Ever since I bought my 86 4runner it has alway had a misfire at idle and it won't make power above 3500RPMs. It originally threw a Check engine light for O2 sensor and coolant temp sensors, so I changed those and now no more codes.

Here's what I know so far
-good compression on all 4 cylinders
-cam and ignition timing is dead on
-valve lash is on
-just changed the fuel filter
-strong smell of fuel out of the exhaust

Any idea? Thanks for your time.

 

it's a 22re; that's about where everyone's power band flat-lines... it's not a rotory engine ya know...

 

I'm not hoping for much power, but I figured downshifting from 4th to 3rd should do something! Another 1000RPMs and no more power

 

try advancing the ign. timing a couple deg until it feels better. could be clogged cat

 

I just put a new cat in it a little over a year ago

 

my timing is almost off the pointer. quite a power increase over stock setting

 

Ok, I'll play with the ignition timing a bit to see what it does. I just filled up and with 33" tires and my new 4.88s I only got 15.5MPG! I need to find the problem!

 

if your not burning your fuel right what about checking your plug cap, wires, cap, and above all the coil and ignighter i guess they go out from time to time who new on a yota aye?

 

I'll pull it apart tomorrow and check it out, but with a basic test with my timing light, I'm getting spark through each plug wire. Plus I just gapped the plugs two weeks ago.

 

considering you said you smell fuel, check that the cold start injector is not operating 100% of the time.

anyone that says a 22re has no usuable power above 3500 must be drinking some spiked kool-aid (wanna share? ). just because the HP and torque curves both peak around that RPM doesn't mean there isn't power above there... and also my 88 22re/5 spd will rev to +5000 rpm without issue as long as the gearing and gravity will let it. I've pulled I-5 between Los Angeles and Bakersfield (the Grapevine as it's commonly called) in 3rd/5000+ @ 65 miles per hour many times (at least 6 times, round trip, that I can remember), and the engine is none the worse for having done it. Also done the same in my 91/automatic at least a 3 times- 2nd gear in the auto is pretty much tach'd out but I can maintain 65 in it on the 6% grade (so CalTrans claims).

When you're checking / setting the timing, you're jumpering the diagnostic test plug according to the directions?
And also, when you do so, the idle speed is noticibly changing?

 

Ok, I'll check the cold start injector out too. About the ignition timing, I follow the directions on the sticker under the hood. With the connector jumped. The idle speed doesn't noticeably change, but with every revolution the timing light jumps anywhere between4-6 degrees (sticker says 5). Thanks for the help so far guys.

 

If the idle isn't changing and the timing is jumping around (1-2 degrees of jump is sort of 'normal'), that is suggesting that the TPS isn't signalling IDL (idle position) to the ECU which would suggest the TPS (throttle position sensor) isn't adjusted properly. However, that could also be caused by an incorrectly adjusted dashpot or throttle plate stop screw. And those get messed with by people that don't understand how to adjust the idle speed on these engines.

So, keep us informed.

 

Ok, so my TPS sensor wasn't adjusted right, I fixed that and it still is running rough. At idle the thing shakes like I have a massive V8 with a large cam under the hood. I ran out of ideas so I decided to pull the exhaust manifold and start it up. The only other times I've done this on other engines flames shoot out of all the cylinders, but with my 22re flames only shot out of cylinder 1 and 3. Could it possibly be running on 2 cylinders?!?!

 

now that the TPS is adjusted correctly (fingers crossed), adjust the idle speed to the proper rpm (or as close as you can get considering it's running rough) then set the timing again.

 

Actually looking at the title of the thread, it should be no power above 3000RPMs. It's like the engine just hits a wall or something.

After adjusting the TPS with a multimeter I checked the timing which was still good and still nothing. I then proceeded to check the MAF sensor and that checked out ok too! This truck is killing me! Oh and question about the EGR, I've always been told that when you open the egr valve manually the engine is supposed to stumble and die, is that true with 22re's? Mine runs a little rougher, but it doesn't stall. I'm just about out of ideas. I'm debating whether to just have a shop check it out or to send my injectors out get cleaned and tested. The stock ones have 300,000 miles on them and as I was told it lived part of it's life down in central america for a while. Could that affect anything, or does it not matter because of the fuel filter? Any other ideas guys?

I'm getting so annoyed with it I'm starting to consider swapping the 22re out since it just won't run right...

 

Here's a video of it at idle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8vhMA73Dsc
Sorry for such bad quality video, it was recorded on a camera phone. It ticks quite loud and you can kind of see how it rocks in its mounts. There is also a slight exhaust leak at the muffler, but the shop said they won't repair it until I fix the engine problem since it'll just crack again due to the shaking in the drivetrain.

 

Fuel pressure regulator is ok? Are all the plugs about the same and looking good? No vacuum leaks?

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here... do you have the knock sensor on your engine? If so, try disconnecting it and see if anything changes.
I say that 'cause you've got a noise in there that doesn't sound quite like a loose valve but similar in frequency (kind of going tap tap, tap tap, tap tap)- like it's one cylinder with maybe a worn wrist pin and it's slapping as the piston hit's top and bottom of the stroke. If the knock sensor is picking up that sound and confusing it for detonation, it could muck with your timing.

 

How much will the knock sensor retard the timing? If that's the problem, the timing could be jumping around, couldn't it? How about the fuel smell in the exhaust. That's what has me wondering about the injectors/fuel pressure regulator and wondering what the plugs look like.

 

From what I've heard, when the knock sensor hears knock it retards the timing to base and then begins advancing until knock is heard again. It goes along with the reasoning some people use when saying you need to relocate the knock sensor when you install forged pistons.