I have a 1993 Toyota Tercel with a 1.5 3E E engine in it. It failed the emissions part of state inspection here in Massachusetts recently with a HC level of 1.5, they were looking for 1.2 or better, the car has 160K. In the papers that the inspection station gave me, it listed possible causes for the failure, one of them was advanced ignition timing. Before I went for the inspection I changed the oil and gave it a complete tune up. I went home with the reject sticker and checked timing, it was way out, (+25) the hood sticker said +10 with diagnostic plug shorted which it was. I moved the distributor to get the +10 and took it for a ride, the car idled fine but when I went to drive it, it wouldnt get out of its own way. I put it back to where it was and the car ran like a champ again. My question is why wont my car run with the timing where Toyota wants it at
+10? Cam timing was also checked and was right. Thanks JT- posted
18 years ago