Truck running a little uneven...

[Dbiz]

So recently, within the last week or so, I've noticed that when I start the truck up (cold start only) it tends to idle a bit uneven and shake a little if I don't put it in gear and just let it sit for 20 to 30 seconds or so. However, after the initial problem the truck seems to run normal. It responds normally when you press the pedal down and I haven't noticed any drop in power or driving quality.

However, last night when I was getting home I heard/felt the truck almost putt-putting up my street and into the driveway. Once again, there was no issue with loss of power or decreased driving performance, but just sounded like the engine was running a bit uneven.

Obviously this could amount to any number of different things, and could be as simple and the truck telling me it needs a solid tune up. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed symptoms similiar to these and what they did/found out.

Thanks in advance!

 

[zcruiser]

So recently, within the last week or so, I've noticed that when I start the truck up (cold start only) it tends to idle a bit uneven and shake a little if I don't put it in gear and just let it sit for 20 to 30 seconds or so. However, after the initial problem the truck seems to run normal. It responds normally when you press the pedal down and I haven't noticed any drop in power or driving quality.

However, last night when I was getting home I heard/felt the truck almost putt-putting up my street and into the driveway. Once again, there was no issue with loss of power or decreased driving performance, but just sounded like the engine was running a bit uneven.

Obviously this could amount to any number of different things, and could be as simple and the truck telling me it needs a solid tune up. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed symptoms similiar to these and what they did/found out.

Thanks in advance!

Hmm... If you "felt" something, then that means (IMO) that there was a change of power to the drivetrain, which then transferred to your butt-meter.

How long since you changed the plugs & wires? Air filter? Cleaned the MAF?

I assume since you didn't mention it that there is no CEL...

 

[Dbiz]

No CEL...as of yet. I did the plugs and wires only about 5,000 miles ago, if that, so that shouldn't be the problem. Both the air filter and the MAF could need a bit of cleaning. I guess those are a good place to start. I suppose the throttle lines could use a once over as well. Hopefully it's something that simple.

 

[Dbiz]

...And boom goes the dynamite. Went out to start the truck this afternoon and on the first try it didn't even turn over. On the second try it did start, but idled more unevenly than ever and I had a ton of white smoke/steam shooting out my tail pipe for about a solid minute. After a few restarts the smoke/steam has dissipated and didn't return, but the truck continued to run unevenly. I decided it wasn't worth screwing around with and took it right down to the shop. On the drive over the CEL also came on. So after talking with the mechanic I'm pretty sure it's a bad head gasket. He's gonna crack it open tomorrow and tell me what I'm looking at but I'm super bummed at this point. Although I guess if it's only a gasket then I may have to give thanks that it isn't a cracked block. We shall see...

 

[zcruiser]

...And boom goes the dynamite.

Oh man, that sucks! Did you see your oil turn tan or anything? I know head gasket failure is a real problem on 1FZ-FE engines in the 93-97 Land Cruisers, but never heard of one on a 5VZ-FE. I know a few guys who replaced theirs as PM and were glad they did.

You'll have to have the head planed if nothing else....

 

[Dbiz]

Ya I'm not a happy camper right now. I didn't see the oil turn tan or anything related. Only started noticing issues less than a week ago. Didn't have any leakage or fluid issues until yesterday I noticed a little spot of something in the driveway after I'd dropped it off at the shop. Not sure what it was exactly. Could have been oil or some kind of condensation. But the oil hadn't turned tan as of yesterday.

Mechanic said that while it doesn't happen a lot, it isn't particularly all that uncommon to have head gasket failure on a truck of this age/mileage. Just my lucky day I guess. Still waiting for the estimate on everything but I'm not real optimistic at this point...