New To Me 86 4runner Issue

S

swimbikerun247

New member
I traded for an 86 4runner this past weekend. I've been looking for awhile. Anyways wondering if anyone can lend some words of wisdom to my situation.
When you crank the truck, it fires right up and everything is good. If you ease along in the yard or very gingerly down the road, all is well. If you get on the gas much to get up and going the check engine light will come on and stay on until you shut it off. Doesn't really effect the way it drives or anything but when the light first comes on it feels like there might be a slight power loss. Any suggestions at where I should start? The previous owner ran the codes and supposedly fixed a couple "issues" until it started throwing a code for a part that the truck supposedly doesn't have ... Therefore I'm confused. Thanks for any help.

Pics included just to show off my new truck. Picked it up for about $850 worth of trade items.



 
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swimbikerun247 said:
Also wanted to find out what this is in the middle of these two pics? Looks like a sensor of some sort.


Click to expand...
This is your coolant temp sensor as states above.
When the engine is cold it runs a bit richer and therefore could be the cause of your o2 sensor issue. But I'd get a quality replacement for napa or shucks not the cheep coolant sensor they have and probably not the most expensive either. And see if that gets rid of and issues. Your computer is probably running the truck as if its cold all the time right now
 
So I've already ordered a coolant sensor and a harness for it. How many o2 sensors does an 86 have? 1 or 2? The reason I ask is because my truck had headers put on in place of the standard manifold.

And where is the knock sensor located on an 86?
 
The 22re has two coolant temp sensors. The one in the pic doesn't do anything as far as how the engine runs. That particular sensor only sends a signal to the temp gauge in the instrument cluster. The temp sensor that talks to the ecu is mounted to the upper front of the engine near where the lower intake manifold bolts to the head.

The knock sensor is located on the passenger side of the engine block just in front of the fuel filter.
 
Just wanted to say thanks for the help. Problem solved atleast for now. Still gotta replace the coolant sensor so my temp gauge functions.
 
wallytoo said:
how was it solved? i mean, what specifically solved your code problem?
Click to expand...

I found the knock sensor by looking through the passenger side fender well (pic below). Also found the knock sensor wiring connector. I fiddled with it forever trying to get it to plug in to realize that there was a piece from an old knock sensor stuck in the connector (pic below). Once I figured this out, I was able to remove it and reconnect it to the sensor. Then pulled the EFI fuse for about a minute to clear the codes. Hoping this will increase my gas mileage, truck is running like a champ right now. I do have a power steering fluid leak I'll have to address.

Knock Sensor (you can see it to the upper left of the oil filter when looking straight through the passenger side fender well)



Knock Sensor Wire (the piece in the end wasn't suppose to be there)

 
swimbikerun247 said:

Click to expand...

Just out of curiousity, does your '86 have A/C? The sensor shown, that's on the thermostat housing, isn't necessarily the temp. sending unit for the gauge.
I don't know what Toyota changed through the years, but from my experience, this sensor is for the A/C.
I too thought it was the sending unit for the gauge, so I unplugged it on mine, but my temp. gauge continued to work.
 
Last edited:
Night_Wolf84 said:
Just out of curiousity, does your '86 have A/C? The sensor shown, that's on the thermostat housing, isn't necessarily the temp. sending unit for the gauge.
I don't know what Toyota changed through the years, but from my experience, this sensor is for the A/C.
I too thought it was the sending unit for the gauge, so I unplugged it on mine, but my temp. gauge continued to work.
Click to expand...

Interesting but no my a/c isn't hooked up. Hasn't been since I picked it up. No belt or anything on the compressor, I just assumed the whole compressor was bad or something.
 
swimbikerun247 said:
Interesting but no my a/c isn't hooked up. Hasn't been since I picked it up. No belt or anything on the compressor, I just assumed the whole compressor was bad or something.
Click to expand...

So you say your Runner does have A/C. I meant to ask you, "did your Runner come with A/C from the factory?"
This means that sensor on the thermostat housing is more than likely for the A/C system.

Someone could correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've found on this forum and other Toyota related forums, that sensor is a fail-safe for the A/C system. If the engine gets too hot, that sensor will tell the ECU to shut off the A/C so it doesn't overheat the freon/R12/R134a. I know it sounds crazy, I found it to be unbelievable too when I read a write-up about it.

Again there are others on here that know a lot more than I do about the 1st gens.
 
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