Sorry for another thread...but haaaalllp lol

izzyidk

New member
Hey guys, new to the 3rd gen, but I have tried to find the solution to my problem via forum searching and google but after 3 weekends of working on it, i'm giving up so here is my problem..
1997 limited
bought it with 323k miles fired right up and idled high with no misfire until the idle went down it would miss.
before messing with it I puled the codes random misfire, misfire 3,4,6.
What I did to start.
new coil packs,
correct spark plugs (unlike what I pulled out)
ngk wires
all 6 new injectors
fixed multiple vac leaks
fuel filter
manifold gaskets.
problem is still here. only difference is at start up it doesn't idle super high and not mis, it's just constant now. I cant figure out the problem. and all threads are saying it's only those things that normally cause it. anything else I should do? I'm afraid if I just buy a JDM motor and put it in, i'll just have the same problem.
TIA.
-Izzy
 
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Have you cleaned the MAF?
Also did you unplug the ECM fuse or do anything to reset the computer?
 
Have you done any testing for a bad head gasket or have you noticed any symptoms of it being a possible cause?

I'm chasing a misfire currently, but I have a sneaky suspicion it's a drive belt causing it. I get some squealing/squeaking drive belt noises on startup accompanied by a rough idle. When the squeal quits the bad idle clears up soon after. Drives fine otherwise.

Do you know if the timing belt has been replaced?
 
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Also could be insulating sleeves going bad
did the spark plugs have scorch marks from arcing off the block?
 
I had a similar issue with mine,ended up being that my r & l cams were off by a couple of teeth. I found this when I did my timing belt. I had purchased the 4runner and it had this idle issue, which needed to be addressed. I checked the basics, that were mentioned in the posts above, but they didnt help. Needed to do the timing belt anyhow, so I pulled the cover and when the crank marks were lined up, my TDC was not quite TDC on the cams. I replaced the TB along with the other stuff you should do when doing that job and made sure my cams were at TDC prior to putting the new belt on. Once the job was completed, no more idle issues and she runs like a champ. just a thought.
 
Have you cleaned the MAF?
Also did you unplug the ECM fuse or do anything to reset the computer?
I reset the battery every time, I unplugged the maf while it was running and the car died, so I deemed it good....? lol

Have you done any testing for a bad head gasket or have you noticed any symptoms of it being a possible cause?
I haven't seen any symptoms of a BHD.
I'm chasing a misfire currently, but I have a sneaky suspicion it's a drive belt causing it. I get some squealing/squeaking drive belt noises on startup accompanied by a rough idle. When the squeal quits the bad idle clears up soon after. Drives fine otherwise.
My idle doesn't clear up sadly.

Do you know if the timing belt has been replaced?
not sure. the owner got it from his dad who owned it for 8 years. he wasn't around for questions. I thought of replacing, but if the motor ended up being bad I didn't want to waste the service.

Also could be insulating sleeves going bad
did the spark plugs have scorch marks from arcing off the block?

plugs weren't burnt. i had to helicoil one because their family "mechanic" 1 put the plug in crooked, 2 put the wrong plugs in.
 
I had a similar issue with mine,ended up being that my r & l cams were off by a couple of teeth. I found this when I did my timing belt. I had purchased the 4runner and it had this idle issue, which needed to be addressed. I checked the basics, that were mentioned in the posts above, but they didnt help. Needed to do the timing belt anyhow, so I pulled the cover and when the crank marks were lined up, my TDC was not quite TDC on the cams. I replaced the TB along with the other stuff you should do when doing that job and made sure my cams were at TDC prior to putting the new belt on. Once the job was completed, no more idle issues and she runs like a champ. just a thought.

Going to try this this weekend! (if rain permits)
 
You can pull the top cover off, with a little work and then line up the marks at the crank and take a peak to see if your at TDC on the cam gears

saweeeeeet. If this motor was half as easy as my other toyot motor, timing belt would be the easiest thing ever lol.
sadly I am no good with timing, so i'll probably dissasemble the front. i.e rad and whatever else is in the way to do tbeld (haven't done it yet) and have a friend come over and set it.
 
saweeeeeet. If this motor was half as easy as my other toyot motor, timing belt would be the easiest thing ever lol.
sadly I am no good with timing, so i'll probably dissasemble the front. i.e rad and whatever else is in the way to do tbeld (haven't done it yet) and have a friend come over and set it.

Read through my help thread that I posted (its not too long), also put a few pics in when I found the cause.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/234228-97-3-4-low-idle-issue-looking-help.html
 
Will do! thanks for the help, i'm used to zilvia where everyone just bashes you lol.

People are nice here. I don't understand all the internet trolling that goes on in other places. Are people really that nasty nowadays? Makes no sense.
 
You now need to do a compression check--leakdown test would be ideal. Fuel pressure test after that.

Pretty much ruled out spark, so compression and fuel are next suspects.

Did you take a close look at your old plugs? They can bear clues....
 
You now need to do a compression check--leakdown test would be ideal. Fuel pressure test after that.

Pretty much ruled out spark, so compression and fuel are next suspects.

Did you take a close look at your old plugs? They can bear clues....


yea i was thinking of renting a compression tester.
the old plugs looked very normal. had a mechanic friend look at them also.
I assumed fuel pressure wasn't the issue because it threw so many codes. but that could have been wrong.

Thanks!
 
High idle cured

I had a high idle (1,400-1,600) that wouldn't go away. Finally solved it by replacing the IAC valve as well as the front and rear oxygen sensors.
 
So at high idle or I'm assuming, when you give it gas the miss is not present? Only when at low idle? You said you unplugged your MAF and it died so its good. Well that's half the story. At 323K that thing might but good but also completely covered with dirt. If it can't sense much air it might be trying to run the engine very lean. At high idle it would be giving it more gas. I would try cleaning the MAF just to see if it makes a difference. It's free except for a can of contact cleaner.
 
So at high idle or I'm assuming, when you give it gas the miss is not present? Only when at low idle? You said you unplugged your MAF and it died so its good. Well that's half the story. At 323K that thing might but good but also completely covered with dirt. If it can't sense much air it might be trying to run the engine very lean. At high idle it would be giving it more gas. I would try cleaning the MAF just to see if it makes a difference. It's free except for a can of contact cleaner.

yea I have a can of cleaner, i'll give that a shot this weekend. Some friends were also telling me to look into ecu maybe. since I did all the work, the car no longer idles high without a misfire. I know I did the work correct, and plugged in everything, and all the grounds. But before getting my hands on it, there was a very shitty "mechanic" working on it.

the old owner told me he was driving it around town and it started to misfire, he parked it and bought a new car. that's all the history I got. lol
 

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