I would dump your timing really low it super heat's the cat and helps even with no cat

that how we get them to pass in vancover

 

How do you dump the timing?

 

turn your distributor and dump it low as you can go it will run like ****(slow) but ya should pass

 

I still think you're too doom and gloom about this (rebuilding the engine, cat, etc). Replacing the valve stem seals can be done without removing the head. I've done it on much harder engines. Stuff some soft rope through the spark plug hole to hold the valves up, pull the overhead (cam, rockers), valve spring compressor and viola, seals are right there. The guides just guide the valve, the seals keep the oil out (gee who'da thunk?)

New cat might be necessary if yours is too bad/unrecoverable. but if you keep burning oil, you'll poison that one too and aftermarkets are usually not as duable/long lasting as Toyota.

 

Yeah I will see if I my friend would like to do that. I am really down because it won't pass your right. I tested it 3 times already. I put some seafoam in the gas tank. I looked into the throttle body and I could see my intake is very dirty. I might have to clean that out as well or seafoam the intake? I don't know. The friend who I bought it off of told me it will need piston rings in a couple of years. IDK. I will do the seals. He told me I might need new seals. The messed up thing is that I bought it off a mechanic that owned it for 7 years.

 

Use carb cleaner or brake cleaner and hold your throttle body open motor off of course and spray all in there get all the way to the back use a much as needed let the truck sit for a while after it will be hesitant to start but will crank and clear up after a few minutes of running

 

98% of the mechanics I know buy long-lived cars and know just how far they can push the car before it dies and they keep it right on the edge. I'd never buy a "mechanic owned" or "mechanic special" car. They (well I suppose I could say "we" since I technically qualify) work on other peoples pieces of crap all day and don't want to turn a wrench any more when we go home.

You friend doesn't know a lot about engines going by his comment about needing rings in a few years. ignore what he says.

 

well it's now in a shop because it was stalling when started. It seems to be like there is a fuel problem. I am gonna get it fixed and fixed to pass smog. That is so true kamesama980 I was a painter for over 12 years and while I was doing it I didn't want to pick up a brush in my own house. lol

 

Ok the mechanic told me it was the mass airflow sensor that went bad or someone messed with it that's why it wasn't running. He checked the plugs and said the first wire was crimped and the third spark plug was installed in correctly. He said he could fell exhaust coming from it. He proceeded to fix that problem but told me to buy some good wire (NGK). So I am gonna change the wires. Clean the throttle body and intake with some seafoam or equivalent. Change the oil because he says it's dirty. Will seafoam do that? because i did dump some in the gas tank. I am going to use some Valvoline Maxlife 10w-30 unless I should go 10w-40? and of course a new filter.

 

Should I replace the rotor?

 

If you're going to the trouble of doing the wires, might as well do the cap and rotor too. Don't cheap out, check the parts when you get them making sure the terminals are brass not aluminum. AL is used for cheaper caps but it corrodes quickly causing problems.

I used to work in a parts store and there was a guy that refused to pay the $3 difference to go to a better cap and had the cheap one warrantied for the 5th time in just over a year just before I left. I had to explain that the 1 year warranty applies from the original purchase date, replacements are warrantied for only 90 days longer (non-cumulatively so you can't just replace it every 90 days forever)

Just change the oil at your usual interval. It looks cleaner longer on newer engines with synthetic oil but on engines from 20 years ago, it'll look dirty after about 500 miles (doesn't matter the mileage or condition of the engine). It's still functioning perfectly well (and usually still is when most people change it at 3k miles). Diesels are 100x worse. black as tar and stains like a sharpie in a few hundred miles but it's usually good for 10k or more (on consumer engines. commercial engines might run anywhere from 50k-250k miles with plenty of oil life to spare)

Seafoam in the gas won't turn the oil dark. If you put seafoam in the oil it might from collecting deposits but again, it isn't harmful. Only reason I'd say change the oil early is if you knew you had a problem or were doing some sort of a flush on it.

 

thank you. I will be doing that and then going for smog. Wish me luck because I already failed 4 times.

 

Dont put seafoam in your oil it's a great top end cleaner intakes throttle body's n such . I've seen so many witnessed so many seafoam this seafoam that . It destroys oils protective qualitys its kerosene and detergents . Designed to break down combustion bi products aka top end service cleaner . It is in no way a healthy oil additive
The only thing a motor needs is clean oil seafoam in oil results in thinned out oil with reduced anti friction/ protective qualities

 

Thank you everyone. I have done all I can and I passed. So fifth time a charm. lol. I just did a basic tune-up and oil change after everything I prevously stated and I passe without a second chance reading. Thank you Toyotamini's and everyone on here. Now it will be registered for this weekend and i will be doing some interior work and making it low. Again Thanks