multiple warning lights came on

[BOSMECH]

Thank you BlackworksInc. that is the right thing to do and you can have it done for free at any parts store.
But for those who are too lazy or even don't know, then that is what a mechanic is for and helps keep them employed and making money.

 

[easyc]

I don't understand why people are so adamant on avoiding reading the DTCs... It literally is the easiest thing you can do to figure out what is wrong with the vehicle. Yet everyone insists on throwing money on gas caps and other crap and prolonging the inevitable by disconnecting the battery...

After getting a proper tracing from BlackWorksInc and confirmation from BOSMECH my lights came back on before I got a chance to do my tune up. 4WD again wouldn't engage into 4Lo and wouldn't disengage readily from 4Hi. So I took their advice and went to check my codes. ( Unfortunately where I am I can't get this done for free. ) Anyway it turns out that I have a misfire in cylinder 2. That explains why I felt the hesitation and stumbling as if missing but this was only apparent on start up before engine reached operating temperature. I went and bought a coil pack and a set of double platinum plugs and will do the tune up this weekend. Once codes were cleared the 4WD worked perfectly again.

Excuse my ignorance and lack of manual. Which cylinder is #2?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

After getting a proper tracing from BlackWorksInc and confirmation from BOSMECH my lights came back on before I got a chance to do my tune up. 4WD again wouldn't engage into 4Lo and wouldn't disengage readily from 4Hi. So I took their advice and went to check my codes. ( Unfortunately where I am I can't get this done for free. ) Anyway it turns out that I have a misfire in cylinder 2. That explains why I felt the hesitation and stumbling as if missing but this was only apparent on start up before engine reached operating temperature. I went and bought a coil pack and a set of double platinum plugs and will do the tune up this weekend. Once codes were cleared the 4WD worked perfectly again.

Excuse my ignorance and lack of manual. Which cylinder is #2?

Cylinder#2 is the first cylinder on the driver's side near the radiator:

 

[easyc]

Thanks

 

[BRossman]

Inspect the plug and swap coils with cylinder 4. If the misfire follows to cylinder 4 then you know you have a bad coil. If it stays on 2 then it's either the injector (not common on these engine) or the head gasket (most likely).

 

[BRossman]

Inspect the plug and swap coils with cylinder 4. If the misfire follows to cylinder 4 then you know you have a bad coil. If it stays on 2 then it's either the injector (not common on these engine) or the head gasket (most likely).

Reread your information you have a 4.7l I that you had the 4.0 v6. It's definitely a coil then.

 

[BRossman]

Reread your information you have a 4.7l I that you had the 4.0 v6. It's definitely a coil then.

And FYI on our v8 engines banks 1 and 2 are reversed so cylinder 2 is the front cylinder (closest to radiator) on the passenger side

 

[easyc]

2005 SR5 4Runner Engine is V6 4.0
70,000 Miles.
Thanks for your suggestion and thoughts.
I hope it is not a head gasket. When I bought it the first thing I noticed was that the radiator cap was not closed and the overflow bottle was empty. I since closed it and only had to fill the overflow bottle. No overheating has been observed or loss of coolant.

 

[easyc]

Inspect the plug and swap coils with cylinder 4. If the misfire follows to cylinder 4 then you know you have a bad coil. If it stays on 2 then it's either the injector (not common on these engine) or the head gasket (most likely).

After reading title Head gasket - Survey - Especially V6 I really need to check properly as the symptoms are exactly as they describe. Missing on initial cold start up and smooths out in about a minute or two.

 

[BRossman]

After reading title Head gasket - Survey - Especially V6 I really need to check properly as the symptoms are exactly as they describe. Missing on initial cold start up and smooths out in about a minute or two.

Ok then those symptoms definitely indicate headgasket. Misfire on a cold soak is the symptom we always see. To verify we usually run them to operating temp, pull plug on suspect cylinder and then pressurize cooling system. As the engine cools you will find a pressure loss and coolant seeping into the cylinder.

 

[easyc]

Thanks BRossman for your tips. Looks like I may have to park it for awhile until I find the time and am able to get all this done to avoid any other problems that might occur like overheating.

 

[easyc]

Got away cheap as it turns out it was indeed a faulty coil pack. Now that it has been changed along with a new set of plugs the engine runs ISO smooth I can hardly tell it is running.