Missing on Start-Up

[claydoctor]

Yeah , the three coils I bought were pretty pricey at $56 a piece so I purposely put all three on the harder to get at side . I did save the old coils and marked what I thought was the bad one, # 6 . We'll see . Now I have to get into what is involved with switching from XReas to standard shocks but I have researched that and think I am OK . Thanks for all the help and advice .

 

[claydoctor]

It's back ! Went away for about two weeks now it's back . Warning lights came back on and again have now gone away spontaneously but miss remains .
Have three more brand new coils on the way . That will make all new plugs and all new coils If that doesn't do it , I'm stumped !

 

[Calimander]

You really have to reread all the bad head gasket threads. Your symptoms are consistent with a bad head gasket. You are just wasting money changing out ignition coils. Take it to a dealer and tell him to let it sit overnite than scope the cylinders for coolant seepage(your misfires on startup).

 

[hearno]

You really have to reread all the bad head gasket threads. Your symptoms are consistent with a bad head gasket. You are just wasting money changing out ignition coils. Take it to a dealer and tell him to let it sit overnite than scope the cylinders for coolant seepage(your misfires on startup).

I agree. Stop throwing money away avoiding what's potentially the real issue.

 

[claydoctor]

Trying to eliminate the less expensive possible problems first . Concerned that the dealer might choose to fix the more expensive possibility if they were as mystified as I . They told me once I needed a $600 repair to the rubber boots on my front suspension . When I got home , I crawled under the car to check them and they looked pretty good to me . Hate to be out $3K or more for new head gasket only to find out I have bad plugs and coils . Not a mechanic and may be whistling past the graveyard but things that suggest to me it's not head gasket .
1. Problem went away for 8 months after doing nothing more than swapping coil locations . Would a bad head gasket clear up for 8 months ? I don't know .
2. Eight months ago code showed #4 cylinder missing . Recently #6
3. Coolant level not dropping .
4. No evidence of coolant on any of the spark plugs . They all looked the same .
I guess time and three more new coils will tell .

 

[daka320]

Several months ago we srarted noticing a rough engine for a few seconds after startup. Our mechanic said it has something to do with the fuel injectors and cooler weather. Recommended us to add some Lucas Oil additive every few tanks of gas. So we just added one bottle a month. Problem seems to have gone away after a few months.

 

[4runner55]

Had a rough idle problem during warm up on my 04 V8. Problem went away after replacing the Mass Air Flow Sensor. Never showed up as a problem on the scan tool or threw codes.

 

[radlynx]

try to check what codes showed up this time. if it refers to the other cylinders on the passenger side, then I would say it's the coil. if the codes that show up is the same as the last one, it could be the injector or a coolant leak in the cylinder.

Trying to eliminate the less expensive possible problems first . Concerned that the dealer might choose to fix the more expensive possibility if they were as mystified as I . They told me once I needed a $600 repair to the rubber boots on my front suspension . When I got home , I crawled under the car to check them and they looked pretty good to me . Hate to be out $3K or more for new head gasket only to find out I have bad plugs and coils . Not a mechanic and may be whistling past the graveyard but things that suggest to me it's not head gasket .
1. Problem went away for 8 months after doing nothing more than swapping coil locations . Would a bad head gasket clear up for 8 months ? I don't know .
2. Eight months ago code showed #4 cylinder missing . Recently #6
3. Coolant level not dropping .
4. No evidence of coolant on any of the spark plugs . They all looked the same .
I guess time and three more new coils will tell .

 

[radlynx]

fuel injector cleaner might help too if your spray nozzle is starting not to spray properly.

Several months ago we srarted noticing a rough engine for a few seconds after startup. Our mechanic said it has something to do with the fuel injectors and cooler weather. Recommended us to add some Lucas Oil additive every few tanks of gas. So we just added one bottle a month. Problem seems to have gone away after a few months.

 

[Calimander]

I know this has been repeated before but the head gasket problems on the V6 engine is very sneaky. It comes and goes, but a cylinder 6 misfire is the classic symptom. Also you won't see coolant on the plugs ,it burns off. As far as the dealer trying to gouge you for unnecessary repairs, you're the customer,tell him what you want done.

 

[hearno]

No one is saying blindly replace the head gaskets... pay to have them checked, shouldn't be more than $100 which has got to be less than you've spent so far.

