Engine Shake on Startup?

[EveningCommuter]

I'm back at it again, I must bug the crap out of you guys haha.

I have a 97' 4Runner SR5 and when I start the engine I get a wobble/shake from the engine. It goes on for about 10 to 15 seconds and eventually goes away.

Is that normal?

If not, where can I start troubleshooting?

I would also like to add that it lets out a good amount of white smoke on startup. It eventually goes away while driving for a bit or after the engine has warmed up. Thing is you can look at the hood and see the shaking, then it stabilizes.

 

[thegipper]

Let me guess, you are losing coolant too?

Sounds like a blown head gasket to me...

 

[EveningCommuter]

I'm not sure. I will have to double check when I get home.

The last time I did check, and this was after driving back from LA (Hour and a half of driving), there was red coolant in the reservoir.

 

[thegipper]

Rough idle on start up and blowing white smoke is usually a bad sign. If your coolant is low, you probably have a blown HG.

Any check engine codes for misfires or anything else?

A leak down test would be final thing to do to know for sure where your HG is bad or not.

How many miles on your truck?

 

[EveningCommuter]

I'll check coolant when I get home. If it is a blown HG, how bad can the damage be?

There is about 280k on my truck.

Edit:

I would also like to add that there is no check engine light.

 

[alumarine]

When the engine is cold or at least cool check the level in the rad, not just the expansion tank.

 

[EveningCommuter]

I checked the coolant level and the fluid was under the coils which is strange because I topped it off with distilled water about 3 weeks ago.

I went ahead and topped it off in the meantime while I wait for my day off to do a drain and fill.

 

[Hockeyjock]

I don't think you understand what everyone is implying. Draining and filling will not fix that. The educated guess is that you have a blown head gasket and you are burning coolant. while the car sits coolant is slowly seeping into one or more of the cylinders. when you first start the car it burns off all the coolant that collected while it was sitting which is why it runs rough and has white smoke from the exhaust.

 

[EveningCommuter]

Probably air in my system now that I think of it. I am going to do the drain and fill/flush, then if anything I will top it off while the engine is running.

If I still get the shakes then it might also be the motor mounts.

 

[JWaldz]

The shaking is likely you having a misfire..

Are you throwing a CEL? Pull codes. Cylinder misfire, missing coolant, occasional smoking out tail and coolant smell, etc.. are all sure signs of blown head gasket, or the act it of getting worse.

I just went through this. Cylinder 3 misfire, cylinder was WASHED. Result from a blown head gasket. Loss 75% of power to vehicle. Replaced the engine.

 

[EveningCommuter]

Yikes. I was going to drop by a local mechanic for them to run a couple of test. I will let you guys know.

 

[Mudeprived]

Dig up my thread on morning smoke show. I had the exact same issue and it is a blown head gasket. Pull your plugs the next morning after it has sat overnight and shine a light into the cylinders. I bet you will see wetness.

My deal was coolant was leaking into cyl 3 causing the rough start. It would smooth out as it burns off. I also had hesitation and misfires under load.

This is something you want to fix asap before it takes out the catalytic converter. Been there, fixed that.

For me, the 99 was too old to justify spending big money on fixing a HG so I was recommended to try Bars Cooling System Maintenance tablets and running it till I get a newer rig.

 

[alumarine]

As Hockeyjock says, a drain and refill is not going to fix anything or help diagnose the problem.

 

[EveningCommuter]

I called a shop and they quoted me at 2500. I picked up a block tester kit. I am going to give it a go tomorrow morning.

 

[gamefreakgc]

Probably air in my system now that I think of it. I am going to do the drain and fill/flush, then if anything I will top it off while the engine is running.

If I still get the shakes then it might also be the motor mounts.

It's not your motor mounts. That's a Honda Civic issue, not a 4Runner issue. These are stout and last forever.

 

[EveningCommuter]

It's not your motor mounts. That's a Honda Civic issue, not a 4Runner issue. These are stout and last forever.

Thank you for the clarification. I will keep you guys posted.

 

[Mudeprived]

I called a shop and they quoted me at 2500. I picked up a block tester kit. I am going to give it a go tomorrow morning.

Funny you got one cuz I did too but block test fluid stayed blue.

The lie detector test determined that was a LIE! :bluejump:

 

[gamefreakgc]

Funny you got one cuz I did too but block test fluid stayed blue.

The lie detector test determined that was a LIE! :bluejump:

Yeah, leak-down test kit is more accurate. the block test fluid only detects if combustion gases are making it out of the cylinder head, not if coolant is leaking into the cylinder head.

 

[EveningCommuter]

Hey peeps. So I have an update. I did not have the chance to take it to a shop due to time constraints but when I take it in for the shocks/struts I will have them check the engine.

I performed the block test and the fluid stayed blue. Pulled it off and then took it over to the exhaust then the fluid turned a clear yellow tint. So there are no gasses in my cooling system.

I went ahead and dropped in some Bar's Leak Tablets, ran the heater, drove around for about an hour then I let the car sit over night. Upon starting the car the next day I got the less smoke than usual, take note it is raining so humidity/condensation is a thing but no engine shake on start up. I dropped the tablets in on Friday so they seem to be working.

I know the Bar's Leak is a temporary fix but luckily I found a shop in my town that does remans/installs for pretty cheap, they also take in trade-in's which is awesome but kind of sketchy. If the shop does not check out then I will just save up for an engine from a local JDM Engine Dealer that has about 35k - 70k miles on it and call it a day.

 

[Mudeprived]

Hey peeps. So I have an update. I did not have the chance to take it to a shop due to time constraints but when I take it in for the shocks/struts I will have them check the engine.

I performed the block test and the fluid stayed blue. Pulled it off and then took it over to the exhaust then the fluid turned a clear yellow tint. So there are no gasses in my cooling system.

I went ahead and dropped in some Bar's Leak Tablets, ran the heater, drove around for about an hour then I let the car sit over night. Upon starting the car the next day I got the less smoke than usual, take note it is raining so humidity/condensation is a thing but no engine shake on start up. I dropped the tablets in on Friday so they seem to be working.

I know the Bar's Leak is a temporary fix but luckily I found a shop in my town that does remans/installs for pretty cheap, they also take in trade-in's which is awesome but kind of sketchy. If the shop does not check out then I will just save up for an engine from a local JDM Engine Dealer that has about 35k - 70k miles on it and call it a day.

The Bar's tablets are pretty effective and it is not unusual to see it permanently fix the leak as long as it is small.