I just got done taking the throttle body apart and putting it back on. I cleaned it out good, new gasket and adjusted the TPS per 4crawler and FSM. I re-ran through the adjustment about 10 times and I was getting all the proper readings. Put it all back together, jumper te1 and e1 and no difference in the timing. Double checked all vacuum lines and those are right.

Could the TPS be bad still even though it adjusted fine off the vehicle? I'm at a loss where to look next. I am 99.9% certain the thing was adjusted right. I can get the timing close without the jumper but apparently not good enough because its running a little weird. Lack of power around 1500-2000 rpm. Idle is now stable (wasn't before today), but the timing jumps around a couple degrees. Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

It's not uncommon for a 3VZ-E to act like that with/without the check connectors jumped. Mine does the same thing. Jumping the check connectors does nothing on mine except make the CEL flash. Doesn't change the idle speed, or advance the ignition timing(like it's supposed to).

If the TPS tests fine and is adjusted to specs, and/or there's no TPS code(s) present, then it's not your problem. It's fine.

As for the lack of power around 1500-2000 rpm, it's probably not ignition timing, and/or TPS, related.

 

^--X2

Yea I've had a couple 3VZE's my self and like Mud said they have a mine of their own.

Lack of power...

Low fuel pressure?

AFM(Air Flow Meter) out of spec?

Timing belt off a tooth or two?

Egr valve opening too early?

Vacuum leak(s)?

 

Well I just pinned down the only vacuum leak I could find. Timing belt was spot on when did it a couple months ago. Haven't checked it again but unless the brand new tensioner already failed it should be fine. The egr was overhauled about two months ago. Was giving me a code ended up being bad modulator but everything else checked out good. Haven't checked the afm. Could my distributor be an issue since the timing is jumpy? I can't get the timing spot on because of it. When I checked my timing when I did the belt, it was no issue and it retarded like it should. Something had to have went bad in between now and then

 

The check engine light is flashing when you're doing this right?

 

Did u follow this http://ncttora.com/fsm/1990-1995_4Rn...e/throttle.pdf exactly? You must aply vacuum to he throttle body to properly adjust the tps...

 

You must "apply vacuum to the throttle opener" so that you can "insert a thickness gauge between the throttle stop screw and stop lever". Allowing you to "use an ohmmeter to measure the resistance between each terminal" with each thickness gauge inserted. Meaning, if he was able to "insert a thickness gauge between the throttle stop screw and stop lever" and "get all the proper readings" by "using an ohmmeter to measure the resistance between each terminal", then he must have "applied vacuum to the throttle opener" to do so.

 

I did indeed apply vacuum and yes, the check engine was flashing. Had never had a problem with the timing being jumpered before. This is a new development. So, anyone know if the tps can adjust okay off the vehicle and still be funky when put back on? The method of testing the connection to the ecu in the fsm has me at a loss. Anyways, for now, I must have hit a sweet spot in the timing. It looks like its between 10 and 12. Nice and zippy (as much as the 3.0 can be) and we pulled off 21mpg pure highway the other day. Tempted not to screw with it more, but it's driving me nuts knowing something isn't working like it should. Would a new tps be in order do you think?

 

Forgot to add, my distributor is making a wretched sound. Sort of grinding at high throttle. It never used to. Could the jumpy timing be related to this? My thoughts are that a dizzy on its way out shouldn't affect the baseline timing but I could be wrong. Common sense tells me it could probably screw with how stable the timing is though.

 

don't know if u have fixed the problem put mine is doing the same thing and i know that the distributer pick up is bad almost 100% sure that is what it is in mine and i know urs is bad because of the grinding is the pickup coil in the distributor hitting the shaft..... but am not fixing mine cuz i am looking for a new engine but thats another story so i would check you distributor and check the coil too

 

check to make sure the distributor gear is solid to the shaft. sometime they get slop in them. Mine had some slop in it and it would make the timing jump

 

How much slop is acceptable? Guessing there should be none? I've probably got 2-3mm of movement, but thats sort of the rotor movement. The dizzy itself seems solidly attached to the engine. So... will any 2nd gen distributor for the 3.0 work? Or did they change over the years? I've got a friend with a parts runner that I could at least borrow the dizzy off of to check if thats the problem.

 

I just had the same issue on my 1992 runner 3vz. timing would jump between 2-5 degree's even with the jumper in place.

dont second guess this... replace the whole distributor. the pickup is bad and you will see the timing mark go solid. set to 11 degree's and you will notice the power and fuel economy come back. Mine was 100% solid and looked better then the one I put in to test it. nothing is for certain when dealing with electronics.

my next question is if anyone has run a newer coil version... like what is on the 7mgte motor...thats what I would like ... no more headaches

 

here you can see my 7mge coil and 7mge afm. yes i hooked them up after this pic and they work great