 

[daka320]

fuel injector cleaner might help too if your spray nozzle is starting not to spray properly.

The Lucas Oil Fuel Additive does clean the fuel injectors and also lubricates them. Time will tell if that is the problem or if it is the beginning of the head gasket ordeal.

 

[claydoctor]

Changed out the three remaining coils last night and OK this morning . Of course it was OK the two mornings leading up to the coil change .
As for the injectors , hedged my bets by buying some Sea Foam , which is supposed to be good for that . Never understood why since gasoline is a solvent that we need some other solvent to clean injectors .

 

[claydoctor]

I know this has been repeated before but the head gasket problems on the V6 engine is very sneaky. It comes and goes, but a cylinder 6 misfire is the classic symptom. Also you won't see coolant on the plugs ,it burns off. As far as the dealer trying to gouge you for unnecessary repairs, you're the customer,tell him what you want done.

Don't you think though that over two months of this , there would be some obvious loss of coolant in the reservoir ? Coolant level has remained constant .

 

[radlynx]

Ok, good to know you changed the last 3 remaining. Maybe you don't need seafoam. Let's wait and see how things go in the next few days. By the way, did you get what code showed up this time?

Changed out the three remaining coils last night and OK this morning . Of course it was OK the two mornings leading up to the coil change .
As for the injectors , hedged my bets by buying some Sea Foam , which is supposed to be good for that . Never understood why since gasoline is a solvent that we need some other solvent to clean injectors .

 

[hearno]

Pay for a leak down test before you throw more money at this... Also, a bottle of sea foam is not a substitute for a proper diagnosis and subsequent repair. As a 2005 V6 owner, the first thing I'd do if I had a miss on a cold start up is bring it to a mechanic and have the motor checked for a bad head gasket.

 

[claydoctor]

Ok, good to know you changed the last 3 remaining. Maybe you don't need seafoam. Let's wait and see how things go in the next few days. By the way, did you get what code showed up this time?

This time the lights only came on for 2-3 days , then went out again. One mechanic told me that the light has to be on to get a code . Another told me that the codes are stored . Having made plans to get more coils, I didn't go out of my way to get another code reading . A few days later the miss went away. A few days after that I installed the coils and I'm on day 3 of all new plugs and coils . I'm holding off on the Sea Foam to see how the new coils work . Again , I will ask those suggesting blown head gasket, as long as this has been going on ,wouldn't my coolant level be dropping ?

 

[radlynx]

i agree, coolant level should drop if there's a headgasket leak. fuel injector can be the issue too. if it pops up again, try to plugin the obd2 reader and we'll know which of the cylinders are causing it.

This time the lights only came on for 2-3 days , then went out again. One mechanic told me that the light has to be on to get a code . Another told me that the codes are stored . Having made plans to get more coils, I didn't go out of my way to get another code reading . A few days later the miss went away. A few days after that I installed the coils and I'm on day 3 of all new plugs and coils . I'm holding off on the Sea Foam to see how the new coils work . Again , I will ask those suggesting blown head gasket, as long as this has been going on ,wouldn't my coolant level be dropping ?

 

[Calimander]

The answer to all this is in the OP's first post. I think the dealership was on the right track with this one---the OP should take it back. If they think that its something different I would trade it in on the spot.The 3k plus that the HG is going to cost is 1/2 the value of the 4runner.....IMHO

 

[hearno]

OP - this has been going on for a year according to your first post... If you had spent the money to have the HG checked than I'd say keep tossing money at fuel injection related repairs. However, you keep spending money on everything but the $100 or so to find out for sure whether or not you have a serious issue. Hope in one hand and shit in the other, tell me which fills up first. Spend the money to have the issue checked, if it's not leaking, great. Figure out the cause of your issue however you or your mechanic sees fit but what sense does it make to spend money on something you have been chasing for over a year with no results. Obviously talking common sense to you have no effect as you refuse to listen to sound advice and it's your money so why bother asking us? As far as your question about your coolant level... your mechanic probably tops it off when you bring it in or it's not leaking bad enough yet to see a measurable loss in the overflow container. I'm sure it doesn't take much to make a motor stumble on a cold start for 10 seconds or so.

These are quotes from your first post:

"I am trying to convince myself it is not a head gasket " Obviously...

"Hate to have the dealer replace head gasket and that not be the problem" Why would you replace it without having it checked first? Because you refuse to listen?