but my toyota is now less of one, thanks in part to this forum
still having some weird issues [see below], would definitely appreciate suggestions! first, a little storytime
so a few years ago i was taking an asvab practice test which included automotive knowledge in one part. my scores everywhere else were normal to well above average, but on this section (unsurprisingly) i totally bombed it. i made a mental note then to one day learn how cars work. when my vehicle started acting up recently, i decided it was a really good time to start doing some research. now i kind of actually understand what is happening under the hood. i just took another practice test and my automotive scores have drastically improved to above average
my brother got a new car and handed me his 1999 4runner limited (3.4 v6 4wd ~250k), which started having serious trouble getting to 20mph or above when it was flat and literally could not make it up any significant incline. i just wasn't getting any power and i was getting a lot of shaking/shuddering so i decided to start learning as i go. honestly, a good bit of my time and certainly frustration has been dealing with seized bolts (and screws) which have apparently just been rusting for 20 years - getting hold of a line wrench was a profound experience. codes revealed some misfiring (later i learned of a lean mix P0171 code, could have been happening all along and i just wasn't told). here's what i've done so far and how successful each step has been...
- replaced fuel filter (no significant improvement)
- replaced spark plugs/wires (no significant improvement)
- replaced coil packs (slight improvement)
- cleaned maf sensor, replaced air filter (huge improvement)
- seafoam spray (slight improvement)
while these steps have taken it from completely dysfunctional to reasonably functional, it's still not doing what i know it's capable of as far as acceleration or top speed. it seems to be intermittently not shifting normally and could be some kind of torque issue among other potential problems. here are a few things i'm considering next...
- replacing throttle position sensor
- replacing upstream 02 sensor
- replacing maf sensor
- checking ignition timing
- checking vacuum
- cleaning injectors
- checking fuel pump
thoughts, suggestions, or tips would be greatly appreciated... thanks!