?88 Camry All Trac 2.0 liter with 256,000 miles. I?ve had it 5 years. Terrific car; cheap insurance and no car payment. I am trying to keep it running until kids grow up and wife re-enters the workforce. I recently returned from the local Toyota dealership with a $400 bill after having only part of the work done that they wanted to do. History: trouble started with a hole in the muffler. Muffler shop replaced it but then the car was VERY sluggish. Had to coax it up to speed which was not a good thing while trying to merge onto the interstate highway everyday. Nearly became a hood ornament. Back to muffler shop with diagnosis of plugged catalytic converter. (Engine ran great with exhaust disconnected). This Camry has two cats (small pre-cat? under hood after exhaust manifold and larger one just prior to muffler). Muffler shop couldn?t get pre-cat so they chipped it out and installed larger "all-in-one" unit ahead of muffler. I heard them revving the car to REALLY high RPM several times while working on it. When I asked, they explained it was to clear out debris from cat extraction. Back on the road and still no power! Muffler shop sent car to another shop and said timing was off & belt had probably jumped. I had to pay for the engine analysis and timing. After thinking it through, I wondered if belt hadn?t jumped from the high revving. However, the car ran like a rally car and I was very happy with the result... Until a few months later... engine missing and needed new plugs, rotor, distributor cap. Then it was good to go again... for a short while. I noticed engine would not drop to a low idle and over time, got worse. Car failed emission test. The garage offered to put it on their engine analyzer and try to get it to pass. The next day, they said they "tweaked it" and it was ready. However, within a month, or so, the "low" idle had risen to 2200 rpm and would not come down. The engine still had power, but was also missing. I checked plugs and they looked surprisingly worn for only being a year old. Replaced plugs and the idle "dropped" to 1700 rpm. Engine still powerful but missed. Went to Toyota and they said timing had been advanced so far that throttle positioning sensor had shorted out & "dumping fuel" into engine. They changed TPS; set throttle & retimed. Charges included $87 for TPS, $297.50 for labor to read codes & do work, & $15 for hazardous waste. Total $410. OUCH! Total could have been $635. They also wanted to do plug wires, cap, & rotor for another $85 and clear fuel rails and clean throttle body for another $140. When I asked what was involved in the cleaning, they said, $80 labor and $50 for the cleaner. I declined. Car idles at 800 now, but also is a much more sedate vehicle. Can you give me your take on this? Is advancing the timing a trick to boost performance (muffler shop?) or to pass emissions (garage with emission test?) Why did it damage the TPS? Should I have said yes to fuel rails & throttle body cleaning? I will replace wires, cap & rotor myself (again). Any input is appreciated!
- posted
19 years ago