i think its vacuum related but.....

[badmechanic]

ok here is the deal, i drove my 83 tercel sr5 (6spd) to its normal parking spot at the steps of my porch. i woke up the next day getting ready to go to school and it ran like crap! i rebuilt the carb and it looks pretty but possibly i need to readjust the float a bit more (lean). but before i rebuilt the carb it was running this way. im' not sure how to relate the sound but it seems like its missing, i have replaced the coil and wires and plugs. just one day it started like normal, quick like, but it just ran crap. i checked compression its good so i think its not internal. perhaps a sound file might help? lemme know i do what ever i can to get back in my beloved wagon.

on a related note....i have noticed there is a sensor on all of the vacuum diagrams i have seen on this forum have 2 or 3 lines running to it, the one on my engine only has one. any ideas?

[keith]

Does it start running better after it gets fully warmed up? Have you checked the valve lash?

[badmechanic]

i'm afraid to let it warm up....i have a crack along the top of my radiator and it leaks slowly when it gets to operating temp (since the crack in the radiator, the engine will not create pressure and it will not get much higher than 100 degrees or so) as for the valve lash, would that occur over night? i don't see how but its different than what everyone else is saying is wrong with it.....i checked with compression tester like i said and i'm baffled. also if anyone could post pics pref. high resolution, or email em to me i'm tryin to figure out what kind of motor this is (other than a 3-ac) i've still to see a 3-ac with the same vacuum lines as the ones on my motor.....ty. and i'ma check the valve lash.

best i can tell this motor runs this way warm or cold, so i'm thinking either vacuum or electrical. just baffled. ty and peace

p.s. would it be possible for it to have jumped time when i cut the motor off maybe just a notch and still run (like crap?)

[coltarms]

If the timing belt jumped a gear it will definitely run like crap if it runs at all.

I also have an 83 SR5 and my vacuum lines do not run like any in the online 85 FSM. I do have the sticker still on the underside of my hood, though. The hard part is deciphering which line goes where on the actual metal vacuum tubes.....

[ARCHINSTL]

See my post/photo in coltarms' current thread on the subject. See also the color vac diagram in the Repair Guides section.
Mine is an '86, but maybe this will help.
Tom M.

[badmechanic]

Sweetness yesterday! it now idles again, but it kinda diesels, and i noticed when i cut it off(air breather off) fumes came out of the carb in a puff of smoke. so ideas? i'm gonna check the timing but i'm waiting on a 1/2 inch drive from neighbor.....but if yall get any ideas or if coltarms maybe take a few pics of his lines for me, i checked the other pics, and color diagrams they were pretty to say the least, but none of them put it all together, even using all of them together, i have lines in places none of the pics show. thx for tryin to help me you guys i really applicate it just had so say that. after all i am a badmechanic

[GTSSportCoupe]

Sweetness yesterday! it now idles again, but it kinda diesels, and i noticed when i cut it off(air breather off) fumes came out of the carb in a puff of smoke. so ideas? i'm gonna check the timing but i'm waiting on a 1/2 inch drive from neighbor.....but if yall get any ideas or if coltarms maybe take a few pics of his lines for me, i checked the other pics, and color diagrams they were pretty to say the least, but none of them put it all together, even using all of them together, i have lines in places none of the pics show. thx for tryin to help me you guys i really applicate it just had so say that. after all i am a badmechanic

I recommend pulling the top timing belt cover off, and cranking your engine a full 360 while inspecting the belt. Look for missing teeth, cracks, or other bad wear. Check that the cam timing is right (check FSM if you don't know how to do this). Also, buy/borrow a timing light, and check that your ignition timing is right.

[badmechanic]

ok i've tested and done everything everyone has suggested, is it time for 12-guage?

