I have a 94 Toyota pickup with a 3.0 with 31s and stock gears and an automatic transmission. The issue I'm having is sometimes on start up it takes a few seconds to start and the exhaust smells like it's running rich. Also I know it's runnin rich considering I'm only getting like 160 something miles to a tank of gas. Any suggestions on what I can check? I also put a new o2 sensor in and that did nothing. So anything to check would be great thanks!

 

I got a similar problem. just bought a truck and failed emissions today.

 

I'd like to know the common problems of that issue before I start to throw a tps sensor or a mass air flow sensor at it. There definitely not cheap.

 

I'd try temperature sending units first. They can make the ecu thunk it's ice cold all the time, and squirt way too much fuel to compensate.

 

What are your MPG?
Is that hwy or city?

 

"160 miles per tank" seems low, but seriously folks, MPG is measured in miles per gallon, not miles per tank. We don't know if you fill up when the needle is laying on E, or when it's just below 1/2, nor do we, or you, have any idea how accurate your gauge is. Write down your exact mileage between fill-ups, and the exact gallons and fractions thereof from the pump, and do the math. Only then do you have numbers that are worth anything to help you analyze the problem and evaluate solutions.

For reference, a 3vze in good condition with a manual should average 17-19 mpg depending on driving conditions, and an auto will likely be 1-1.5 mpg less.

My 5-speed mpg's are:
20-21 rural mountain driving at 40-50mph
17 freeway driving at 75mph
19 daily commute 5 miles each way, 45mph roads with 3 stoplights.

 

Here are a few things to check for your issue:

• Spark Plugs - check to see if they are charring normally, if worn replace
• Plug Wires - if its been sometime, replace them
• Cap & Rotor - if its been awhile, cant hurt to change these, you can get OEM ones from the dealer for about $40
• Fuel Injectors - a bad injector can cause your truck to run rich as it will spray too much fuel, dirty injectors may also cause this, get a fuel additive such as B-12 or Chevron w/Techron
• Catalytic Converter - if your truck has been running rich for sometime, it will degrade the cat faster, if it has been on for sometime, might need to replace it
• Air Filter - cant hurt to replace and there cheap
• PCV Valve - if its been awhile, replace it
• Oil & Filter - make sure you change you oil every 3 months or 3K miles to keep a schedule, depending on what kind you use it might be longer
• Fuel - try to using higher octane fuel, middle for starters

Otherwise, let us know what happens

 

No point in throwing parts into the car unless they really need to be replaced. Chances are you're heavy on the throttle. I know I had to adjust after throwing a set of rock crawlers and 31's. The wheel and tire itself was much heavier than the original stock setup. The additional unsprung weight is likely the reason for my increased gas consumption. The only way I've found to make a tank last longer is to keep a lighter foot on the highway.

 

I fill it up when it's on E and get about 12 mpg city or highway. I have new plugs plug wires and cleaned the rotor cap. Also I just put a new catalytic converter on due to it not having one but it had this problem before I put it on. Which coolant sensor should I check. There's multiple sensors behind the intake that have coolant contacting them.

 

Also I go 163 give or take miles and put 14+ gallons in it

 

For any car especially an older one, you do not want to fill up when you are on "E" as the fuel pump can over heat and possibly fail.

 

Within those 163 miles, how often are you in stop and go traffic? Or leaving your car idling while waiting @ a drive-thru or for someone to come out from a house? How fast do you drive on the highway?

 

I get in it and hit the freeway to work goin about 65 mph for 30 minutes

 

I would be thrilled to get your mileage; which if my math is correct is about 11.4 mpg. When you factor that up based on your 31" tires as opposed to the 28" tires it came with, that is really 12.7 mpg. I get a whopping 9.5 mpg with all of these things considered.

One question, are you losing power steering fluid regularly? My 94 3.0 was and I finally solved that problem with the help of this forum where my power steering fluid was being sucked into the intake manifold through the idle up valve on the PS pump. It made my truck smoke at start up and then still smoked some while driving. Just saying this problem can make you think your truck is running rich. I don't know yet if that will help my mileage. I was going through a reservoir of ATF in about 15 miles.

Automatic transmission is also tough on mpg's. The 3.0 is just not very powerful so it's hard to stay out of the throttle. Even on the highway, my truck is in overdrive only about 15% of the time.

 

No I'm not loosing power steering fluid and I changed the fuel filter on it and found it to be the original fuel filter that had 210,xxx miles on it. But when it takes a minute to start the exhaust smells like gas I'm thinkin it could be a coolant sensor not reading correctly. For some odd reason this past tank of gas I went 210 miles then had to fill up but this tank is back to how it was around 160 miles to a tank of gas.