JookUpVandetti

Hey guys I'm in a little bit of a bind and getting frustrated.

Has to get my 4Runner smogged in Commifornia. At a STAR certified location.

Before the the test I went ahead and got it tuned up and had the valves adjusted since it's been awhile.

So it's running like a champ take it to the test station and has low emissions but failed for advanced timing

Talk to my mechanic and the timing was set at 14 same as when I brought it to him. So took it back to have it adjusted and he told me the farthest he could set it back was to 7. It's suppose to be at 5.
Decided to see if it would past set at 7 and it's running horribly!! Basically ZERO low end power. Had to abort the test cause it could'nt even get to the 25mph mark under load on the test.

Anyone have any ideas? Do I need a whole new timing chain?

RJR

They're talking about ignition timing, not valve timing, so it has nothing to do with your timing chain.

I'm not sure of the timing procedure for the '87 22re, but often there's a need to defeat the timing advance from the ECU before you measure/set the timing. On my truck, that's done by shorting a couple of pins in the diag connector. If that isn't done, the timing measurement will include ECU advance and look like it's too far advanced even though it really isn't. It may just be that your diag port has a broken wire such that the shorting jumper isn't really doing what you think it is. I'm guessing your original timing is just fine - it's just not being measured correctly.

Usually when you properly short the diag pins, the CEL should blink. If that's not happening you likely aren't setting up right for measuring the timing. Get a copy of the FSM or pick up the Haines manual and get up to speed on the exact process for setting the timing.

RJR

One more thing. It's also important that the throttle position sensor (TPS) is properly adjusted so that the idle switch is closed when you're doing this measurement. If the idle switch is not closed, the ECU doesn't know you're idling, and I'm pretty sure it ignores the jumper as far as ignition advance goes. That'll give you a wrong reading as well.

Your mechanic should know all of this. If he doesn't, there are other mechanics...

Google "setting timing on '87 22re". You'll find a lot of info.

JookUpVandetti

Thanks for the input and I'll check it out.

JookUpVandetti

Ok so we suspect that when the top end was rebuilt that the timing wasn't set up correctly. We are going to check that, we can't even get the timing to 5 right now.

The NO are a bit high wondering if it needs to be "decarbonized" sounds kinda fishy. I am having the throttle body cleaned while I'm at it.

RAD4Runner

+1 on checking TPS. Mine had to be advanced 32degrees(?) in order to run. FOund bad TPS.

I believe 4crawler has TPS adjustment procedures on his site.