2004 V6 Problem - Bad Pulley?

[PolkManiac]

I'll try my best to explain. I have a 2004 V6 4Runner, been a great vehicle so far with no real problems. However, I've had the following issue for a few months now.

After driving for a while, I get a whining sound from the engine compartment. It only occurs when we put the car in park.

I can pull into my garage, keep my foot on the brake and keep it in drive or reverse and it doesn't make the noise. Then I put it in park, and the noise appears, then I can put my foot back on the brake and put it in gear again and the noise goes away. From what I can tell, it is 100% dependent on the car NOT being in park.

This problem is intermittent, but fairly persistent.

I have another symptom that I believe to be linked. On occasion (though much less often) my AC goes out. I get the blinking AC light on the inside, and no cold air. I can turn the AC off and on a few times and it'll kick back on. I believe the blinking light indicates that the AC motor is not being turned - it's the same light that has appeared before when I drive through a very large pool of water and the belt gets too wet.

Any thoughts? I just had the belt replaced, but that did not correct the issue (it had no effect on the issue, no better or worse since the install).

Thanks

 

[CJ3Flyr]

On an '04 I'd replace the belt, get the A/C's freon level serviced and I would freshen up the powersteering fluid. Your gues of a bearing failing in an idler pulley is possible. Doing the 3 things I listed are a very good start

:cheers:

 

[shootmymime]

i 2nd that, the noise u are hearing, is it a thumping, squeeling, tapping, knocking?

 

[PolkManiac]

On an '04 I'd replace the belt, get the A/C's freon level serviced and I would freshen up the powersteering fluid. Your gues of a bearing failing in an idler pulley is possible. Doing the 3 things I listed are a very good start

:cheers:

I've replaced the belt. The freon level in the AC is fine, if that was low it wouldn't be cooling well, it still cools very well, just that every once in a while the compressor or whatever doesn't kick on - I get the blinking light, then I turn the AC off or on a few times and it kicks in 100%.

I've not done anything with the power steering fluid - how would the be related to my issues?

 

[PolkManiac]

i 2nd that, the noise u are hearing, is it a thumping, squeeling, tapping, knocking?

Of those you listed, it's closest to a squeeling sounds, though I'd call ir more of a whining sound

 

[CJ3Flyr]

I've replaced the belt. The freon level in the AC is fine, if that was low it wouldn't be cooling well, it still cools very well, just that every once in a while the compressor or whatever doesn't kick on - I get the blinking light, then I turn the AC off or on a few times and it kicks in 100%.

I've not done anything with the power steering fluid - how would the be related to my issues?

Ok, I have some faint memory of a TSB or

 

[Kmvreter]

I have another symptom that I believe to be linked. On occasion (though much less often) my AC goes out. I get the blinking AC light on the inside, and no cold air. I can turn the AC off and on a few times and it'll kick back on. I believe the blinking light indicates that the AC motor is not being turned - it's the same light that has appeared before when I drive through a very large pool of water and the belt gets too wet.

Can't help with the noise issue but search the forums for the A/C relay. Check if your ride has an upgraded relay (IIRC it is grey?) Early models had a weak relay (tan colour?) that would stick. Search for it.

 

[jharris2]

Your guess of a bearing failing in an idler pulley is possible. Doing the 3 things I listed are a very good start

:cheers:

:iagree: I've had the idler pulley replaced twice for noise. IIRC, there was a TSB for early years of the fourth generation where the idler pulley was slightly out of alignment and caused noise.

 

[drmorbius]

Re: Re: 2004 V6 Problem - Bad Pulley?

Can't help with the noise issue but search the forums for the A/C relay. Check if your ride has an upgraded relay (IIRC it is grey?) Early models had a weak relay (tan colour?) that would stick. Search for it.

:iagree:

 

[drmorbius]

Re: Re: Re: 2004 V6 Problem - Bad Pulley?

:iagree:

Check for posts by Rando. Thats where I read about the relay upgrade.

 

[JTEZT]

I vaguely remember a TSB for the 1GR (v6) motor when it first came out.It was a long process of actually installing shims and spacers and checking the alignment of all the pulleys.It also involved replacing the crank pulley(harmonic balancer)Some of these motors came out of the factory with pulleys not lined up within spec.The fact that it uses a serpentine belt makes it worse.
On your ac problem usually when the light blinks it means that the rpm sensor in the ac compressor is seeing a difference in speed between the motor and the ac compressor.It actually shuts the compressor off to protect the belt from breaking.
I will look up the TSB and let you know.

 

[JTEZT]

I could not find the bulletin or campaign that pertain to the misalignment of the pulley's
The one for replacing the crank pulley might be a separate TSB.
The relay part # is 90987-02022-bad relay
good relay is 90987-02028.
If you look at the part # for the relay installed on your truck and the last 5 digits are 02022 you need to install the 02028 relay.

 

[PolkManiac]

Thanks for all the tips guys, will look into all this.

Where would I find the part number for the relay, or for that matter the relay itself? I'm not a mechanic.

Should I be able to get the idler pulley changed for free, or are they going to charge me for that, I'm long out of warranty. If anyone can find the TSB for that it would be great, I'll start looking around myself.

Thanks

 

[JTEZT]

I will call Camelback Toyota and ask the service director to do a search under your vin to see any open campaigns or tsb's.That serpentine belt on your engine is fairly tight especially between the fan clutch and crank pulley.Take a flashlight and take a very close look at the belt and make sure all the ribs on the belt are lined up with the grooves on the pulleys.Where are you located ?I will need your vin to search.

 

[PolkManiac]

I called my Toyota dealer today and they had no information on a TSB for the idler pulley or any other pulley for that matter. If anyone has any other suggestions before I just take it up to Toyota I'm all ears.

jharris2, you have a PM - do you remember how much they charged to change out your idl;er pulley?

 

[White Limited]

Newbie here try and help a litte The relay for the a/c i will agree with eveyone on have replaced my far share at the shop its in the underhood relay box marked magnetic clutch not sure what the abrv. for the relay is but its marked mgn clutch something to that effect take the old relay into the parts dept. they will hook you up with the new style relay its a micro relay they all fail cant take the load. as far as the nosie before you go throwing parts at it have a good tech. look at it there has to be a good one in your area. i have seen it way to many times customer starts hanging parts next thing they know they have wasted 2-3 hund. dollars and still have to bring it to me. JUST MY 2 CENTS