Modified Camry Idle problems. PLEASE HELP

[eternalfrost]

This is a old car, modified for off road rally racing, Built off a Camry base. When first starting the car, as the engine first starts up it will stall right out again. The oly way to get it going is to give it a little gas before the idle drops enough to stall. You have to keep giving it a little gas for a minuite or so or else it will stall out again. However after about 30 seconds or so of this, everythings fine and it will idle with out tapping the gas.

When idling, it is a bit irregular. the RPM's dont flucuate drasticly, but the sound of the exhaust is off. The car has no muffler and you can hear each piston firing, but they arent spaced in an even patern, that part is sort of hard to explain haha.

then when turning the car off after a peroid of use, the engine does not stop cleanly. It sputters and shakes and seemingly trys to run and almost start back up again before sputtering out.

Any advice? any help whould be apreciated. If you need to know any more information to help just ask.

Many thanks!

[Brian R.]

Welcome to the AF!

Is the engine modified with different than stock cams? That would explain the poor idle.

The cold-start problem sounds like a bad coolant temperature sensor or bad idle enrichment mechanism.

[eternalfrost]

I am just getting into cars recently, and dont know a whole lot yet haha. I am not 100% positive on what modifications have been done, It was my dads old car. This im sure have been changed are, headers, and a wider exhaust. I believe the engine might have been bored out too.

How would i go about checking the coolant sensor and idle mechanism?

[Brian R.]

What year Camry and what engine?

[eternalfrost]

I am not positive on the exact year, It is older tho. Around late 70's early 80's. The actual engine is the stock model. Again I am not sure of the name etc. of it but the engine itself has not been changed out.

[Brian R.]

Is it a 4 cyl or 6 cyl?

[eternalfrost]

4 cyl

[Brian R.]

Check the cold-start injector for resistance. If it is a reasonably new model engine, the cold-start injector is mounted in the intake plenum by the letters EFI. Remove the connector and check the resistance between the two terminals. Should be 3-5 ohms.

The coolant temperature is next to the upper radiator hose where it joins the engine. It only has an electical connector attached to it, no vacuum hoses and it points downward. If your temperature gauge works correctly, it is probably ok.