Erik Beeman

Sputtering problem on the 22RE, I cannot figure it out for the life of me, neither could anyone on here (I've started a few threads), and neither can one of my local shops. I finally said forget it, and just keep driving it since it runs fine. Then, one of my buddies that I haven't seen for a while came over, we took my truck to the store, and I showed him what it was doing. Within 2 seconds, his first reply was, "Hmm, sounds to me that your distributor has crapped out, it's a known problem on the 22's"....Got me thinkin...could it be? I've got a whole other distributor just sitting in my storage, in fact, it's the one that I pulled from the stock motor when I rebuilt it. I replaced it with a different one just because this one 'looked' like it was in better shape.

Has anyone had this problem, or heard of it? I'm pretty knowledgeable on these little sewing machines, but this could be a solution. Input? Thanks.

CappyKD

I have seen distributers crap out on different vehicle makes. Heck I've personally repaired or replaced 3. Not sure on the Toy distros but.....

kdo58

my vacuum advance went out on mine, so they do go out.

tried4x2signN

no, they're not "known" to have problems... every numb nut's has an opinion. It's not the 1st time I've heard of ppl speaking about stuff they don't have a clue about...

I recall a guy one time telling me "Toyota oil pumps last about blah miles". Well I guess since it happened to him once he's now got to spend the rest of his life telling everyone he comes in contact with about how they're "known to go out"...

I know for a fact you won't find better aftermarket parts like distributors, alternators or starters for Toyota trucks... Dear god how'd the 22R get the rep it's got with a "known" problem like that...

myyota

The pick up coil in the distributor can go bad and possibly cause some problems such as a miss, or not starting at all. You can buy a new pick up coil and replace it, or you can buy a complete new distributor.

xxxtreme22r

what about the advance springs/weights in the distributors? do they typically wear?

sb5walker

The 22re distrib doesn't have mechanical advance, so prob no springs/weights. As myyota said, the signal coil can go out, but that can be replaced. The only other thing I think could happen is bad bearings, which happened to my veezy a few years ago - squealed like a stuck pig when first started in extreme cold. Aside from that, I don't think there's anything to "go out". I would ask the guy what exactly has failed. Then watch the BS-O-Meter - you might see it rise.

khany2002

Last year, the pickup coil (signal generator) in the distributor went out on my 22RE. After 23 years. I don't fault it.

Apparently as a distributor spins, since there is such a high amount of current being generated, there is a high level of ozone created within ANY rotating distributor. This is supposed to be extremely bad for the pickup coil and wiring, and is why they eventually fail. And by eventually, I mean after 23 years in the case of my 22RE... again, I don't fault the part!

Combine that with a million and one heating / cooling cycles from starting and stopping, and I'd have to say the distributor is pretty reliable. The bearings can probably be replaced if you had to, but, in my instance, I just grabbed a $40 distributor from a local junkyard.

annoyingrob

Correction, The 22R-E in a PICKUP doesn't have a mech advance. 83 and early 84 Celica GT and GT-S models came with an early model 22R-E with mechanical advance.

DupermanDave

Exactly! When people go online to find if other people are having issues with a car, computer, tv, etc... they will probably only find posts online about the problems. Rarely will people post online and say "everything works fine." This does not make them "known issues."

dfarr67

Throw your other dizzy in and answer the question once and for all- I've got a shed full of spare part just for that reason- I'd hate to buy new, especially if it was oem$$$ or replace with inferior aftermarket.

redneckgirl

is there any discoloration at all under the cap, and look for very small lines where the plastic is.

take some steel wool to the prongs just in case and see if thats what it is. you can also do a spark detector run with it.

sometimes its more worth it to find a home buisness ran mechanic and see if they have a mechine to hook it up to.

my mechanic "bear" lives right next door to me and he will hook up any of my trucks to his machine for 20 bucks. and if we cant figure out whats wrong with it then its free.

good luck hun, let me know how it all turns out.

Erik Beeman

I threw the other distributor in yesterday, and it still doin it. Although, the other cap and rotor was damn near falling apart when I first touched it. Good thing I had a new cap and rotor and wires too. Got everything installed.

Still sputters tho, so I'm back to square one which means I'm done trying to fix it. This is just another thing that didn't fix it, lol.

CappyKD

What HAVE you done to troubleshoot it?

dfarr67

I guess you have to think- at which point was the truck running well? Before the rebuild- what was changed? Cam timing good, ignition timing, Coil/module?, fuel filter?, right replacement plugs?, injectors fouled?, fuel pump, tps setting?

Erik Beeman

Motor was completely stock, 100% factory Toyota parts. Blew that up, so rebuilt it. It's got RET pistons, EB head with OS valves, 6K springs, 261 cam, stage 1 porting from local shop, fully balanced internals. Stock replacement cam sprocket, so there has been no cam timing change, it's running 91 octance @ 8* timing. Stock intake and stock exhaust manifold. Have changed/checked the VAFM, TPS, vacuum leaks, timing, distributor, O2 sensors, exhaust, and valve clearance, nothing has made it better or fixed it. Ran fine before I blew it up, and has had this problem ever since the minute I dropped this motor back in.

allnmstkn313

Indeed, other than that the mechanic tossed the idea that it might be the distributor what have you actually checked?

If you have spark to your plugs, it's likely something other than your ignition system itself.

No engine code? Vac Leaks? Compression? Timing is spot on?

sb5walker

Does it have cable speedo and does the sputtering happen only when moving? Could be the speed sensor. Otherwise might be a weak hall sensor signal (signal coil in distrib) or bad connection between it and the igniter or between the igniter and ecu or bad igniter ground. Check the resistance of the signal coil, check clearance on all four lobes of signal rotor, and try cleaning up the igniter ground (mounting bolts). Check resistance of both circuits in the ignition coil while you're at it, when hot (using hot specs) if possible. Be sure to disconnect all wires from it first.

Check that cable from ignition coil to distrib is not shorting on something.

http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b.../4onvehicl.pdf

Have you checked fuel pressure and volume?

abecedarian

RET pistons in an N/A engine? I wonder how that lower compression ratio effects things like a/f ratio, etc.

dfarr67

Is the cam correct for efi? And I meant- no errors in getting the timing chain on the correct teeth- crank and cam.
I can fix most anything on my truck that doesn't require specialty tools- I'm really bad at diagnostics.
Pays your money and take it to a good shop...you'll never be happy until it's fixed. I heard this too---90% of your fueling problems are ignition related.
Is this supercharged? If not is it in your future? Otherwise why go with RET pistons and go from 9.5 to 7.5?