ryotto

I have a 1988 4WD Toyota Pickup with a 22R-E engine. It has 201,000 miles on it. I bought it a couple years ago with 193,000 miles and did a full tune up. Replaced all fluids, rebuilt head, adjusted valves, new air and fuel filter, plugs wires and distributor cap and rotor and whatever other maintenance items.

My engine ran great up till now. It would get 20mpg in town, up to 33mpg on the highway. Will go 90mph on flat ground. Will always start. It was a perfect running 22R-E. I only use regular Conoco gas without ethanol, and its the same gas I use in other vehicles without a problem. It ran great for the first half a tank.

It ran great this morning. I had it parked outside and we got some rain, but that shouldn't have affected anything. I didn't drive in the rain. Then in the afternoon I started it up and went to drive and noticed it lacked low end torque. It felt heavy like I had a lot of weight in the bed or big tires on it. It also idled lower then normal and the engine vibrates a bit. If I accelerate at half throttle in second gear, it feels doggy and lacks torque, then between 30-35mph (~4,000rpm?) it gets normal power. At the speed there is a serge of power almost like a turbo spooled.

I checked the spark plugs and they looked fine. cylinder #2 looked a little different, not exactly fouled, but not as nice as the rest. I replaced the spark plug, but it didn't help. The wires look fine and I metered them and they are good. Did a compression check and each cylinder was between 160-170psi. My dads been a motorcycle mechanic for like 35 years and looked at it and couldn't come to a conclusion.

I took it for another drive. still lacks low end torque. power serge at ~4,000 at partial throttle. Full throttle feels fine. Cruises great at 75mph in fifth and almost did 100mph down a hill. Got back into town and at first it felt normal, then acted up again. Then it got real bad with a rough idle and not much torque.

I don't understand it. That motor ran awesome till this afternoon. Nothing changed from morning till afternoon. Even got 20mpg all in town on the first 2/3rds of that tank of gas all in town/short trips.

Thoughts?

skypilot

iTrader: (1)

I think your coil shorted out.

I know; I know.......

Just swap the ignition coil out, its a cheap part. make sure the two 12v lugs are down, not up.

ryotto

Thanks for the suggestion. Today I drove my pickup and it ran perfect the entire time. When I parked it last night it idled very rough. Today it ran great.

My only thought something possibly got wet or damp when it rained, although the engine bay stayed dry. Then it dried out and was fine. I've never had a problem before.

That or its simply the magic of the legendary 22R-E. Even if its not running right, it still starts right up and never dies out. Then it fixes itself and runs great.

skypilot

iTrader: (1)

The symptom of a bad coil is that "it will not run in the rain" or when it threatens to rain.

Please do not ask me to explain it. But the fact is the observed behavior of a bad coil is that it will not run "in the rain".

No magic involved, Its straight up electromagnetics.

ryotto

Thanks skypilot. If it ever does it again, thats the first thing id check. Thanks for your help.