TSB on sulfur smell for V8 03-04 4 Runners

[OmarT4R]

sulfur smell

hey guys, i just had my runner serviced for this sulffur smell. I had no clue there was a whole mess going on. i bought the car in march n didnt get to drive with the windows down until early may n is when i noticed the smell. i dont drive the car that much so i thought it was the breakin in smell. but this was way too strong. and like it says in the forums happens when i accelerate n have the back window down. I called toyota dealer they told me they never heard of this, and had the car inspected, they changed some pipes and some oxygen sensors. i got the car back before yesterday but havent been able to drive it yet to test if the smell still there. hope not cus it really sucks.

 

[Kanab]

I figured out how to fix the problem. Act like you are wealthy and bought a new Landcruiser that does not have a rear window that rolls down and don't roll your rear window down. I've never rolled my rear window down and have never smelled a problem. :rolleye2:

 

[kglueck]

:lmao: hehe...you got me rollin' on that one. :

 

[OmarT4R]

the Smell is here to stay

I finally got to drive the car after it was serviced, no luck with the 'scent'
I dont know if they flashed my ECU.

 

[MAC4Runner]

I had my 4R in the dealer yesterday for this TSB. I'm happy to report that MOST of the rotten egg smell is gone. It still shows up a little bit when I get on it, but overall I'm happy. I have not noticed any decline in performance. The tech. at the dealership even mentioned how happy he was that Toyota issued a TSB, because contrary to the prior reports of bad gas, the truth was Toyota had switched to lower quality cats to save $. He was happy to see them switching back to higher quality cat converters.

YMMV

 

[Kanab]

I'd have the TSB done but then what would I blame the smell on? This sulfur smell is the best thing that could happen to most guys. If you don't think so you are a girl or your not eating the correct foods.

 

[4route]

sweet! i should be getting mine soon!

 

[Kanab]

Glad to see the stainless welds, that confirms that our exhaust system are made of stainless steel.

 

[4route]

ohhh, was that you that was asking about that way back when?

 

[Kanab]

ohhh, was that you that was asking about that way back when?

Yes and no one knew. I thought it was stainless, since the Landcruiser was, but did not know for sure. Good information comes to he that waits

 

[darktiger]

How long should this procedure take. I am taking mine in today, and the dealer said it should take about 1 hour. Is that correct??? He said all they have to do is remove some bolts and put the new catalytic converter in. So there is welding involved? Can anyone put the catalytc converter replacement procedure from the repair manual up, if anyone has it avalible.

 

[darktiger]

Got mine done on Friday. No sulfur smell, even under hard accer... Only took 2 hours, thank goodness I did not have to pay, the cat converter cost like 960 alone...... No noticable drop in performace at all.

 

[Herd72]

May sound like a simple question . . .

but where can I download a copy of the TSB? The only one I could find was TSB EG015-04 which specifies v-6's and I have the V-8. I want to have it in hand when I go to the dealer.
Thanks,
Jim

 

[4route]

the dealer called to let me know the cat. was in ... so i called to make an appt. to have everything done, and got chewed out! the service writer told me that they should never have ordered the part because it's under warranty and they have to verify the problem first. (i understand this part) ... but then he also told me that the issue is with the fuel, and not the truck. he said "toyota has issued bulletins telling us specifically NOT to TOUCH the cat. because it's a problem with the fuel, not anything on the truck" ...

so, he's all pissed off at me, and i didn't know what i did wrong - all i did was tell the parts guy about the problem and the parts guy ordered the parts.

i'm supposed to take it in tomorrow morning at 7am. i have a feeling they're going to try to tell me that i don't qualify for the fix, or that toyota says it's just the gas, so i should just try a different grade.

i hate this. i told the guy about the TSB and he said it didn't matter even if i brought it in, because toyota says not to do anything with the cat., and that we need to change fuel grades instead.

as much as i love my truck, i may very well have to sell it and get something else.

 

[yabedude]

4Route,

You're not having a good experience with the dealers down there. Knowing about the TSB is good enough right now. I'm waiting till closer to the end of the time period before I approach the dealer. No use wasting a good cat if a free one is waiting in the wings.
--
Chris

 

[4route]

oh, well, i'm not paying for the f-ing thing... if they make me pay for it, i'll just keep my damn sulfur smell.

can we open our own dealership? we could travel around and include a circus act!

 

[darktiger]

What state are you located in 4route???

 

[kglueck]

wow. tracy, you just need to bring yours down here to college station. I've never had a problem with our dealer here. Bossier-Atkinson Toyota. guess I should post a kudos in the dealer area here. Mine's at the dealer right now having the cat changed out. part arrived on monday.

When I went in, I told them, "I have tried lots of different gas places around town since I was told about the sulphur smell (took it in about a year ago about this) and still smelled the sulphur smell bad, was there any other idea they had that could help?" of course, I knew there was a new tsb and that my vehicle qualified. but I let them tell me about it. dunno, maybe
bringing up the fact that there's a tsb makes them defensive...dunno...

Kevin

 

[Kanab]

Some important information to know before you fix your 4runner. If you fix it and tell your wife/girl friend, and for you 4route your boyfriend/husband you won't be able to blame that sulfer smell on the 4runner any longer. Just something you may want to think about, before you have it fixed. I'm not fixing mine

 

[kglueck]

isn't that what the dog in the back is for?