Topic: PLEASE HELP 89 camry 4cyl STALLS out at acceleration PLEASE HELP wifes DD

[BoG-ToY]

Ok, so my wifes 89 camry 4cyl keeps stalling, no check engine light. so I dont know what to do, once its up and running its fine. idles fine. its JUST when accelerating.... does it with or without the TPS plugged in? I can swap out or throw mine from the 4runner in it.. but Id rather not play around with guessing, is there anyone with a SOLID idea of what might be wrong?

this is intermitant and NEVER HAPPENS when cold

[attitude of gratitude]

Sounds like an air flow meter problem.

[79coyotefrg]

how long has it been since the timing belt was replaced?

[BoG-ToY [OP]]

a while... but everything is RIGHT with the ignition timing which runs off the cam so the cam timing would be right....

It is intermittant I guess I should ad that

[Cheesemaker]

Make sure that the air intake clamps are tight. 
I would definitely look at the timing chain.  Maybe the adjuster let it skip a tooth.  My sister had a Sentra that jumped a tooth on the timing, and it would run fine unless you got on it.  Then it would run like crap.
When was the last time the fuel filter was changed?

[kneedownnate]

My brothers wife's camry did this several years ago, and it ended up being excessive buildup in the combustion chambers.  Popped off the head, cleaned it all up and it ran great.  Don't run shitty gas 

[BoG-ToY [OP]]

dont know on the fuel filter, only had it for a year.

its a timing belt.
it doesnt really matter if I get on it or just try to move forward by feathering the gas it still stutters... I can spin 5k rpm no problem so I wouldnt think its the fuel filter.
My clamps on the air tube were slightly loose, I thought to myself OH YEAH thats the problem, so simple. tightened them up... still no go literally

[BoG-ToY [OP]]

so just carbon buildup? I cant really even start to get into that at my rental. this just really doesnt seem like it would be so intermittent if it was something like that... this seems like it would be a sensor or a component going out... starting to fail... something like that...
If I could I would put a scope one all the injectors and all the plug wires and such... that way I would know if it was fuel or spark... but I dont have that kind of equipment... wouldnt it be nice, active monitering of each injector each sparkplug and possibly the O2 sensors while all this was happening.
anyone have an 89 camry 4cyl that I can start swapping part out with... maybe someone who threw a rod or blew up a tranny... maybe in a major accident?

[attitude of gratitude]

Check the air intake hose also. They had a bad knack to crack at the ribbed elbows(flex) piece.

[BoG-ToY [OP]]

will check that,

right now Im flat broke, got friends who can get me parts cheap for trade, but cant even afford a repair manual right now.

I have my 87 4runner repair manual, but is there a way to test the AFM?
TPS should be the same as my toyota since per autozone its the same TPS.
biggest thing is, why when its warmed up, but not otherwise?

[Sparkplug]

I believe they run in closed loop till they are warm???

[BoG-ToY [OP]]

unplug the temp switch... lol

[kneedownnate]

so just carbon buildup? I cant really even start to get into that at my rental. this just really doesnt seem like it would be so intermittent if it was something like that...

Pretty sure he thought the same, but her car did the same, totally random cutting out that often lead to it dying, having to walk away for a little while and come back later to get it to start.  Seriously, cleaned the carbon buildup off the inside of the head and it was golden.  Maybe I can get him to chime in, I'm sure he remembers it much more vividly than me.

[BoG-ToY [OP]]

ok this is weird for me, cuz Ive worked at race engine shops, putting out $6k plus engines, but dont know the answer to this question.

Is there any way to put someting in the fuel to clean out the carbon if that is the problem? it still runs alot of the time... Im guessing that at low RPM it detonating cuasing a backfire/misfire hence the stall? but if I could put something in there and keep it at higher RPM to burn off that carbon build up?

[kneedownnate]

You can try running multiple cans of seafoam or b12 through the gas and intake, but that may only be a temporary fix at best.  He set up a water injector but it only masked the problem, and the head eventually had to come off.

[twistedtoy92]

You can try running multiple cans of seafoam or b12 through the gas and intake, but that may only be a temporary fix at best.  He set up a water injector but it only masked the problem, and the head eventually had to come off.

X2  Clean it all up, carbon buildup will mess stuff up big time! I've seen it up compression enough to ping/knock off of cheap 87 octane fuel.... PITA but thats about all you can REALLY do to correct the issue... how many miles are on the engine???

[Rocksurfer]

Did you check the PCV? Could be clogged and is building too much pressure.

[BoG-ToY [OP]]

160k miles PCV good

[BoG-ToY [OP]]

DID YOU KNOW that if you have a bad AFM that it can actually kill the ignition system? makes for strait up stalling, and where does that AFM spend alot of its time? right around and above idle... you hit that heavy worn spot and BAM your stalled

local scrap yard let me have one for 20 bucks

[twistedtoy92]

very nice