TSB on sulfur smell for V8 03-04 4 Runners

[greasefingers]

Thanks for that. I'll check my VIN # tonight.

 

[DawgRunner]

No, it doesn't. It's about 80 out of the range; that's part of the problem. They're trying to convince me that all the reprogramming has been done and that my truck doesn't have the sulfur problem, when driving around I fairly clearly know that it still does. I'll get it hashed out with them...

And, no. Haven't had the stereo installed yet. Got busy at work and broke at the bank Still in the short-term plans, but may be Christmas or so before it happens. I'll let you know

 

[rando]

I just picked it up from the dealer. Here are my observations on the brief 5 mile trip home.

1) Everything appeared to work ok. I didn't lose my custom ECU settings (i.e. my lights still turn off when I open the driver side door instead of waiting 30 secs). Also, I didn't have the problem with mentioned above with flashing lights on the dash.

2) Large perceived loss of power. I assume this is just a result of the ECU having been reset. I'll give this a few miles to see if the truck "relearns" my driving behavior.

3) No rotten egg smell. Then again, I rarely smelled it anyhow.

4) After a few miles, I notice a slight burning smell. Presumably this is just the new exhaust piece burning in. The smell isn't much different than the one you smell during the first couple hundred miles after you first bought the car.

5) I verified that the Toyota Mod sticker was under the hood as specified in the TSB instructions. I also checked underneath and didn't notice anything special. I couldn't tell which part was the new one.

 

[Kanab]

I just read the TSB, mine is one that qualifies. After reading the TSB I would not let the dealer touch my ECU, way to much downside risk for some smell improvement that has never bothered me. I alway drive with the windows up and my auto temp controled A/C on. Also this work is covered for 96 months and 80K miles so you have a long time to have it corrected. Good luck to you brave souls that let the dealers mess with your engine computer . Also has anyone really long term noticed a smell improvement???

 

[rando]

I don't think there is to much risk in letting the dealer reflash the ECU. It either works or it doesn't. If it fails and screws up the ECU, their only choice will be to replace the entire ECU. Either way, you get an ECU that has the code that Toyota intended.

Now if we should trust this new code or not...that's another matter completely.

 

[HuntRunner]

I have had mine done for about a month now; there is definitely an improvement with the odor. The dealer said the catalytic converter is an improved one……I have no complaints. At times, I even think I have a slight improvement in mileage.

 

[rando]

Cool! Did you notice a slight drop in power at first -- for instance while the computer relearned your driving behavior?

 

[HuntRunner]

Cool! Did you notice a slight drop in power at first -- for instance while the computer relearned your driving behavior?

Actually, I did not know the computer would do this? Do you mean if I drive more aggresive I will gain more power?

To answer your question, I did not notice a loss of power......but maybe our driving habits are different.

 

[Kanab]

I will trade for a new vehicle before my 80K mile warranty on this feature is up. I might be a good guy and at 75K-80K miles I might have this TSB done that way the new owner will get a new CAT

 

[rando]

Actually, I did not know the computer would do this? Do you mean if I drive more aggresive I will gain more power?

To answer your question, I did not notice a loss of power......but maybe our driving habits are different.

No, you won't gain more peak power. You will alter when/how the power is applied. IIRC, the engine ECU and transmission computer are both adaptive. They monitor various sensors (including driver inputs) and adapt shift points to 'optimize' performance. Try the following experiment to see what I mean. In city driving, do several fast starts in a row (3-5). At the next start, back off a little bit. The will 'guess' that you wanted a fast start and probably still take off fairly quickly. Now do the opposite. Do several (3-5) slow gradual (granny) starts. At the next stop, try to take off a bit more aggressively. You should notice that the truck shifts through gears a bit too quickly and you have to press the gas a bit further than normal to get the tranny to kick down. This is the adaptive behavior at work.

 

[c44me]

rando,

Thanks for the info, I had read the tranny control was adaptive, I had not heard the ECU was adaptive as well. Do you have any reference to Toyota documentation on how this all works? I have not been able to find anything at all so far, in terms of technical descriptions of this from Toyota.

My biggest question is, why on earth would Toyota think anyone would want to drive a vehicle that behaves like this?

