Hey guys i just want to say thanks for all the help you've given me so far, You've been awesome. But i have my yota working and its driving but it lacks all power what so-ever. Its like having a lawnmower engine in the. Idle seems to idle and sound fine. The engine is a rebuilt engine, but i had to take the distributor out, and i thought i got it back in exactly where it needed to be. If i was a tooth off, would it still run and idle and sound good like it does. Its just completely gutless. We tried timing it by sound, advancing till it pings but we could not get it so ping no matter how much we advanced it.

 

i once did a timing chain on my dads 79' given it was a 20r but basically the same and i got the chain a tooth off and it idled revved and ran beautifully until you tried to drive it it had almost no power, as soon as it was timed correctly it was great so im gunna answer yer to your question and get a timing lite, and set it right

 

Could it be possible that the valves are not adjusted properly. I know the first time i set mine i accidentally set one of the exhaust valves so tight that it would stay open far too much... so much it let the fuel/air mix back out. Dont ask me how I managed that... but the thing had no power and ran rough since i was down a cylinder, funny thing though with advancing the timing i was *almost* able to cover up the dead cyl. except for well the lack of power and the backfire if you got on the throttle much at all. oh and the rough idle, and the hard starting lol but other than that. ran great! haha I dont know if thats what your problem is but could be possible, cause even if a skilled and knowledgeable, trustworthy person did the rebuilding, things happen.

Good luck,

Adam

x2 on the timing light, makes it MUCH easier