1993 Camry 4 cyl timing problems?

I have a 93 Camry 4cyl that I bought this summer with 180,000 miles. Since then I have replaced the coil (left me at an IHOP 50 miles from home L), plugs, wires, cap and rotor along with other maintenance items. The car has a tad over 200,000 now but it has always felt slow. Like there was no timing advance. I checked the timing and it was about 4 degrees BTDC without TE1 and E1 shorted. It was about 8 degrees BTDC with those terminals shorted. I adjusted it to 10 degrees BTDC per spec and then removed the connector between TE1 and E1. It was about 5 degrees BTDC. My Haynes manual indicates the timing should be more advanced when the terminals are not connected. The manual indicates it should read between 12 and 22 degrees BTDC if the initial timing is set at 10 degrees BTDC. Is this normal? Do I have an ignition advance problem?

No you don't have a problem according to the factory manual found in the "Factory Service Manual" thread at the top of the forum: http://www.turboninjas.com/camry/eg1.pdf Pages EG1-18 and 19. With the timing adjusted to 10 deg BTDC and the jumper removed it should oscillate between 0 and 10 deg BTDC (step #4).

It's been a while since I've done a timing check but, could it be the case that as you remove the jumper the timing jumps to 12-22 deg BTDC then it settles to 0-10 deg BTDC? I believe the RPM jumps simultaniously, then drops to normal indicating an advance.

Shootin from the hip you might try a new O2 sensor (if the timing adjustment didn't do it) for your lack of acceleration. Especially if it is the original sensor. The upstream sensor is the major player and as luck would have it, the easiest to change.

Thanks for the reply. I've only made a short trip since adjusting, but I will know more on my way to work tomorrow. I have to go up a steep grade and will be able to tell more. I don't know if the O2 sensor is original or not, but I can take it out and look at it. I forgot to mention there was another problem that I also corrected yesterday. I believe the thermostat was stuck a little open. It would take forever to get warm, but if it was cool out, the temp would run cold and have little heat. The car never overheated, but it's getting colder and wanted to have heat. I'm sure if it's not running in the proper temp range, then the emissions would'nt be doing their job, like the O2 sensor.

Yup. Sounds like you have a handle on it.