I went for a smog check, and before testing the guy checked the timing and made an adjustment. The truck passed fine, but upon driving it away I noticed it idled smoother but lost a bit of power. Did he retard the hell out of the thing? What timing setting is good to run at, what will get the little power the little 3.0 had back?

 

Factory is 10*BTDC, you can run more, up to 12*BTDC on regular gas - just keep an ear out for pinging the more you go.

 

He might have adjusted it with a bad/out of adjustment TPS. I did last year and the 4runner ran like crap. Lots of more info here on that subject if you search.

 

I watched him do it, and I don't think he placed the jumper between those two ports before doing it. How off could it be? It seriously runs VERY slow. 70-80mph is probably 10-15 seconds

 

On the 22re, if timed without the jumper, it'd be off by about 7 degrees.

 

I think it's just off by 2 or 3 degrees without the jumper on the 3VZE.

 

THREAD REVIVAL!!! Where at what do you jump on the 3.0 when advancing ignition timing?? PICS PICS PICS!!???!!!???!!!????!!!!????!!!???!!!???

 

Have you ever pulled the CEL codes from the ECU?

 

No sir, I have not....

 

Oh....well, then. Look under the hood on the pass. fender well. Is there a little grey box that says diagnostic box?

 

Okay, gotta run. So, I'll cut to the chase.

If you have that box, look under the lid for a label. If there is one, look for the TE1 and E1 terminals. Take a paper clip bent over in half and stick either end in the terminals. Now you have entered the base timing mode. Peachy!