Just finished installing a professionally rebuilt 22re engine in my 88 4runner. Nothing fancy all stock, with a brand new head.

I was able to get it started but it runs pretty ruff at idle and it has NO power, if i shift to 4wd low i can get it up to about 20mph on flat ground cant go up an incline at all.

Most troubling of all it makes this bad cracking sound when you load up the engine. I was able to make it do it while my head was under the hood and it sounds like a backfire from the exhost manifold or the cylinder. It seems to get worse as the engine warms up but it's pretty bad when cold too. The exhost is black coming out the tail pipe.

Checked and double checked the timing and i am right on 5 btdc with the jumper.

What direction should i go with this, i feel like it could be almost anything.

 

Have u tried advancing or retarding the timing at all to see if it runs better? Black smoke is unburned fuel IIRC...you're distributor might be 180* off...it will still run...just like crap

 

sounds like u are dumping gas in it, do u smell gas like crazy when its running? start looking at vacuum lines and make sure u have them all lined up right.

 

I did double check the distributor, installed at 5 BTDC with shiny timing chain link on top and front two rockers were loose.

I didn't realize it would still run 180* off.

 

Don't smell gas at all, i'll keep checking vacuum lines and post some pics so maybe somebody else can spot something I am missing...

 

It doesn't really matter where the chain link is. It's recommended, but if the chain was put on one tooth off then. Just make sure that the pin on the cam is at 11:45 and the crank is on 0 degrees TDC. Rotate the crank one full revolution (cam will do two) and everything should line back up.

 

So....

Turns out I needed to take a step back and double check the simplest most obvious things. After pulling the valve cover to check the distributor and putting everything back together i was plugging in the spark plug wires and what do you know i had two swapped.

Runs much better now, LOTS more power.

Still has a hesitation when first pressing the accelerator idles pretty ruff and stumbles from time to time. I removed and cleaned the spark plugs they had less than 5 miles on them, but were almost totally fouled.

Checked the TPS and O2 sensors and both tested good, not sure if it will run better as the engine gets broken in or what.

For those who might have a similar issue here are the pics checking the distributor for what it's worth.

 

Is it still fouling the plugs after the timing fix? It should straighten up some after you get some miles on it. Keep in mind that the rings aren't seated yet so you will have some blow by.