How long have you ever let your 4runner sit before starting

2

2000se

Member
I was not able to drive my 4runner for about 3 weeks 2 months ago. It sat in the garage for about 3 weeks straight. When I did get back to starting it, it sounded horrible for a few secs!! I usually drive my truck everyday so this was different to me.

My goodness..

What is the longest you've ever left your truck sitting before starting and driving it? How did it sound once you did get around to starting it?
 
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2000se said:
What is the longest you've ever left your truck sitting before starting and driving it? How did it sound once you did get around to starting it?
Click to expand...
two weeks or so. it sounded fine though slightly rough for a couple seconds. i was having some phantom load battery woes with my other vehicle and felt a bit anxious. what did yours sound like? horrid scraping?
 
Went on a 6-week vacation not too long ago and all my vehicles sat for that long. No big deal. As a motorcycle mechanic who's lived/worked in states with actual winters (WY, MT, CO), it wasn't uncommon to have vehicles that sat unstarted for 6 months. Top off the fuel tank with fuel and whatever stabilizer of your choice, drain the carbs (carbs were still the majority at that time), charge the batteries once a month overnight and that first start was always easy.

I think one of my vehicles here is at about 4 weeks since the last start, really ought to go take it on a half hour drive to warm everything up... month is my normal comfortable limit.
 
I've only owned it a few weeks, but it will be on the same schedule as my previous vehicles.
Drive 20 miles to work (over a mountain) on Wed.
I then drive an 18-wheeler until Sun or Mon.
Then drive 20 or more (wink) miles over the mountain back home.
So 5-6 days.
If I decide to take a different vehicle to work then it may sit at home longer.
But so far I have explored/off roaded every day off. There is challenging terrain within a mile of my home, a rugged mountain range on either side of me. Even many of our "streets" are passable only with something like the 4runner.


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When I did my frame swap, it sat for about four months with no way to start it (no gas tank or radiator). The first few seconds did sound ugly, but it quickly smoothed into the quiet runner it has always been. Always been one turn of the key for 20 years (except the time I crossed the plug wires).
 
How long did it take for your oil pressure light to go off. Mine takes a second after it starts. Every so often I’ll hear a little rattle in the top end until the oil light goes out. Which drives me nuts as a cold start puts the engine at 1500rpm


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Valve clatter at startup tells me the oils not doing its job, either due to engine wear or other.

If fresh oil doesn’t do it but used oil does;

Then switch to synthetic.
Try 10w-30.
Buy a better filter with a better seal.
Change oil at 3k vs 5k
Try some Lucas or other oil conditioner.
Run Marvels or sea foam in the crankcase the last 500 before oil change to clean out sludge.

If none of that works your engine is likely quite tired.

For bumbling starts after sitting, maybe it’s fuel pressure. Turn the key on for 10 seconds before cranking to let the fuel pump build pressure.
 
I always store one of our 2 vehicles away for 8 months each winter. 4runner stored if we stay home and car stored if we travel south. The 4runner always starts up same as if just parked. The 3rz has a vertical oil filter so no drain back issue.

I always park with fresh oil and filter, full tank of non-ethanol with sea foam, a little oil down each spark plug hole and fresh plugs, and battery removed.

The corolla doesn't start so well but after a few seconds it settles down. Last time we did this to the car it was -25 celsius the day we got it out of storage, poor thing.

I've had a motorcycle in dry storage for over 20 years. I wonder what that will do when I try to start it?
 
Left one of our trucks sitting for about 6 weeks. Got home and it started up no problem


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Just got mine but cant use it bc something are wrong.
But I start it every sec day just bc and if I wake up and it's cold I start it
 
Wow! Thank for all the replies!! Seems I'm not the only one that sometimes lets cars sit for a while. I appreciate all the hints on setting it up so it starts better as well. After about 3 seconds of ca-bumb- ca-bump, it settles down and idles and drives normal. It's just that brief moment where I'm crossing my fingers please don't blow up please.... : )
 
I just got my 98 4Runner back from the dealership. It had been sitting in a barn for 6 months with a busted radiator, leaking valve covers and two flat tires. When I tried to start it I needed to give it a jump. Toyota of Boerne Texas did a great job. Unfortunately they messed up the old alarm system and console lighting. Gotta take it back again this week.
 
Dieselchessy said:
Valve clatter at startup tells me the oils not doing its job, either due to engine wear or other.

If fresh oil doesn’t do it but used oil does;

Then switch to synthetic.
Try 10w-30.
Buy a better filter with a better seal.
Change oil at 3k vs 5k
Try some Lucas or other oil conditioner.
Run Marvels or sea foam in the crankcase the last 500 before oil change to clean out sludge.

If none of that works your engine is likely quite tired.

For bumbling starts after sitting, maybe it’s fuel pressure. Turn the key on for 10 seconds before cranking to let the fuel pump build pressure.
Click to expand...

Some questions to your comment....

Is there a better oil filter than the OEM one from the dealership?
If I do move to synthetic, are you still changing it at 5k? If not what interval?
So you can run Lucas all the time in oil?
Can you mix Seafoam with the Lucas for that last 500 or so miles?

I did let the fuel system build pressure before I started it so I also think it might be the valves clattering...
 
I let it sit it three weeks at a time pretty often. Matter of fact now it spends most of its time in the garage. Generally it starts up normal. A minor tick is to be expected on any engine that sits for so long. The oil has nowhere to go but down after sitting so long.
 
2000se said:
I was not able to drive my 4runner for about 3 weeks 2 months ago. It sat in the garage for about 3 weeks straight. When I did get back to starting it, it sounded horrible for a few secs!! I usually drive my truck everyday so this was different to me.

My goodness..

What is the longest you've ever left your truck sitting before starting and driving it? How did it sound once you did get around to starting it?
Click to expand...

Mine was sitting for about 2 years. Took a few minutes to burn the old gas out of the lines before it got fresh gas and ran fine after.
 
Dieselchessy said:
Valve clatter at startup tells me the oils not doing its job, either due to engine wear or other.

If fresh oil doesn’t do it but used oil does;

Then switch to synthetic.
Try 10w-30.
Buy a better filter with a better seal.
Change oil at 3k vs 5k
Try some Lucas or other oil conditioner.
Run Marvels or sea foam in the crankcase the last 500 before oil change to clean out sludge.

If none of that works your engine is likely quite tired.

For bumbling starts after sitting, maybe it’s fuel pressure. Turn the key on for 10 seconds before cranking to let the fuel pump build pressure.
Click to expand...

Won't work on our trucks. FP only engages when cranking or running. Suspect is fuel pump that won't hold pressure between starts or FPR.
.
 
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