Driveability

S

snap2it66

New member
Hi gang,

I am new here but need your help. I own a 1997 4runner 3.4. The last 2 weeks I started experiencing a driveability problem. I have no power, hesitation off idle and high gas consumption. The motor has 110,000 wiht no apparent vacuum leak. I have replaced the plugs, wires and fuel filter. It has a new air cleaner also. The minute you put it in gear and step on it there is no power and cannot get out of its own way. Parked if you crack the throttle it stumbles then accelerates. It is not consuming oil, or coolant. It obviously smokes a little when its cold and clears right up. I am really at loss where to look. Please if you have any suggestions, thoughts or help please let me know. I would appreciate any and all help, SOS!!!

Thanks in advance,

Bob
 
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What type of new air cleaner do you have? Is it a new OEM paper filter or perhaps a cold air intake type of cleaner?

I'm thinking the MAF may need to be cleaned, just a thought. Let us know about the new air cleaner.

Does it run fine at speed, say 50 mph?
 
Scratch that. It could be a dirty fuel system or maf. Go simple before you assume something serious.

You should do a compression check at somepoint if you want.
 
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Any Check Engine Light?? How old is your front O2 sensor?? Definitely a good idea to clean your MAF and throttle body if they have not been done. A dirty TB or MAF can cause those symptoms. Do those, because they cost nothing and need to be done, and then we can go from there.
 
Hi gang,

well it does not run good at any speed. If you are lucky enough to even pull out on the road. It has the stock paper air filter and box. It does not have a check engine light on. I will try cleaning the throttle body and MAF as suggested first. If you have other thoughts they would be greatly appreciated. I appreciate the info so far and will let you know what happens.

Thanks again,

Bob
 
snap2it66 said:
Hi gang,

I am new here but need your help. I own a 1997 4runner 3.4. The last 2 weeks I started experiencing a driveability problem. I have no power, hesitation off idle and high gas consumption. The motor has 110,000 wiht no apparent vacuum leak. I have replaced the plugs, wires and fuel filter. It has a new air cleaner also. The minute you put it in gear and step on it there is no power and cannot get out of its own way. Parked if you crack the throttle it stumbles then accelerates. It is not consuming oil, or coolant. It obviously smokes a little when its cold and clears right up. I am really at loss where to look. Please if you have any suggestions, thoughts or help please let me know. I would appreciate any and all help, SOS!!!

Thanks in advance,

Bob
Click to expand...

All right i am by no mean a toyota mechanic, but i have work on these trucks for a while so here is my take.
Since you have replace all the parts listen it narrows down a lot of possibilities.
First of all when the truck is running pull the ground to the battery and see if the truck will still run, if not replace alternator, your alt is not sending enough power to the spark plugs to run the truck or charging the battery.
Secondgo to pep boy or any buddy you have with a scanner and scan for codes, sometimes engine codes dont have to have CEL, pending codes are silent but deadly, pep boy does it for free.
Third take a Mechanic's Sonar Scope(super cheap), and listen to all 6 cylinders for injector firing, if they are missing or not firing at all then you have bad injectors.
Fourth do a spark test, very unlikey but doesnt hurt to check, also easy and cheap to do.
Last but not least do an compression test, all 6 cyl should read 180 +/- 5psi, if you have low compression then it might be time to change your head gasket.

thats all i have for now, i would go get a code scan first to rule out some of the thing i said. good luck.
 
My first thought was spark plugs (or wires) as well - my 1994 Saturn had the EXACT same problem, and it ended up being spark plugs and wires.
 
I would vote for MAF first because it pretty easy and cheap to clean.

I was having a stumbling issue when I would go to pass or floor it going up hills. I pulled the MAF sensor and there was a film of dirt on the wires. Looked like a chunk of paper as it came off. That took care of the stumbling problem and my gas mileage seems to have increased a little as well.

For what it is worth...

Tom
 
Ok guys,

here is the update. Changed the MAF sensor out. The problem is better but still has very poor power. It still has a slight hesitiation when you hit the throttle at idle parked then it revs up. I have put new plugs and wires in prior to this with only 9K miles. They are NGK plugs I beleive but definitely not Champions which is what it had before.

Thanks,

Bob
 
sounds like a head gasket to me, but I'm not an experienced mechanic. just reminds me of my old truck that had a HG blow.
 
there should be a code in situation like this, get it scanned b4 you blindly replace parts that dont need to be replaced.
 
Ok guys.

we have no codes. Put a MAF sensor on and it helped a little. Replaced air filter also. I disconnected the exhaust at the cat and still no power. Still has a stumble off idle. Has all new plugs and wires to. So I am at a loss. I guess compression test now unless there is something I am missing here. Has a new fuel filter also about 6-7 months old.
 
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