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Crawling Toyota Camry

I have a 1990 Toyota Camry DX, 140,000 miles, 4 cylinder engine, automatic transmission. I've owned it for the past 4 months. While the car has always been kind of gutless, it's recently reached a crisis state. When you come to a complete stop, the car literally crawls ahead when you start up. Crossing an intersecting street can be dangerous. When you get the car up to any decent speed, any acceleration requires a downshift. Driving the car means most of the time with the accelerator floored. Anyone have any thoughts as to what's wrong?

The symptoms: No power at low engine speeds - no matter how far you depress the gas pedal, it's like you are just barely pressing it. This continues until about 1/2 engine speed, at which point the engine transitions to normal power. In low gear you crawl until about 15 mph. Gas mileage awful - 10 mpg. Normally 23 - 28. Rough idle, though the idle has always been rough. Engine speed does not increase smoothly - hesitation at about mid-rpm.

What I've done: Replaced the O2 sensor Replaced the sparkplugs - the old sparkplugs are even in color - light white ashy covering as though the engine was running lean, but all 4 cylinders evenly so Checked the ECU diagnostic codes - code readout is all 1's, i.e. nothing wrong.

What I've observed: No unusual exhaust emissions (no smoke, etc.) The transmission seems to be shifting normally. Removing the gas tank cap doesn't make a difference (I didn't expect it to).

Thanks for your help.

Reply to
ted
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Does the engine rev normally in neutral? If it does, then the problem is with your transmission. If it doesnt, then: Check ignition timining and spark advance if you have a distributor. Buy, borrow, or rent a vacuum gauge and measure manifold vacuum and report back. Check for an obstruction in the exhaust. Check your air filter - remove it from the canister and shine a light through the filter element. You should be able to see the light.

Reply to
Ray O

Thanks for the ideas. Air filter is ok. Exhaust comment is interesting, because the muffler is shot. Car has ECU & fuel injection, so I don't think timing is a problem. Funny, I never checked revving in neutral. Will do that. Also, will check manifold vacuum.

Thanks.

Reply to
ted

Your catalytic converter is likely plugged. That'll ruin performance and the degridation would have been gradual as you described.

Reply to
Gary L. Burnore

As Gary mentioned, the catalytic converter could be clogged, besides the muffler as a possible cause.

If the car has a distributor (I think it does), base timing could be off, even with and ECU and fuel injection. If you have a distributor-less ignition, then base timing is less likely to be an issue. I'm pretty sure that your car has a distributor and electronic spark advance (the rotor will have a wide arc and the car will have a knock sensor if this is the case). If the distributor does not have electronic spark advance then spark advance, both vacuum and centrifugal, need to be checked. A timing light will confirm correct ignition timing and advance.

If the car does not rev in neutral, check for an exhaust obstruction more carefully.

Reply to
Ray O

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