To Any and All,</P>


Help!! My poor '88 runs like it's missing a cylinder firing. It sat for a month without being ran. When I tried to crank it after a freeze it wouldn't start; seems the fuel pump and lines were froze. After thawing the thing still wouldn't crank. I had to drastically advance the timing to get it to start and it runs like it's not firing on all cylinders. I found a vascuum line off and that helped. Took it to local Toyota dealer and they say it has a blown head gasket ($1100.00) and may need a new engine (+190K miles) though it ran fine before it sat up. when I got it back from them it actually ran better and cranks easily yet still runs as though it's not firing prioperly, also the exhaust smells funny, like it's excessively rich.</P>


Can someone please give me some idea about where to start to find the problem. As much as I hate to say it I don't trust the dealer's diagnosis. Thanks.</P>