1998 4Runner SR5 V6 4x4 Missing on light load

[scott42fl]

Hi all,

New to the site. My symptom is my 98 4Runner SR5 V6 4x4 runs beautifully with 342,000 miles on it and looks new. I stay on top of all maintenance since I have owned it for the past 12 years.

City driving there are no issues but once I get on the freeway and at times put a light load on the gas pedal to accelerate slowly my truck will miss or sputter only under light load. If I hit the pedal to the floor it takes off without any hesitation or missing.

I have run Amsoil in the engine and trany for 200K. Last tuneup was done over two years ago. Timing belt and water pump still have another 25K before I need to do it again.

I also noticed some oil consumption and have to add a quart about every two to three months. I drive about 10,000 miles a year these days. There are no oil leaks and I have no blue smoke when I start it nor when I drive it.

I had the valve cover gaskets changed about three years ago as well.

I did a bit of research and saw that it could be a bad PCV valve? Not sure if it was ever replaced or not....

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all

 

[ajonesnv]

PCV's are super simple to replace, it is located in the font of the passenger valve cover, but out of curiosity when were the plugs and wire replaced?

 

[19963.4lsr5]

That hesitation without a check engine light for a misfire could be knock retard. Especially when under heavier load it's fine. You oil usage could be putting carbon in the combustion chamber or chambers with you milage.

Have you thought about a compression test?

 

[AZ4Running]

Check for good strong spark and check the plugs.