[BackFromTheDead]

Hello,

A year ago, I knew absolutely nothing about auto repair and maintenance. Then I crashed by car and had to repair the old family FJ60 that had been sitting in the driveway dead for years.

I defintily caught the bug, and am obsessed with bringing it back to its former glory, much thanks owed to all you guys. I'm a completely dependant on reading these posts and the repair manual I have for fixes. so thank you!

That being said, I adjusted recently adjusted the idle, which was hovering around 800-1000 RPM, and brought it down to 650. And I also decreased the choke idle (fast?) to 1800 RPM, as it was about 2250 RPM. Then I checked the timing, which was severly retarded (my guess is around 1 or 2 BTDC, as the BB was near the top of the window. I advanced to to probably 12 BTDC (BB near the bottom of the window), as some have suggested here, and didn't hear any pinging, so I left it like that to increase efficiency.

But now, the warm, resting idle went back up to around 900 RPM. Then I decreased it, and the timing retarded itself, which I then advance, only to make the idle increase again.

Is there any method that people who really know what they are doing can suggest? Maybe tinkering with the idle mixture by removing that sealed screw on the carb?

Thanks!

[NocalFJ60]

You pulling the vacuum lines to distributor when you set the timing at idle? Also was the engine warm?

[BackFromTheDead]

Yep, the engine is at operating temp, and the two lines going into the distributor cap are pulled and plugged.

I heard that maybe a faulty charcoal canister, kinked fuel lines, or EGR valve could be causing an irregular idle?

[NocalFJ60]

The spring down by my pedal is weak and sometimes the idle is alittle higher unless you pull up on the pedal alittle. Sounds like yours is more than alittle but you can check by pushing up on the pedal and see if you get a big change.

Also check the spring on the back of the carb on the linkage.