Jerky acceleration...kind of a pulsing feeling.

[mkIIIman089]

Well, I can say I feel a similar light throttle surging when the car is just starting out after sitting over night. I do let it warm up until it sees reasonable oil pressure to allow me to start driving, but for the 1st minute or so I also encounter a wierd surging.

One thing I could imagine it might be is it running very rich because of the low temperature, and its kind of fighting itself a tiny bit to keep it running within the 02 sensor spec for what it thinks it should be doing. So, its being told to run richer because of the cold, yet the 02 sensor is telling it to lean it out a little for some reason.

Oh, and shifting poorly is shifting poorly, we all can't make perfect shifts every time under every condition...

 

[Figit090]

i know. i just wanted to mention that because i could see someone saying "oh well are you sure its just not drivetrain play that's causing that?" since it can make a similar (yet much more violent) type of feeling.

 

[xarewhyayen]

so i didnt read all of the post, theres alot, but if you havent replaced your wires yet, get a spray bottle full of water... spray the plug wires with a nice mist...(while idling) and see if the car idles bad or if you see arcing... if either of those, replace the wires.

 

[GotToyota?]

Go grab a set of NGK wires/plugs and then report back to us. Here is an auction for a set of wires:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Toyo...hZ019QQitemZ8077398379QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

Then grab some NGK 6097's.

-Matt

 

[Nick M]

Please use factory recomended plugs and wires, not the cheap ones.

Your symptom sure sounds like an ignition miss.

 

[corylee316]

I have the same cold surge that mkIIIman is describing. As soon as it warms up a little it goes away. I thought maybe cold drivetrain, but a rich cold situation could be the issue also. Does it happen when hot/cold/or both?

 

[starscream5000]

Oh, and shifting poorly is shifting poorly, we all can't make perfect shifts every time under every condition...

Is this a little while after you first take off, then it clears up after you have driven the car for a few miles? Manuals tend to get that way in winter because of the tranny fluid being cold.

 

[Figit090]

sometimes i'll downshift and let the clutch in bad and it will buck.

in terms of the likely engine-related issue...its it happens when traveling in 2nd or 3rd gear...i dont really pay attention to it anymore and i'm not sure how cold it is when it happens... i forgot to keep track! either way, i car shouldnt do that.... i'm going to change the plugs. i might try that water idea too... as long as it wont damage something....


would i be able to look at my dizzy cap and compare the contacts to see if one is corroded differently? i thought maybe a problem further down the line might effect the electricity transfer at one of the points....

gottoyota- thanks for the link. if i can i'll buy local. something about ebay scares me, unless there is a definitly reputable well-priced seller you know of. (maybe the link you gave me is one you use?)

i was wondering about the online sellers because the link you gave me is something like 76 dollars, while this set is only 57...and he has a better reputation...

maybe you just clicked the first correct one you could find?