Loss of power, car shaking, rev hunting?

[charliebrown]

Before you tell me to SEARCH! i did :wave:

i found a shitload of things on each of these symptoms individually but not exactly what i was after.

this is my mums car btw (98 toyota camry 4cyl 2.2L 5S-FE engine). but im guessing these are not make/model specific issues

anyway yesterday as she got into the car to drive home, she noticed the car was shaking hard whenever stopped, and in motion there would be very little power (even less with AC on). so i started the car up, it cranked and started as it always does. but the revs would hunt a tiny bit, like between 1400-1600rpm and would shake and make rev noises in unison. the shake just feels like the cars about to stall, but revs arent dropping that low and the car has an automatic transmission.

any help please? im not too sure what to do as im not familiar with the car so i dont know what anything looks like or where it is.

thanks!

[hmetro24]

I am not familiar with Toyota engines, but i would do a normal service and clean up.
Clean the Throottle body and Iacv,
Adjust the idle
Change oil, oil filter
Change spark plugs
Replace or clean the air filter depend on it.
And do a compression test.

It could be engine mounts are bad

[charliebrown]

Oil and oil filter done. On my list will be cleaning air filter, iacv, fitv and tb. It's got iridium plugs so i guess just inspect it see if its ok? too expensive to replace if nothings wrong with them.

compression test at a workshop or buy the tool and do it myself?

to check engine mounts just have someone rev the car and look for excessive engine movement?

[hmetro24]

Oil and oil filter done. On my list will be cleaning air filter, iacv, fitv and tb. It's got iridium plugs so i guess just inspect it see if its ok? too expensive to replace if nothings wrong with them.

compression test at a workshop or buy the tool and do it myself?

to check engine mounts just have someone rev the car and look for excessive engine movement?

Buy your own compression tool, save your money.
Get normal spark plugs
Check for cracks on the mounts.
And do the clean up before buying anything, also use injectors cleaner

[charliebrown]

Thanks buddy. Waiting for the hot weather to pass before i can step outside lol

[hmetro24]

Thanks buddy. Waiting for the hot weather to pass before i can step outside lol

We are in the same Boat. seems we gonna stay home for another 3 days

[charliebrown]

True, close to 40 degrees til wednesday then rain -_-

If anyone else knows something else i can do to try fix the problem please leave a post. i really wanna avoid taking it to workshop so anything DIYable

[dc2r-0636]

Check all groundings

[charliebrown]

Check all groundings

I'm not sure how to do that. I've got a multimeter but don't know where to check

[grifty]

is the car misfiring at all?

[charliebrown]

is the car misfiring at all?

I'm not sure mate. A misfire triggers engine check light doesn't it?

[dc2r-0636]

I'm not sure how to do that. I've got a multimeter but don't know where to check

Just look for the grounding wires that are attached to the chassis. A good ground should be clean and not on paint.
You will have a grounding from battery to chassis, and engine and small random ones. So just make sure they're a tightened and clean

[marquee]

Most engines have grounds on the tb the alternator the battery the gearbox and a few random places on the engine

[charliebrown]

Is it just like a cable/wire with a copper coloured end claw/loop shape that bolts onto bare metal?

[grifty]

I'm not sure mate. A misfire triggers engine check light doesn't it?

not all cars.

Take out a each lead and plug one at a time. Connect the lead into the spark plug make sure the spark plug is grounded and start the car to see if it is sparking.

[charliebrown]

^What do you mean? Is this to test the lead or the plug? Can i just shove a screwdriver into the lead and place it near something metal to see if sparks fly? Same thing you're saying?

[hmetro24]

^What do you mean? Is this to test the lead or the plug? Can i just shove a screwdriver into the lead and place it near something metal to see if sparks fly? Same thing you're saying?
yes it's the same, just use screw driver

[Banana_hammock]

Check the mass airflow sensor and clean it as an inaccurate reading can cause the pcm to calculate improper values of fuel. The feedback loop from the o2 sensors makes adjustments and forces it to rev hunt. I think there could be more than one area which is a problem.

[charliebrown]

Checked a few things:
- Air filter clean
- Spark plugs all good
- Spark coming from all 4 ignition leads, sparks seem a bit weak perhaps? most are yellow spark not blue
- All groundings tight/clean
- Engine mounts appear to be ok as far as i can tell

The engine has 270xxx on it, it's been fairly "weak" (however drivable) up til now. I'll grab some tb&c cleaner and clean up some of the valves/sensors. Then compression test?

[Banana_hammock]

What about your IAT sensor? that may be faulty and the ecu is trying to stabilize using the wrong values

[charliebrown]

I have no idea where most of these sensors and valves are... bloody toyota

[Kelezzay]

I had a toyota echo, and the same thing was happening! Turns out there was a crack in the head not sure where, and coolant found it's way into the first spark plug (on the left and not the others) hence the feeling like the car was going to stall :S. What I did was replace the spark plug and loosened the coolant cap so there was wasn't as much pressure (It is not recommended) but I needed the car to drive until, I was able to buy another car! Hope that helps!

[charliebrown]

Cleaned throttle body and idle air control valve. Didn't do anything. ****ing doing my head in

The fact that it shakes more in gear (R, D, 2, 1) leads me to think engine mounts. But then that doesn't explain the rev hunt

[Lukey]

Cleaned throttle body and idle air control valve. Didn't do anything. ****ing doing my head in

The fact that it shakes more in gear (R, D, 2, 1) leads me to think engine mounts. But then that doesn't explain the rev hunt

headgasket leaking oil? mine is and causes my idle to hunt a bit

[charliebrown]

headgasket leaking oil? mine is and causes my idle to hunt a bit

"The first symptoms of a head gasket that is failing are usually a slow loss of coolant with no visible leaks, engine overheating and/or a Check Engine light with cylinder misfire codes."

Not sure if hg is gone, but it has been losing coolant for months and i can't seem to find the bloody leak! If it's leaking, should the oil be 'chocolate milkshake'?

[Banana_hammock]

Get a combustion leak tester mate. Cheap and definitive

[Lukey]

"The first symptoms of a head gasket that is failing are usually a slow loss of coolant with no visible leaks, engine overheating and/or a Check Engine light with cylinder misfire codes."

Not sure if hg is gone, but it has been losing coolant for months and i can't seem to find the bloody leak! If it's leaking, should the oil be 'chocolate milkshake'?

i didnt say coolant, i said oil. my hg leaks oil down the front on the block behind the exhaust manifold and causes my car to hunt at idle slightly