performance tuners

[K.P.]

Hello all, I usually cringe when I see somebody on this forum asking questions about stock automobiles but we all have needs. So any way my wife drives a 1998 Toyota Camry with about 130,000 miles on it. It has been well maintained by me (ASE Master Certified Tech.) and i recently put a new exaust system with cat on it recently. It runs good for what it is and will run 70,80,or 90 down the x-way sweet as you please. My problem is with lack of performance and acceleration pulling on to the x-way or pulling away from a stop light for that matter. That car accelerates OK but feels like it lacks power, you have to push on the gas pedal too far feel acceleration comfortable for lack of words. It feels like threir is too much gas pedal travel per acceleration. It will acellerate good but you have to push the gas so far it doesn't feel right. It seems that the newer cars have more torque and HP though the engines are smaller.
The timing belt is in good condition and engine is timed correctly, it does not set a check engine light such as lean or rich codes or any codes for that matter.
I have had this car for a long time and felt if I could just advance the ignition timing a little bit it would feel better, but not having a distributor that won't work. I have hooked up my SnapOn Solus and can read the efi parameters and timing degrees while driving but that really doesn't really tell me anything. I took it on a 10 mile test drive the other evening checking for frt. calipers sticking or anything else that might be holding it back but this car and others like it seems to be the norm.
I thought about a cold air intake but my wife drives the car and is very picky about noises and such, I am sure she would say same something about the noise even if it would help any.
There is a Jet-R Compruter Chip V Force plug programmer that I can purchase for $269.96 This programmer is garunteed to give this vehicle 20HP and increased gas mileage by changing the timing curve and other parameters. But I don't want to spend the money unless I get some decent results.
She keeps talking about purchasing a new car but don't know if I want to go that route either !!
Thanks,
K.P.

[Baprace]

sounds like the cam timming may be late.

[wyrmrider]

you are not likely to get your money back on fuel savings
and your wife is not a rice rocket running kid
find someone with the tuner
I do not know why cold air would be noisy but again DIY
is this stick or auto
somebody will come along with experience with that motor
4 or V6? which motor would help do they use the same motor in other models or in a later model with more hP and if so how did they get the additional HP?

[user-23911]

What model engine is it?
A 3S-FE?

[pamotorman]

who is next ??? http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/08/har ... et-tuners/

[K.P.]

I am sorry I failed to tell you all that it has the 2.2 4 cyl. engine with automatic. The cam timing has been checked, I think when it is 1 tooth retarded it really runs bad and won't hardly idle. Nothing wrong with the idle on this vehicle with A/C working fine. There are a couple tuners in town who work on the EVO's and stuff which have a dyno, is that the kind of help you are suggesting? Can they go in via the OBDII connector and change the ignition timing and some other parameters?
K.P.

[Keith Morganstein]

Did the problem start after you replaced the exhaust?

Another thought is the trans torque converter. In lock-up too early or the converter itself.

I'm thinking this has a cable throttle? Have you checked the movement at the throttle body vs the pedal? Also check the TPS signal vs pedal movement.

Can you drive another Camry with the same engine and trans to compare?

[Brian P]

This one is old enough that it may have a cable throttle and a cable to the transmission.

I wouldn't spend money on it. Most aftermarket "tuners" don't do much on otherwise-stock naturally-aspirated gas engines. Some of them change the response curve of the accelerator pedal to make the car feel faster, even though it isn't. The stock ignition timing is electronically controlled and the manufacturer would have mapped it somewhere near MBT (minimum advance for best torque) which means there shouldn't be much to be found.

If it has an EGR valve, make sure it isn't partly stuck open.

If it has the old style mechanical vane airflow meter that Toyota was using for a long time, make sure there are no air leaks between the throttle body and that airflow meter.

If the oxygen sensor is old, replace it with a new one.

If the transmission fluid hasn't been changed in a long time, do that (and at least make sure the level is correct).

[Carnut1]

http://www.speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopi ... 15#p565241

What I did for the "Rock" really helped give it a kick in the pants. K&N, ported plastic air tubes and ported throttle body. Stock computer did not mind.

[Carnut1]

http://www.speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopi ... de#p613368

Same idea in the "Mom mobile" K&N, ported air tube plastics, ported throttle body. Made a nice difference in pickup.