Yet another post! Weird idle, stuttering, sooty pipes oh my!, Weird stuff is going on, would love some help! Options

[CoolGuyArik]

Hello again! I'm loving the forum! It's been a big help to me and the car I love!

I've had this weird idle problem for a while, about a month. I can't pinpoint it ecactly, but one day, after putting in lesser grade gas, my car ran like crap. Misfiring, sputtering out, the works. I replaced my entire distributor, my sparkplugs, and the wires, and since the distributor, it can idle. Now though, I have these intermittent drops in idle, like a misfire, but only just. And my timing is advanced all the way, because anything lower gets the idle to 500ish, and spots of soot spatters the driveway. Alongside the low idle, blipping the throttle with the timing in the middle makes it stutter, then start increasing in revs.

My upstream o2 sensor works, since I tested it with a multi, but unplugging it fromits harness gives no CEL and no codes, and nothing changes. The downstream doesn't give any codes either if its unplugged. The fuel system seems fine, because it doesn't get starved at high rpms. I've changed the fuel filter.

I'm just looking to see what it is, or see if someone else has had this happen. I'd love to get my 6gc mechanically in top shape for the school year. If you need any other info, just put down a reply. Thank you!

[Bitter]

Is this a 2.2 or 1.8? If it's a 1.8 then the 'rebuilt' and 'new' distributors you get from parts stores are utter and complete garbage and I wouldn't be shocked if you got a brand new bad part. https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/list-o...issues.1239322/

My advice would be to check the pickup coil and ignition coil resistances to see if they're in spec before you tear down the timing belt, not that you shouldn't still check that if you find the problem to be something else as the belt probably is worn out and needs to be changed along with the items the belt runs against.

[CoolGuyArik]

Is this a 2.2 or 1.8? If it's a 1.8 then the 'rebuilt' and 'new' distributors you get from parts stores are utter and complete garbage and I wouldn't be shocked if you got a brand new bad part. https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/list-o...issues.1239322/

My advice would be to check the pickup coil and ignition coil resistances to see if they're in spec before you tear down the timing belt, not that you shouldn't still check that if you find the problem to be something else as the belt probably is worn out and needs to be changed along with the items the belt runs against.

Thanks for the advice! It's a 1.8, so when I'm free I'll check. I have a manual with the resistances, and I thankfully didn't pitch my old distributor, so maybe I can use the coil in there if the one I got new is crappy.

Although it does tick, and it's ticked before I replaced the distributor. The car itself has 200k + miles, and the previous owner didn't seem to take good care of it maintenance wise.

But thank you so much for the info! I'm glad to find other people that like these cars as much as I do!