85gijunk4x4

Okay, here goes. I've been reading around on the internet, and can not find straight answers to this. Only what seems like people guesses on what it does, or how to test it.

I'll start off with the obvious, correct me if I'm wrong. The vacuum advance on a distributor retards the timing at higher rpms to adjust the spark and burn more efficiently for emission purposes?

You NEED a vacuum advance and it can't be bypassed?

To check a vacuum advance, you check for good diaphragms by sucking on the vacuum line to see if it holds vacuum?

Vacuum advances are 22r specific and can not interchange with a 20r (if applicable) or 22re (if applicable)?

My dilemma:

I've noticed over and over again my truck sounds like it is timed wrong, especially at higher rpms. It seems to be running fine, and has normal 22r/e power, just sounds off. Anyway, I periodically check my timing just incase maybe one day it'll be wrong, and I can fix it and not have to worry about my timing sounding wrong anymore.

I set my time to 0degrees with the vacuum lines plugged as the manuals say. I put the vacuum lines back on and re-check the timing and its still 0degrees. Shouldn't it move to 12 or around there somewhere? It stays the same at idle whether the vacuum lines are plugged or attached to the vacuum advance.

If I rev the engine up the timing moves back as far as 12btdc with the advance plugged in. If it wasn't working, wouldn't the timing not retard like that?

The engine runs the same regardless of whether or not the lines are plugged in or not, or even plugged off or not.

Now to the good stuff. I used the sucking method as I don't have a vacuum checker thingy-ma-bob, and my diaphragm closest to the valve cover DOES NOT hold vacuum, so I'm assuming its toast. The diaphragm closest to the radiator DOES hold vacuum.

At idle, the vacuum line going to the valve cover diaphragm sucks good and hard, and the radiator one doesn't do anything at all.

As I rev the engine up the vacuum line to the valve cover side diaphragm slowly drops as the other one slowly gains vacuum, until at one point the valve cover side diaphragm line DOES NOT suck at all, and the radiator side sucks good and hard.

So...Is it toast? And for pete sake, could somebody clarify what it does, and how it works? THANKS!!

And side note, I have a strong feeling my engine isn't timed right...its just one of those things you notice by the way it sounds.

It has no lack of power, just the regular power of a 22 series engine

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

My head hurts reading all that.

first of all A Toyota Vacuum advance distributor for the 22 R series will work on all the engines set for vacuum advance I know for a fact because I swapped a 22rec one in to a 22r. Now the last year for the vacuum advance in the 22rec was in 83 in the Celica .

With the vacuum advance working correct it retards the timing at higher rpm I think the rpm for testing was @ 2500.

it is important to have your vacuum lines hooked up to the correct place. If I recall the California one had one line the others had two lines.

I have the FSM for the 83 so if your still stuck Pm or email me and we can figure it out.

Had you done a timing chain on this engine perhaps have the cam timing off a bit.

combatcarl

Timing is ADVANCED at higher RPM. If you have vacuum where you shouldn't, when you shouldn't, then something is wrong. Same as no vacuum when you should have vacuum. Remember, as RPM's climb, especially under load, vacuum will decrease (get closer to zero or atmospheric) so make sure you are using correct terminology. Higher levels of vacuum are numerically higher, eg, -40in/hg is lower pressure than -30in/hg. It's confusing, but your timing is advanced by a decrease in vacuum, and retarded (at idle) by an increase in vacuum. It's not uncommon at all for vacuum diaphragms to wear out. Test it out via FSM, it's possibly time for a new one. Or, best case, ya got a vac line wrong. Oh, BTW, Happy Monday, suckas!

Sent from my iPhone using YotaTech

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

like normal I am always backwards

moving away from top dead center is advancing moving towards top dead center is retarding .

I understand how it all works but forget it just sounds strange advancing is moving away from your reference point

85gijunk4x4

So is it good or bad?

From what I've read, its doing what its supposed too.

But i'm pretty sure the one diaphragm is shot.

toastyjosh

iTrader: (1)

Replace that advance

This is the one I got.
http://www.lceperformance.com/Distri...-p/1081123.htm

Looks like there back ordered.
Anyways replace the advance, then re time it.
My 81 is at like 5 the advances to 8 when I plug everything back in. There should be some movement after you plug in the vacume.

85gijunk4x4

so i'm assuming since my one diaphragm doesn't hold vac. its toast.

it retards at higher idle, but while driving it sounds way off at high rev's, and I could never go over 70 wich I just blamed on my tires, then my air filter, then plug wires etc., then fuel filter lolol. Then some guy told me he used to go over 80 with a 22r 5speed on 31's.

Anyway, I don't know where the heck to find them. Might just pick one up at the junkyard if I can find it. I'll do a suck test and if its good i'll hopefully pay about $5 for it haha

85gijunk4x4

Wyoming, no you have me thinking is my timing retarding or advancing? Its moving towards the pass. side if facing the engine from the front bumper.

either way, it consistanly moves at high revs

kanurys

Just resurrecting an old old thread.... Does anyone know where to get a 22R vacuum advance diaphragm assembly now? I can't seem to find them anywhere except napa for the price of a new distributor.

gullyrat

Following . . . . would also love a new vacuum advance.....

kanurys

I ended up buying an amazon $50 distributor and it is working well. Dual vac and now the timing reads more stable, too.

kanurys

This question was posed to me so I thought I'd answer it here so it can help everyone - which is, in my opinion, the point of the forum.

Question: Can you describe what you were seeing before/after the new distributor?

Yes. The vacuum advance chambers continuously drew air when a suction was applied. It also did not actuate at all. The timing mark jumped around a little bit, but not as bad as others have described. I was not able to get it to adjust to 0° BTDC no matter what gear tooth I engaged. The closest I could get at idle was 5° or higher. Oil leaked out of the distributor stem seal and the cap seal was broken.

With the new distributor, all of these things were addressed and improved. We'll see how long this cheap thing lasts, but for now it seems pretty decent for the price.

Jimowen

I have an '82 22R out of a motorhome installed in my '86 pickup that's been running great until carb problems - addressed in another thread.
A few days ago I successfully adjusted the timing to the '82 specs with both vacuum advance lines plugged. One of those lines, the one closest to the engine, seems to not affect anything. Is this normal?
Today, after working endless hours on the carburetion, I checked the timing again and it was so far off I almost couldn't see the mark. Pulling the distributor back as far as I could wouldn't bring the mark past TDC much less back to the 8 degrees BTDC. Do I need a new distributor to correct the vacuum advance and timing issues? There are multiple $50 distributors on Amazon. Which one did you choose?

kanurys

I can't really speak to the condition of your '82 distributor since a lot of issues can come from worn pivot points for the centrifugal and vac mechanicals, but I can say I was having trouble getting the mark to line up at zero BTDC on any gear tooth before I replaced it. I think the the different vac lines activate at different loads in conjunction with certain air flow rates (RPM, sort of). I got the cheapest one off amazon with the intent to swap just the vacuum canisters, but just threw the whole thing on and was happy since it solved my jumpy timing mark, too.
We'll see how long it lasts, but my power and tuning are better now. Carb is rebuilt and it adjust right to 2.5ish turns of the low speed mixture screw and runs awesome with the timing working correctly.