Alright hold on to your butts for this massive update. I have been going AT IT the past couple of days. Also I want to mention after burping my system, the lean o2 CEL went away at cruise speeds!

Yesterday my roommate bought a 22re 87 runner just like mine. Literally the only difference is the color (silver) and has no A/C. It is running pretty well after a quick 1hr tuneup (valves, idle screw adjust, fixed a few vacuum leaks). Besides the obvious excitement of having a partner in crime, I'm equally excited to have EXACTLY the same car I can look at and bounce back and forth. His is totally bone stock with all OEM parts He is a mechanic type, too, so it's a match made in 4runner heaven with the two of us.

Yesterday evening I went to my favorite junkyard in South LA looking for a new fuel pump bracket and coil/igniter. I tested my coil and it came out to 0.1ohms. Couldn't find the bracket, but was able to test a few coils and igniters. The igniter made absolutely no change, but I did notice more smoothness out of the OEM coil testing 0.6ohms (PO had installed some random generic crap= didn't know that until then!). So there was some smoother idle right there. Bonus- the junk yard gave me the coil for free! Problem was that some of the self tapping screws that ground the coil started stripping after doing so many swaps. I had to jerry rig a bolt and nut to get home and picked up some high grade M6 bolts at AZ. When I returned home, I retapped the ground to the coil and gave everything a q tip cleaning & coat of dielectric before bolting back together. Huge difference in idle and my engine bay looks even happier! Random low idle persisted... sometimes at startup, sometimes when braking pulling up to a stoplight (I am also suspecting my brake booster diaphragm has a slight leak).

This morning a motherload was shipped to my door and I had my work cut out for me.
• OEM coolant temp sensor
• blackmagic electric fan
• LCE street headers w/ block plates & o2 relocation
• Denso P16R plugs
• OEM fuel pressure reg

I had noticed yesterday when checking for vac leaks on my roommates runner that the PCV on my engine is very loose in between the grommet and valve. I started today by sealing that little guy up with some RTV. No change except that I feel better about it.

Next I dove right in with the blackmagic fan, got it running pretty well and I am very happy with it. One of my main goals with this truck is fuel efficiency, so that's the main reason I did it. Another reason is that I can keep the fan running after engine off, somewhat preventing heat soak. I suspect this will help me troubleshoot if the problem persists, with the added benefit of being awesome.

In the middle of the electric fan install, I decided to pop in my new coolant temp sensor since I already had about a quart of coolant siphoned out and it was easy to access with the top radiator hose off. I noticed that the previous owner had installed a non-oem version of it. Yet another generic part they probably got at autozone Also in the midst of that install, I redid one of the grounds.

After doing a test drive and noticing that my idle was still somewhat (however less-so) bumbly and still low at times, I moved on to the header.

I had a little trouble getting the exhaust manifold studs out (I ordered the replacement set). The previous owner had done a really bad job of installing the old studs... some were backwards, and 2 were totally seized. After about 1.5 hours of grueling hand twisting, I finally had them out. Other than that, the install was straightforward and it was very exciting to see my engine bay become so rad looking that I can barely even handle it! Not like you haven't seen those headers before, but I am afraid I must take a pic tomorrow!

Next, I swapped in the P16R's.. now the only remaining piece of my ignition that is not OEM is the wires- which should be here Monday.

With everything bolted up, I prayed to the yota gods and took her for a joyride. Immediately it was apparent that the LCE headers make my exhaust sound quite a bit louder than the headers that were already on there. Stuff was rattling in the cabin. Quite a bit more power in the low end as opposed to the high end, and no CEL lights on the highway which is very good... Although I didn't really put it all the way through its paces with cruising. My one worry is that the non-heated sensor is not going to get a good signal being now relocated to just before the cat (instead of 7" away from cyl#3).

During my test drive, it seemed like my idle had dropped by about 50-75rpm. I stopped on the side of the road and bumped the idle screw up a bit. With my engine nice and warm (after doing several hard pulls), it was easy to notice how buttery smooth the idle is. I'm guessing the plugs probably made a good difference... maybe the coolant temp sensor too.

Tomorrow I am going to get the new FPR in and have to fix a minor coolant leak. I am guessing that I didn't tighten the ECT enough or it's leaking from the radiator hose where the electric fan temperature tap goes into the radiator.

So as a recap
• oem coil, better idle
• new coolant temp sensor and new ground wire, better idle
• oem plugs, way better idle
• blackmagic fan. ooh yeah I like
• LCE headers. oh heck yes!

To do
• fuel pressure regulator
• oem wires
• fix water leak and reburp

 

All right!! Great update and progress.

Having a twin vehicle close by is handy too.

 

I keep forgetting to mention the oil that I always find in the intake manifold and throttle body when taking the upper off. It seems to be coming from the pcv hose.