[badmechanic]

OK new things happening for my Tercel, today i was checking the timing belt(its new and in good position) and i happened to notice that the sleeve on the balancer was cracked, I think it broke because of the engine running so bad. I also noticed that when the engine is at TDC, the timing pointer is way way past the 0 degrees mark. So I have now gotten a sound file i'm trying to put in mp3 format. so far not so good, but Thanks to this website, I receved an e-mail from neonsport, so thank you too. I have for the last 2 hours been tryin to upload a sound file, but its wav format, and i need to change it to mp3 format to make it soo much smaller

BTW it runs consistently weather just starting cold, or warmed up, through the whole rpm band
feel free to e-mail me at bobbit16@up-link.net

[Typrus]

Wait... How do you know if its at TDC? I'm assuming you're looking at the Woodruff key in the crank?
When you're crank is at TDC... Is the cam locater hole straight up or straight down? If not, your cam timing might be off. Straight up means you're at TDC compression, down means TDC exhaust on #1.

The pulley on these is a harmonic balancer, and it is possible, especially if oil leaked onto the pulley, that the outer sleeve that rides on the rubber separator slipped a little in relation to the inner hub. Makes ign. timing a bugger to set up. Solution? Different pulley, be it new or used. New is freaking expensive ($120 or so) but could be worth it if the balancer is shot and you're rebuilding, which it doesn't sound like you're going that far. Otherwise you could get away with a good used one.

The other possibility is that the woodruff key either snapped or distorted. Hopefully no.

We'll have to see others say on the matter.

[badmechanic]

I checked the timing belt in this order:

I took off necessary items (ex. water pump pulley, belt, etc..)

When i took off the Balancer, I noticed it had cracked along the key way, but I have another.

With the timing cover off, I the balancer on and used it to turn the engine with my hands (both slide on and off pretty easy, no puller used to do this).

I lined the cam hole up with the middle mark as per the book.

I noticed the difference in the lower pulley right then.

I put the lower timing cover piece on, and followed by the balancer again, with the cam showing TDC, I also used a screw driver in the #1 cylinder to check by hand the TDC. ( I have performed a compression test, they were all good and really really close to each other, I almost couldn't tell a difference in four of them)

So after a few rotations and it feeling like it was at TDC with the screwdriver and looking at the cam hole, I believe the lower end is at TDC, along with the cam shaft.

I really am a badmechanic lol


ps, i'm having problems with uploading the sound file, does anyone know where i can upload this file? also maybe how i can convert the .wav to the .mp3? its 19 megs in .wav
bobbit16@up-link.net

[takza]

I think you've got it fixed...bad balancer? Just use a new key and make sure it's tight and the valve timing is lined up right...then check ignit timing when running.

[badmechanic]

is it possible the pickup coil( i'm hearing from my neighbor the pickup coil is under the plate in the distributer) is causing the fully problem, and would it cause the balancer to break along they key way? I have had a similar problem, but with a ford, the whole sleeve broke on the balancer then, and the problem was a warped crank....did i bend it?

[Mickey_D]

As for the sound file, if you're using Windows XP you can make the file into a .wma using the Windows Movie Maker (Start>All Programs>Accessories), load the .wav file, save as .wma

The WMA format is pretty much the same compression ratio as MP3.

If you're still needing a place to upload it to, e-mail me the file and I'll host it for you. (darrin,moore#gmail,com) Change the commas to periods and the pound sign to the "at" symbol.

[takza]

is it possible the pickup coil( i'm hearing from my neighbor the pickup coil is under the plate in the distributer) is causing the fully problem, and would it cause the balancer to break along they key way? I have had a similar problem, but with a ford, the whole sleeve broke on the balancer then, and the problem was a warped crank....did i bend it?

If you have a good key...good slots in the crank and pulley...and a good pulley...AND the bolt in snugged to specs...the whole assembly should handle most anything.

I've heard of the keyway in the crank and or pulley getting sloppy...and even the end of the crank breaking off..and I guess the crank twisting...with various cars. But on this 4 banger you should be OK?

If it all lined up right...including the piston a TDC...it can't be twisted?

If it still runs like crap...you need to find out why.