grandpa_spec98

There were no codes at the time of taking apart, due to electrical fault from a failing starter. Valve cover gaskets leaking into the spark plug tubes and soaking the plugs are part of the reason of running badly, and probably cheap fuel injectors. Currently have all spark plugs out, valve cover gaskets off and working on intake manifold. My list for what comes next is as follows. OEM or Bosch fuel injectors New MAF sensor New o2 sensors, upstream and downstream 8 new coil packs (oe replacement) 8 new spark plugs (NGK Laser Iridium Plug 4589 gapped at .043) Valve cover gaskets Accelerator Pedal position sensor Knock Sensors Starter

So, I'll update this thread. Fuel economy was about normal, averaging 28 US MPG, however I did end up losing idle. If I started it, it made no effort to try and idle, it just died. If I gave it throttle, it'd Rev up just fine but die immediately after letting off. Disconnected the throttle pedal position sensor, what do you know, it was idling but now wouldn't rev, and was running so badly a fluid of some sort (probably oil from valve covers) ended up on the exhaust manifold and I noticed smoke from under the hood. Sad that all of this is popping up, I've been told valve cover gaskets and spark plugs might help, fuel injectors, starter might be going bad, ECU is going bad. Sad that it's gone like this but I can't take it to a shop because I don't want to get it towed, and I don't have an exact diagnosis. Considering selling but I bought this car when the market was low so I wouldn't be able to pick up something similar for even close to the same price. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Coming back to say I timed the 0-60, it’s nine seconds flat instead what I believe was supposed 6.5, so down on power is probably going to be the reason for it not spinning the tires.

I do have a CEL for o2 sensors last time I checked the codes, but the light has gone off and come back since then.

I know these cars aren’t performance cars by any means, but having a v8 and being on a backroad with no traffic on old tires, curiosity gets the better of me. On a cold day I’m lucky to spin the tires in the dry, and it barely spins in the wet. Doing a brakestand it just sits at 1,800RPM when the trans warms up, but it’ll start spinning during a burnout when the trans is cold. Between this issue (Torque converter?) and another issue I’m having, where the car feels fairly slow compared to how it used to, not like the guys who are reporting 30 second 0-60 times but I’m probably in the high 7s low 8s. I’d like to have the car performing as it used to, what’s a good list of items to consider for a “tune up” as well as returning it to the stoplight squealer it used to be?

For fun I picked up a set of those “Denso” but not actually OEM injectors up, only 6 were functional and the others weren’t equal in flow. Great advice Chuck I hope word gets out about these bad injectors.

I know these cheap “Denso” injectors run very horribly, I had a set previously and immediately switched to a Bosch replacement, worth the money. I was having cylinders run lean wherever the cheap injectors were. I’ve been relaying the info of these bad injectors, it should have its own forum though as a warning, or to come up on google when someone searches “Toyota replacement injectors” so people don’t buy them.

Looking back on this I might want to try testing it, I found a factory e-fan on ebay that I’ll use until I find an OE replacement. If the kickup for A/C works and it idles nicely I’ll assume that was my problem. Now that I realize, it idles fine until you get to the temp the e-fan is regulating you at and then it starts losing consistency in the idle. I will check the valve as mentioned if possible, but the e fan may solve 3 of my problems, A/C not working, running slightly hot but it manages to stay within operating temp range, and the low idle. My next thing would be motor mounts, then drive the wheels off it until timing belt service interval comes into range. Coincidentally at 300k miles 🙂

I hate to take up as much space on the forum as I have recently, but I just replaced my rotors and there is a metallic scraping noise from the rear right wheel. It seems like just a nick every rotation in one spot of the rotor, but I noticed that it only happens when accelerating. The rotor set screws did not come with the car, and the rotor was loose fitting around the studs, could the rotor be sliding on the hub causing the noise, and set screws solve the problem? I did an experiment and took the caliper off with the wheel off and torqued the rotor down with the lugnuts, which subsided the noise for awhile and it came back after the car sat for awhile.

Thought I might add something to this, cleaned intake but it looked like someone was already in there, didn’t help. All of my codes are gone after reset but the idle is still low. Can’t tell if it idles up with A/C on as I am missing an e-fan at the moment, but the car idles up slightly with the headlights on, not sure if that means anything but I’m fine with driving around with my headlights on all the time if that’s what it takes to keep it running.

Thought this was funny, posted a video of my exhaust and had some smoke come out the back of my exhaust. Mind you compression is within spec and the PS fluid is topped off with brand new Dexron III. I guess a Miata guy jumped to conclusions.

Coming back to this I may have reached a conclusion. IAT and MAF are the same sensor. I would assume that they are bad and cause running lean, which causes the knock sensor. My only problem is accelerator pedal position circuit. Causing low idle and not sure how to fix that.

Really looking for some insight on this, considering a battery disconnect and running the engine with the MAF unplugged to see if that changes anything. Really open to any ideas.

I have a few noises coming from around the engine bay, I believe they will all be audible from the video attached, but here is the list. Rattling, either the serpentine belt tensioner bearing or a heat shield, audible at 650 RPM and below, 1,800 RPM and 3,000 RPM. Whining, already assessed as alternator as it gets louder as electronics like stereo and lights are turned on Ticking, assumed to be from injectors as I ran a bottle of injector cleaner through a tank of fresh 93 in about a week and in that period the noise quieted down a bit. All of the accessories off of the serpentine belt to be replaced soon, no records on when last replaced. Motor mounts will be done at the same time. One strange noise is a howling from the trans tunnel area in drive. I do not have a video, I would assume torque converter. It only happens when the car is cold, trans fluid pressure building? Still no idea. For those who have seen me a lot around the forum recently, yes the car is in dire need of some help, I plan to take it to the dealership for an inspection and get a list of what needs to be done, if that’s advisable. I would assume they would find more than me as I have little experience with this car. Rattles attached below IMG_0668.MOV

That would be correct.