I just replaced the pcv 2k miles ago, so I feel like that is not the problem. Could this be a piston ring issue?

 

Oops

Was filling the coolant up at the temp gauge sender and overtightened.. Snapped the thermo housing



Lesson learned

 

Bummer! Is that plastic or aluminum? Junk yard part run time in the other 4Runner.

Seems like someone else was having the oil in the IM/TB recently.....I'll have to see if I can find the thread.

 

Looks like an aluminum composite.

And yeah it seems like the oils are getting picked up by the breather hose and the pcv hose. Both ends of each hose (valve cover and plenum ends) had a few drips of oil on them.

If my pcv valve was old I would think that was the cause, but it is new. Which means.. Not good, I think. Piston rings with excessive blow-by?

 

Idea! Catch-can added to the PCV hose....post 24:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...44/index2.html

Are you burning oil and/or adding oil often?

 

No, not too bad. I do have a leak in the front of the engine though. I am worried it is from excessive positive crankcase pressure. I think a vacuum check is in order

Anyway, your link inspires hope that maybe I am doing alright. Thanks for that info rw

 

Also it seems that chefyota is a great resource for my situation. I have been reading tons of posts of his. He certainly did not skimp on the info!

He mentioned a guy in Torrance at Japanese Auto Center that was a 22re specialist. I might have to pop down there if he's still there... Only about 20-30mins away.

Just have to replace that thermostat housing first I bet my roommate will let me borrow his- his truck isn't registered yet and he's not driving it yet.

 

Or, break out the bicycle. Steal his housing, put it on yours....get your part, swap.

Yeah, Chef has a lot in his threads. Have you noticed the "Search this Thread" on toolbar upper right...it's handy for digging stuff out of long threads.

 

He's super nice and said okay, I'm gonna go rip it out!

 

Go girl, just don't break it!! Then I'd be in trouble for the suggestion. Hehe.

 

Alright well I just got back from a good test drive with the new FPR.

Got it nice and hot, then parked in my driveway and let it sit for 15. It fired right back up, no low idle! Kinda shocked me. I spun around the block and did it again. Heck yeah, same result. I hope this keeps up! Not holding my breath though!

On another note, I think with the way the LCE headers are connected (the pipe that goes from header to cat) there is too much pressure on the muffler mount which is causing some really unruly cabin vibrations. It kinda feels like there are no engine mounts at all! Probably going to look at that tomorrow, though. Don't want to burn myself AGAIN

The random missing at idle is still there, but the effect is lessened because the engine is so tight in the mounts from the connection to exhaust. I feel like I am moving in the right direction, though. What an emotional rollercoaster this is. I am totally on the same page as chefyota was with his 87. Need to try a different ECU if no change.

 

The major things I understand on these for the most part. Its those little gremlins that frustrate me. I like how you have recapped what all you have done so others may know where to start. Like me for example, lol

 

Get a new grommet for your PCV the old ones get hard and brittle.

Have you replaced the hoses for the breather and pcv as well.

Old hard hoses can cause pain in the butt oil leaks .

They get so hard they no longer seal.

got carried away on the coolant temp sensor.. I am curious did it bottom out?? Is that why it got tight and broke??

From the picture it looks like if you tapped more threads you would be good to go. Then cheaper to just buy the water outlet then the tap if you don`t have one or can`t borrow one.

 

I have all new hoses there, both pcv and breather. The grommet is new as well.

Today I popped the breather hose from the valve cover and plugged it with my finger, and there was a decent amount of air chuff coming out of the valve cover. Is that normal?

I feel like at higher revvs it would be pressurizng back into the intake quite a bit.. That would explain my oil in the throttle body.

Also glad I didn't hold my breath, I was able to reproduce the hot start issue today. It was not the fuel pressure regulator.

I think next I will try a different ECU or take it to that mechanic in Torrance, whichever I get to first.

The thermo housing might be okay, and yes I think it probably bottomed out.

In other news, fixed my cabin vibration issue after LCE header install.. Removed the heat shield that they were pressed up against. I thought they cleared it at first, but apparently not. No longer feels like the motor mounts are solid

 

Geesh, where is that hot start issue hiding??

 

What I am wondering is about the crankcase pressure. Doesn't seem normal to me. And I wonder if oil in the intake has anything to do with it.

 

Since I've never had a 22re, I'm not sure what is normal. Maybe wyoming9 or Terrys87 would know?
Compare yours to the roomies....

 

I just checked my 86. With the PCV disconnected, idling at about 900, it does blow air out the grommet. The PVC does have a vacuum to it. I had one finger over the PCV and it was pulling on my finger but would not take much to pull my finger off of it. On the valve cover, it took me a minute to actually feel the air coming out.

One time I left the oil cap off and revved it up and it did try to blow some oil out the oil cap. There should be some positive ventilation out of the valve cover. No real way of knowing how much that I know of. I don't have any vacuum gauges.