Suuper rough running....

[rex blackfire]

First off, thanks a to n tim for starting a new forum! Its been a bit since Ive done much with my 87 4x4 and Im glad to have a choice in forums. I parked my van about 3 years ago when the brake master failed and went out to start it every 2 to 4 weeks to warm it up and and such. The last time (bout a year ago) I spaced putting stabil in the gas that I dumped in the tank. That fuel ran out and I didnt start it for quite awhile. Put gas in the other day and tried to start it and it rouns waaaay rough. Like, wont hardly run at all, sounding like it got alot of water in the fuel.I put in line dryer, ran it best I could popping, backfiring sputtering like crazy. I sounds like its flooding and has nothing on the throttle.Sometimes I can nurse it up to 3000 rpm plus but even there it missing bad and wont hold an rpm. as it warmed up it would hold rpm a little better down to 1500, but always nursing the throttle. At time I cant get it to do more than sputter for a couple seconds before it dies. One wierd thing is if it popping along at say 200 rpm but the throttle is past that and I let off, it sounds good for a sec as the throttle runs down to the rpms its running then falls off again. Does that make sence? its tough to explain any other way than it sounds like water. I put another 3 gallons in it with a strong dose of sea foam thinking I had something gummed up but no help. Has anyone heard of this stuff caused by a bad cat? Maybe fuel filter(havent done that yet)? I had the tank cleaned and lined when I put a new pump in when I got it back in 07. The check engine light isnt on, and I cant tell which connector, or what side of it Im supposed to jump to get my codes. Now on top of it I busted the fusible link in the box in front of the batt. AND THATS ANOTHER QUESTION. Couldnt I just put an 80 amp breaker or fuse in place of it there? I was selling her since Im broke and need the room, but I love the turtle am not sure I can part with her.

[rex blackfire]

Would the tps cause it to run that bad? The ignitors wire to the dist. has the shielding exposed, and the little valve at the water cap that opens the egr valve when warmed is busted, but I just dont see either one causing this. No other vac leaks either. When I bought it it had sat for 6 years and once I did the tank and pump it ran like a champ!
:pissed:

[timsrv]

Check engine light doesn't usually stay on if/when there's a code. Sometimes the CEL will flash while a code is being stored, but that's easy to miss. Here are some instructions to reading codes: http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/content.php?196-Engine-Service-Connector. Check that 1st & report back. I would also be curious as to fuel pressure, but that's a bit more difficult to check, so do the easy stuff 1st. If there's no codes, here's a thread to help you check fuel pressure: http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/showthread.php?589-Testing-fuel-system-replacing-fuel-pressure-regulator.

The faults you mention (TPS & BVSV) wouldn't cause it to run this bad. Maybe bad fuel, but it sounds like you've put in enough fresh stuff to off-set that. One of mine sat with a rusty tank and rust was somehow getting past the filter and plugging up my injectors (Had to clean #3 twice in 5k miles). Changed filters both times. It's made it almost 10k miles since the last time I cleaned. Coils are notorious for creating these type issues. It would be a good idea to at least do a visual inspection on that & the inside of the distributor cap. Sometimes the spot where the coil contacts the cap gets hot/burned and this can cause issues as well. Good luck. Tim

[rex blackfire]

Thank you sir! Im gonna work on it a bit this weekend. Ive got it up for sale, but if I end up fixing it I'll either keep it or triple the price. At $500.00 Im not going to put much into it. Parts trucks are real hard to find out here.

[timsrv]

You could always leave as-is and change your username to "wreck's back-fire" :LOL2:

[rex blackfire]

Haha riiiight? Sucker fires every way but the right one. Ordered an oem filter off ebay for like 13 bucks. Autozone had universals for 20. Think Im gonna order a coil, cap and rotor too.Rock auto has some real cheap but Im a little sketched by the super cheap ones. I scraped the cap and rotor when I got it but thats all. When I got it I decided I wasnt going to do the whole replace everything broken or not thing I usually do.When it breaks, I'll fix it. So far thats been a relined tank, a fuel, and a water pump in about 15k or so.Not bad at 217k miles. Now its on c.l. and Ive discouraged 95% of the callers from it. If youre not gong to do the work yourself, and if you dont have a real good idea of what these are its probably not worth it. I can get $400 at the junk yard, but Id rather see someone get it to tinker on themselves. If i keep it I'll replace the fusible link at the battery with an 80 amp breaker. That crud is a dinosaur. Then have the starter rebuilt. A guy in Seattle wants it now. I guess they just go for too much over there. Saw one the other day with low miles listed for like 8K!