with the pins jumped and then it goes to about 5* BTDC when I remove the jumper wire. I dumped some concentrated techron into a half tank of gas just for kicks. also took off the disty cap to see how that looks since I replaced it. a little wear in but nothing out of the normal, no moisture. I sprayed some carb/tb cleaner into the idle controller port and feathered the throttel to keep 'er a live. Since this last night, ive spent about 45 mins driving it and it has only hickuped once. so whatever it is, its gradually going away. Once again, it seams like this car is just fixing itself because I havnt really done anything that should fix much. still confused but at least the situation is improving.....for now.

i took it to redline in drive. i dont really like to rev engines without a load. I have gotton on it up a little hill. No sign of anything wrong. I will perform a comp check some time hopefully soon, but now that the cam is running, i need to start getting the lexus ready for my cali road trip in a couple weeks. car work just never ends.

still, if anyone has any ideas what could be causing this funky and very random idle miss, let me know. Thanks