engine swap. now engine wont rev past 2800rpm's.please help. Options

[97celicast]

Hello new to this site, just wish I was in better shape coming on here the first time...

I just got done having a 4afe put in place of my 7afe that threw a rod. I could not find a 7afe anywhere so I had to buy this one... having a problem, I can't figure out... car will not go over 2800 rpm's down the road. if It tries to, it will sputter and buck, until it gets right at 2800 rpms.

when idling in park it will rev higher sometimes before it catches itself and stumbles back down to 2800...
so I took it to toyota 100 bucks for a 1hr. diagnostic... said computer is reading normal, no codes. mech. said either spark, or fuel.. so far put on new plugs/wires/cap/rotor/condensor. fuel filter... no difference.

had the coil tested it was within specs. read just as good as a new one... so Im getting good spark...

the 4afe I put in, was pretty much a long block. all intake,exhaust,sensors, alt. and everything else came off of my car...

Im leaning towards fuel, I bought a fuel pressure gauge, cant figure out where to hook it up, only place I could hook it up was on the outlet return line off of the fp regulator.. and only getting 2-3lbs. when running, so I don't know if the fuel pressure is as strong going back to the tank as coming into the engine. is there anywhere else I can hook up the fp gauge?

and when I blew out the old fuel filter the fuel was blackish or dirty looking....then put on new filter.. when I start the car, I can't hear the fp kick on... no noise from back there what so ever...car starts up fine, idles smooth, revs fine until 2800rpm's... any ideas I would really appreciate it...thanks...Lonnie

[Coomer]

Are you using the 4A-FE igniter? I think they have an external igniter and your problem sounds kind of like the problems some of the 3S-GTE guys have had with the incorrect igniter.

[Bitter]

what year was the engine you got? ALWAYS when swapping engines get the harness and pcm that came with the engine unless its only a bottom end swap. theres about 3 different 4AFE'S out there. obd1 cali/fed spec and obd2 which i think are all cali spec.

[97celicast]

well the engine is suppose to be a direct drop in replacement for the 7afe...atleast I thought, the only items from the 4afe I kept, was the head and block. all the rest is off my 7afe... the fuel pump is not kicking on at all... I even took off the fp regulator, and there was no pressure buildup... fuel just dribbled out... put back together and turned on key, while having hand on fp... would not kick on... I checked the fuses, seem fine... tried to get out the efi relay which the manual says would also power the fp. but cannot get it out of the fuse box.. seems like it will break.. Im thinking fp is shot, but why would it start and idle, and rev up until 2800 rpm's. we do only have one fuel pump in the car right?

[97celicast]

found problem, fuel pump is not getting any power. I don't know what the engine installer left unplugged... but I took out the pump, and ran it to a power inverter, kicked on good.... put my dig. multimeter on the plug that plugs into the fuel pump. the blue and grey wire... no voltage... checked fuses they seem good... can I run a new power wire out to the fp... and where can I hook it to,,, I don't want it running all the time right?

do we have a fp relay? I found a relay in the fusebox in the eng. compartment, but it will not come out...
and both fuses that say efi are good.... thanks for any help...
it is amazing the car even started and ran with no power to the pump???

[Kwanza26]

found problem, fuel pump is not getting any power. I don't know what the engine installer left unplugged... but I took out the pump, and ran it to a power inverter, kicked on good.... put my dig. multimeter on the plug that plugs into the fuel pump. the blue and grey wire... no voltage... checked fuses they seem good... can I run a new power wire out to the fp... and where can I hook it to,,, I don't want it running all the time right?

do we have a fp relay? I found a relay in the fusebox in the eng. compartment, but it will not come out...
and both fuses that say efi are good.... thanks for any help...
it is amazing the car even started and ran with no power to the pump???

Umm... the car won't start and run without a fuel pump or fuel pressure for that matter. What you can try to do to eliminate the fuel pump is to hook up the pump power wire, blue wire if I remember correctly (double check to be sure though) and run it to a power source, I dunno... radio fuse or something with 12v. With the pump on and a pressurized system, drive the car. If it still cuts... It's probably something else.