My 4Runner is at the dealer right now getting the sulfur dioxide TSB done, as well as the suspension squeak and seat handle TSBs.

 

[HuntRunner]

No, you won't gain more peak power. You will alter when/how the power is applied. IIRC, the body ECU and transmission computer are both adaptive. They monitor various sensors (including driver inputs) and adapt shift points to 'optimize' performance. Try the following experiment to see what I mean. In city driving, do several fast starts in a row (3-5). At the next start, back off a little bit. The will 'guess' that you wanted a fast start and probably still take off fairly quickly. Now do the opposite. Do several (3-5) slow gradual (granny) starts. At the next stop, try to take off a bit more aggressively. You should notice that the truck shifts through gears a bit too quickly and you have to press the gas a bit further than normal to get the tranny to kick down. This is the adaptive behavior at work.

Maybe I have noticed this and just did not realize it. After a weekend of towing my boat, I think it shifts a little different at first.
Thanks for the explanation!

 

[rando]

No, I don't have the documentation but somehow that thought got buried in my mind. Something about how drive by wire works to help cut emissions and (cough cough) save gas. I might just be crazy.

In any case, I'm fairly certain I've observed the behavior I described. Perhaps it's just the tranny computer doing that.

 

[rando]

2) Large perceived loss of power. I assume this is just a result of the ECU having been reset. I'll give this a few miles to see if the truck "relearns" my driving behavior.

3) No rotten egg smell. Then again, I rarely smelled it anyhow.

4) After a few miles, I notice a slight burning smell. Presumably this is just the new exhaust piece burning in. The smell isn't much different than the one you smell during the first couple hundred miles after you first bought the car.

Update: I drove about 150 miles yesterday and everthing feels closer to normal now. I also intentionally drove with the back window down and never smelled the eggs. Finally, the initial burning smell I reported in #4 eventually dissipated.

 

[Kanab]

I understand that this TSB causes your engine to fail at 60,001 miles :

 

[greasefingers]

No it doesn’t but the new catalysis in the converter will now make the gases smell like arse

 

[live4swell]

Has anyone that has had this done looked at what parts were replaced under the car? Was it just the cat assembly and y-pipe right before the muffler? Right under the passenger side. I just got mine back and that was the new parts on there. On a side note, does anyone know what those two "cat-looking" things are that go up on each side towards the cylinders? Are they resonators? I didnt think they were more cats.

 

[Supralizard]

Hey guys,

I am new to the forums here

I did alot of reading before buying the car, and was expecting that sulphur smell when i bought her.

It is a V8 Limited.

The smell was bad, buy not horrible at first. Then on my first trip towing a boat i could not stand having any windows open... this thing is terrible.

Thanks to this forum i printed out the TSB, and went to my local Toyota dealership, and showed them the TSB.... they were very nice about it, ordered the part right away and called me 3 days later to come in for the install and ECU programming.

All done now. I talked to the shop foreman, and he said that Toyota is one of the few companies that are nice enough to try to fix it for customers, as apparently VW, Volvo, and a few others have the same problem and the companies just lay the blame on the gas ans do not help you at all. The forman told me he uses a 04 Tundra V8 from the dealership to tow his boat around and the problem is the same.

All the information i got from him lays blame on the SLEV certification and environmental compliance, yet the sulphur content in North American gasolines is way to high compared to Japan and Europe.

Esso/Exxon are the worst (which i use ), Shell is second worst apparently. Sunoco/Suncor is supposedly the best mostly in their highest grade fuel.

So nonetheless, they did the TSB which got rid of the small during hard accelleration, and high speeds where it was more than evident before. When i hooked up my boat i thought it was gone until i drove up a hill.... STINKS still... much less, but still stinks

hope this helps, and thanks for all the useful info

Cheers,

 

[BKromm]

Supralizard, which TSB did you take to your Dealer and which dealer was it? I've checked with two here in Calgary and they have both said that they have the TSB on the V6, but nothing for the V8. That and the always standard "that's a normal smell" response :cursin:

 

[Supralizard]

Here is a link to the PDF document...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=31585

print it out and give it to the service manager or foreman at your toyota dealer.

i am in ontario, so i do not think my dealer would be of much help :chair:

Regards,