Lots of pinging and loss of power

[tercel4wdrules]

Here I was, merrily ascending a 6% grade with 4 people in the car in 3rd gear. It was starting to ping a little so I tried to feather the gas to avoid it. It was slowing down as it was approaching the crest of the hill and then I had to downshift into 2nd at around 32 mph. At that point it was starting to ping heavily and felt like a gutless mule, but when I downshifted into 2nd, the pinging subsided. Then I quickly shoved it into 3rd and the pinging got worse, so I rev-matched down to 2nd and then let it open up a bit and then upshifted. By then all the action was over. It was interesting getting back on the freeway with heavy pinging (and no power) while at half-throttle in 3rd and 4th.

I must note that I feel a loss of power once it warms up to normal operating temp. I put Seafoam down the carb and tank recently. I run 89 octane and timing is stock at 5* BTDC. I know that there is a vacuum leak somewhere along the manifold and the carb base gasket, but it's just recently that it started pinging often.

This just got me worried because it seemed like the poor little car was dying. I suppose it may be running lean. Any suggestions on what I can do?

[JOE]

Sounds a little like a misfire/bad plug. Have you checked to make sure they are not cracked on the procelain of the plug. Sounds exactly like what has happened to me in the past.

[takza]

You can get to all but one of the manifold bolts...snug carefully.

Might be your centrifugal advance is stuck in advanced position?

I'd find out what the problem is...driving it that way can ruin the engine.

Time to take the air cleaner off and check everything out?

[Petros]

Yes, a vacuum leak would make it run lean, which would cause it to ping. With the stock retarded timing it could burn the exhaust valve, better find the cause and fix it ASAP.

You can find the leak with a can of spray carb cleaner, with the car in fast idle spray it around in various places on the carb and intake manifold, vac lines, etc. when it slows down you found where the leak is.

Once you fix the leak you can advance the timing to about 10 deg BTDC, it will improve gas mileage and performance and reduce the exhaust temps.

Good luck.

[tercel4wdrules]

Well, thanks for the suggestion. I took it to a local shop as I don't have the time or a place here to work on it. I had sprayed carb cleaner at the base of the carb and had determined that there was a leak at the carb base gasket. I had selectively ignored the problem, but it started getting worse. I did noticed that once the car had warmed up, it would lose power and would start smelling weird.

So after $125 (including the diagnostic fee) they replaced some vacuum hoses that had been leaking, the carb base gasket, and rerouted some hoses to the EGR as the guy told me that the EGR was on all the time. Now it has the same power whether hot or cold, doesn't smell weird, and it won't ping under load whether it's half-throttle or full throttle. I would like to advance the timing some because I would like a bit more of low-end power, but with the Cal emissions, I think they only allow 1-2 degrees advanced. Good thing I have this taken care of, I don't want to spend more money on it than what I already have.

[tercel4wdrules]

I'm more and more disappointed with my little Tercel. Despite my efforts to get it to run as I would like it, it seems that it just gets farther from reaching that goal. After replacing the carb base gasket it sounds like a lawn mower and it idles kind of rough, but it had been doing that prior to the carb gasket replacement. I took it back to the shop because it was idling too high and now the accelerator pedal is getting stuck and I have to blip it to "free" it. At this point it's best that I just keep driving it until it dies...

[takza]

Sounds like your auto choke is getting stuck...a little carb spray on the choke plate shafts? Light oil on the outer stuff?

Driving a T4WD is like living life...it's never gonna be perfect...so get used to it?