I was checking my timing today on my 92' extracab, 22RE engine (EFI). I wanted to advance it slightly to rid myself of a slight hesitation at low rpm's when I step on the gas. My timing was already set at 12 degrees which is where I wanted it at. This is a new vehicle so I wasn't sure where it was set at. My question is when looking at my white mark with the timing light on, it was jumping erratically back and forth, before and after the 12 degree setting. My engine sounds like it runs pretty good but you can tell it seems to pulse a little, I'm sure thats why my white mark appeared to be jumping above and below the 12 degree mark. Any idea what is causing this pulsing? I've checked my plugs and plug wires and they're in good shape. I had to go off of my tach for my rpm's and it showed about 800-850rpm's when idling. I tried backing off the rpm's a little but it seemed to run a little rougher. Any thoughts on what I could do to get my truck to purring like a kitten and smooth out when idling. It seems to run fine down the highway with the exception of this "slight" hesitation when you first stomp on it when idling or in very low rpm's. Thanks guys.

 

it may just have a little too much backlash between the cam drive gear and the driven gear on the dist. which would do what your talking about, or the mechanical advance may have some freeplay in it (if they still use it on 22RE's)

 

At least on my 3rd gen, to check the timing, you have to jumper a couple pins on the diagnostic sensor, otherwise you get a jumping timing like you describe... Check your haynes manual if you have it...

 

Make sure you are jumpering out the terminals TE1 and E1 on the test connector (little grey box next to the fusebox, in the engine bay on the passenger side). This is the only way you will be able to see and set the timing properly. If you are really at 12* I think that is way to advanced for the 22re. I am @ 5* running 87 octane gas. Check out this article and follow directions on page 15 Timing testing page

 

Appreciate your responses regarding my timing. I'll recheck it and jump the terminals that you told me about. This truck came out of Texas where it wasn't but about 500' above sea level, and I'm at approximately 5000' above sea level so there's a big difference. I've been running 85 octane gas and don't have any pinging with it set (jumping or pulsing) at about 12*. I'm wondering since it was jumping back and forth so much when I last checked the timing if it was giving me a false reading without jumping the TE1 and E1 connectors. Anyway, I'll recheck it and see what happens and let you guys know what I find. Thanks again.

 

Well I took my truck over to a guy I know who is a Toyota guru to help me solve the timing issue because when I jumped the connectors and set the timing it ran like crap. Guess what I found out? My distributor and timing chain were both a tooth off from where they should of been set! Got everything set to where it belongs and now my truck purrs like a kitten all the way thru the rpm's. She runs smooth as glass! Thanks for all your help and anybody having this same issue of idling rough might want to check and see if this might be their problem too.