Low/Random Idling after Torque Valve Cover

[EveningCommuter]

So my 97 has been burning oil, I traced the drips and where the leak is and it has been falling onto the exhaust for the last month or so and I finally decided to torque the valve cover as a temporary fix.

I went ahead and torqued all the bolts to 53 inch pounds to about 4.4 foot pounds.

After torquing I began to get a whine in the engine bay, I get a 800 - 1000 RPM idling and it drops. It fluctuates and goes up to a high idle then drops down again.

Anywhere to start or check? All I did was loosen and torque. :ybrick:

Edit: I just went ahead and loosened/re-torqued again. I still hear a whine, I watch the RPM's and it goes from 1000, throttles up, drops down to 800 and even 500. Wtf is going on.

 

[calimobber]

I doubt the wine is related to your torquing the bolts. My guess is you noticed it since you are looking into the engine.

My alternator tends to whine louder when the battery is low since its under high load...Just a guess.

 

[EveningCommuter]

Could be unrelated. Only issue is that after I torqued the bolts my engine idle drops and raises. It use to stick at 1k but now it goes 800, 500, back to 1k and so on.

Wtf did I do. :flame:

 

[EveningCommuter]

Whining has gone away, only happens on start up. Could be a belt?

RPM's is still an issue, after half a minute it drops below 1000 and then keeps going lower. I pulled the mass airflow and am going to clean it. Probably knocked something loose while torquing the covers.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Clean the idle air controller throughly. Also check for a hose that may have come loose.

 

[MaineRunna]

Check for a vacuum leak. (pcv hose, vacuum lines, intake duct, etc)

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Your engine should not be idling at 1000rpm warmed up. It should be 600-700rpm. In park neutral or drive and reverse.

Let it relearn it’s idle. You sealing the valve covers by tightening them has closed off a vacuum leak via the PCV system.


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[desertegal7]

Check rear coolant temp sensor

i would expect that you torqued the rear bolts as well,, thus i may suspect that you pooped out the sensor connecter a bit.

 

[EveningCommuter]

Today I cleaned my mass airflow sensor and installed it. After doing that and torquing the valve covers my engine will idle at about 700 at start up and fluctuate on warmup up to about 800 - 1000. Once warmed up the engine will stay at 700.

One thing I did notice is that I no longer idle at 1k. Another thing to is when I am at a stop and am holding the brake I drop down to 600.

600 at a stop.
600 in reverse.
700 in neutral.
700 in park at warmup.
700 - 1000 during warmup.

Does this look normal?

Edit: According to [MENTION=99144]19963.4lsr5[/MENTION], Park, Neutral, Drive and Reverse. I'm good boys.

I use to Idle at 1k all the time.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Today I cleaned my mass airflow sensor and installed it. After doing that and torquing the valve covers my engine will idle at about 700 at start up and fluctuate on warmup up to about 800 - 1000. Once warmed up the engine will stay at 700.

One thing I did notice is that I no longer idle at 1k. Another thing to is when I am at a stop and am holding the brake I drop down to 600.

600 at a stop.
600 in reverse.
700 in neutral.
700 in park at warmup.
700 - 1000 during warmup.

Does this look normal?

Edit: According to [MENTION=99144]19963.4lsr5[/MENTION], Park, Neutral, Drive and Reverse. I'm good boys.

I use to Idle at 1k all the time.

In my opinion those idle rpms are correct. And what I see on two different 4Runners with a 3.4 automatic.


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[T4R2014]

Sounds like you fixed your high idle.

 

[EveningCommuter]

I figured. Must have accidentally fixed my car. :whoo:

I will check at a cold start later if the idling rpm fluctuates when warming up.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

The idle rpm should slowly drop as it warms up.

There is a vacuum line that comes off the IAC and goes to a T which goes to each side of the manifold. Make sure that the IAC vacuum lines are in good shape and not barely hanging onto the nipple of the IAC or the hose is cracked.




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[EveningCommuter]

I will go ahead and check those lines too.

I would also like to add:

1900 RPM at 60 MPH
2200 RPM at 70 MPH