Low power

2003 TOYOTA MATRIX
208,000 MILES • 1.8L • 4 CYL • 2WD • MANUAL
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6GUNN
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Hello, My car has low power at times. Engine code stored is PO430.
Has the 2ZZ-GE engine.
The degree of power loss varies. Sometimes it is not drive-able, other times it just feels sluggish.
I tried dropping the exhaust during a heavy loss of power, with no difference made. Idea was to take the catalytic converter out of the equation.
Sometimes when the car is running sluggish, it will accelerate without pressing harder on the gas.
I have heard what sounds like a backfire through the intake. usually when I press in on the clutch to change gears. But sometimes when I am decelerating as well. This is not a constant problem, but when it starts doing it, it will do it several times during the trip.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
John
Feb 12, 2018 at 7:48 AM
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STRAILER
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It sounds like a MAF sensor is going out which will sometime not set a code and it will cause the P0430 as well.

Can you take a video of what the car is going so I can be on the same page? You can upload it here to the site.

Please let us know what you find. We are interested to see what it is.

Cheers, Ken

Feb 13, 2018 at 11:18 AM
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6GUNN
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Hello Ken,

I can do a video this weekend. I am not driving the car now in case the engine could be damaged in doing so.
I work with a man that worked as a mechanic in the past, and he wondered if the timing chain has jumped a tooth because of the backfiring it does. Is this a possibility?

Thanks
Feb 13, 2018 at 11:49 AM
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STRAILER
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That is completely possible here is a diagram that shows the timing marks so you can double check them.

Check out the diagrams (below).

Please let us know

Cheers, Ken
Feb 14, 2018 at 9:56 AM