thomasmbeasley
New member
This is my second shot at posting this. After spending a solid thirty minutes last night I lost my original post. For the second time around I will be more to the point.
i just finished driving from Monterey, CA to San Angelo, TX in my 91 3.0 with 250K. I had some minor incidents and would like to get some feedback on if I am on the right track with my assessments.
For some background info:
About four or five months ago I purchased a 91 MT v6 3.0 with 250K miles for a low low price. My original idea was that it would be a classic little car to get me around town and to the beaches. I bought it from the original owner who had kept it in good condition, but had stopped driving it a couple months earlier after buying another truck.
There were some minor sounds coming from the engine, but nothing major. No leaking fluids, however it does burn a little oil. I never had the money to take it for the complete servicing it probably needed or deserved. But I justified this by one not having the money at the time and two it was only short driving in a 20 mile radius. As well I figured I would at least drive it until it gave out.
However during the course of the trip, we (the truck and myself) had a bonding experience. Now I see the errors of my ways and plan on keeping her around for a while, and taking better care of her as well.
I forgot to mention that the stereo can only tune into to 103.9 and is only at one volume. To me this is an endearing quality of the car. But I had a lot of time to think about my relationship with her and how I had been negligent of her needs to stay in proper working condition.
But I digress. Here are the incidents that occurred and what I think the problem could be, I am hoping that people much more knowledgeable than me could help out.
The first problem I noticed was the lack of power while driving up hill. I attribute some of this to being a 91 with 250K miles and additionally being loaded down with an extra 400 lbs. It typically lost 10- 15 mph and on occasion required down shifting. Could this be due to a lack of compression?
The second incident happened three times. I would be driving along around 65- 75 mph and the car would kick/ jump forward for a split second. The third and final time it did this the check engine light came on for a brief second. Had it not been dark and the instrument console lights gone out I would have not seen it. I don't want to say what I think it could be because it might jinx something. But I thought it could be the original transmission giving me some warning signs about future problems.
And the third incident happened on the third and final day in New Mexico. I had started the car and let it warm up for about 5 minutes or more. As I entered the interstate and got up to speed, the ever constant clicking noise that has always come from the instrument cluster became louder and louder until it became an unbearable screeching sound. The speedometer also stuck at 30 when I pulled off the interstate. Luckily there was an exit a quarter mile from where I entered the interstate. I stopped at gas station and tried to think about what I could do with my limited tool kit that was not easily accessible due to poor planning while packing. I left the car parked in the sun to hopefully warm up a little more, after about 20 minutes. I decided I would go on a test run, back tracking so in the event it started again I would be at the gas station again. I didn't have many options being new years day and everything being closed in the small town. I got on to the interstate got up to speed and it was quiet. The speedometer holds solid until hitting 75mph now. So I am thinking maybe the cable that connects to the speedometer is in need of attention. Any idea of what that could have been? Also that night I noticed that the instrument console lights were shot. The a/c and all those controls still worked and even dimmed. So I am not sure, this afternoon I am going to go check to see if it was just a fuse or what.
Any information or help on what the above problems would be greatly appreciated. Also does anyone know of a good 4runner mechanic in the San Angelo, TX area.
i just finished driving from Monterey, CA to San Angelo, TX in my 91 3.0 with 250K. I had some minor incidents and would like to get some feedback on if I am on the right track with my assessments.
For some background info:
About four or five months ago I purchased a 91 MT v6 3.0 with 250K miles for a low low price. My original idea was that it would be a classic little car to get me around town and to the beaches. I bought it from the original owner who had kept it in good condition, but had stopped driving it a couple months earlier after buying another truck.
There were some minor sounds coming from the engine, but nothing major. No leaking fluids, however it does burn a little oil. I never had the money to take it for the complete servicing it probably needed or deserved. But I justified this by one not having the money at the time and two it was only short driving in a 20 mile radius. As well I figured I would at least drive it until it gave out.
However during the course of the trip, we (the truck and myself) had a bonding experience. Now I see the errors of my ways and plan on keeping her around for a while, and taking better care of her as well.
I forgot to mention that the stereo can only tune into to 103.9 and is only at one volume. To me this is an endearing quality of the car. But I had a lot of time to think about my relationship with her and how I had been negligent of her needs to stay in proper working condition.
But I digress. Here are the incidents that occurred and what I think the problem could be, I am hoping that people much more knowledgeable than me could help out.
The first problem I noticed was the lack of power while driving up hill. I attribute some of this to being a 91 with 250K miles and additionally being loaded down with an extra 400 lbs. It typically lost 10- 15 mph and on occasion required down shifting. Could this be due to a lack of compression?
The second incident happened three times. I would be driving along around 65- 75 mph and the car would kick/ jump forward for a split second. The third and final time it did this the check engine light came on for a brief second. Had it not been dark and the instrument console lights gone out I would have not seen it. I don't want to say what I think it could be because it might jinx something. But I thought it could be the original transmission giving me some warning signs about future problems.
And the third incident happened on the third and final day in New Mexico. I had started the car and let it warm up for about 5 minutes or more. As I entered the interstate and got up to speed, the ever constant clicking noise that has always come from the instrument cluster became louder and louder until it became an unbearable screeching sound. The speedometer also stuck at 30 when I pulled off the interstate. Luckily there was an exit a quarter mile from where I entered the interstate. I stopped at gas station and tried to think about what I could do with my limited tool kit that was not easily accessible due to poor planning while packing. I left the car parked in the sun to hopefully warm up a little more, after about 20 minutes. I decided I would go on a test run, back tracking so in the event it started again I would be at the gas station again. I didn't have many options being new years day and everything being closed in the small town. I got on to the interstate got up to speed and it was quiet. The speedometer holds solid until hitting 75mph now. So I am thinking maybe the cable that connects to the speedometer is in need of attention. Any idea of what that could have been? Also that night I noticed that the instrument console lights were shot. The a/c and all those controls still worked and even dimmed. So I am not sure, this afternoon I am going to go check to see if it was just a fuse or what.
Any information or help on what the above problems would be greatly appreciated. Also does anyone know of a good 4runner mechanic in the San Angelo, TX area.
