This is the quote I got from two 15 year Toyota technicians when I asked what my underpowered/missing issue could be. On cooler mornings, it will be underpowered - smooth operating, but like half the HP. Not constantly, but for a few seconds at a time. Then once I get on the highway, it's a long uphill, and it will miss randomly a few times, then it's fine (for a 22RE with 206k). When I asked these guys about it, they said that they have seen it before, but never figured out what it was. They have some ideas, but they range all over the map. Do any of you 22RE owners have more concise ideas?

 

Not a 22R anything owner, but have you tried checking the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) or perhaps the cold start injector?

 

I had a bad EGR valve cause this on my 3slow. I discovered this on a fluke messing around under the hood. This was after the goofball dealership had their super diagnostic guy tell me the injectors were going bad and leaking extra fuel in the engine. I changed the injectors myself and it did nothing to help. Won't be going back to Keyes Toyota, Van Nuys anytime soon.

 

check the cap & rotor. After market cap & rotor kits are terrible for this kind of thing. If it looks a little scored replace it. I had the same proble on my T4R, tried everything, took it into the dealer thinking maybe coil, turned out cap & rotor (only 6 mo old) boy I felt dumb, at least they didn't charge me the diagnostics

 

I was a Toy tech also so I'll give you my input even though my specialty is the 3.0! I don't know what you all did to it but it could be a number of things: Like said: EGR or as simple as a valve adj. These 22's run on the lean side and it wasn't uncommon to see a "lean miss" in them, other things to check would be the O2 sensor, however since you said it only does it while cold, It could be "Cold start injector", "Cold start time switch" If these go bad you usually get a high idle at start up. (Not always)
So your saying that it misses under load when cold? True?
It is hard to say since it only does it once in awhile, not constant, could be dirty injector - Under load forcing more fuel pressure along with dirt, more common when your fuel tank is empty sucking the bottom for dirt!
I probably didn't help you either, "a" for effort!

 

Your always sucking fuel from the bottom of the tank. Full or empty, it does not matter. Thats why there's a fuel filter.

 

Good suggestions, most are precisely what the Toyoa techs suggested. I'm going into the shop tomorrow to put my new muffler on, so perhaps I'll check these systems while I'm there, and I should be able to get asistance from one of the techs I mentioned...

 

this prolly isn't it, but something to check if nothing else turns out to be it...

small crack in the head.

i've read about a few cases where 22REs had small cracks in the head...they would run fine when hot because, as the head expanded, the crack sealed itself.

 

Ah! Finally someone that knows how the pickup in a fuel tank works. It always amazes me how prevalent the "old wives tale" about low fuel level screws up the engines on a multitude of vehicles

 

I think pretty much everybody thinks the fuel comes from the top of the tank.

 

first of all, that makes no sense that the pickup would be at the top of the tank hhahahaha shame on those people

but seriously, if a tank runs dry cant it mess up the fuel pump? or is this a myth as well

 

I heard it can. I think fuel pumps are self-lubricating, so no fuel= no lubrication=premature fuel pump failure.

 

the fuel pump also uses the fuel in the tank to help keep in cool, low fuel=hot pump