MikeKaduce

The steering went out on my truck and I had to leave it parked over a Friday night in a parking lot in kind of a rough neighborhood. I had it towed the next day to a shop where the steering was fixed, but upon leaving the shop it ran terribly. Since then I've replaced the plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, fuel filter, and catalytic converter hoping to find out the cause for loss of power. It's very hard to start the truck out (running 33x12.50s with stock gears) and it will not go up steep hills, even in first. It tops out around 50mph in fourth gear, 5th gear hasn't been used since breakdown. It also seems to have more power and a higher, healthier idle when it is colder outside, although that's also when it's hardest to start. Where can I look next for the source of this power loss?


Just tested compression today as well, just over 150 psi in all cylinders.

thook

Vacuum leak somewhere? Did you check all your vacuum lines, yet?

Does your 88' have the V6 3.0?

Myron

what is the best way to check for a vacuum leak.....soap and water?

thook

Yeah, there's that and a tiny spray of starting fluid. The engine will rev if the fluid makes it to the intake, if the line goes to the intake. Hopefully, all your vacuum lines are hooked up correctly?

MikeKaduce

Checked vaccum lines a few days ago, one was disconnected towards the back of the EGR valve and I reconnected it. No power gain, but now it idles very well no matter the temperature (it idles the way it should after replacing plugs wires cap and rotor like i did a month or so ago). Also reconnected a dangling ground to the motor. Still no power gain.

2.4 22r-e, sorry for vague

thook

So, was thr truck running fine before it went to the shop? I'm tryin' to figure out the progression of your sh#tiation.

Oh, how many miles you got on that 88'?

MikeKaduce

Yeah it ran perfectly before it came out of the shop. That's why I immediately started screwing around with things that he could have possibly bumped while adjusting the rod (like advancing the timing a few degrees in case he bumped the dist. cap or something). It left his shop running like hell but like i said, it was towed there so it's hard to say if anything was maybe put in my fuel tank while it was parked in that crappy neighborhood?

just turned over to 260k on the 4banger

thook

Hooahh! Have you checked the fuel filter for obstruction?
When was the last time you cleaned your intake and fuel system?

BTW, was there any way someone could have gotten into your fuel tank?

MikeKaduce

Fuel filter was replaced about 100 miles ago.

I have not yet cleaned fuel delivery system or intake, or tested fuel pressure at the pump.

My gas door has no lock so.....yeah.

thook

Okay, on the filter, but if they stuck something in the tank.....!!!

The gas door has no lock? But, you do have to flip the latch from the cab, right?

thook

Sorry guy, I gotta bail out at the moment to do some things. But, all I can think of for now is recheck the filter. Checking the pump's not a bad idea, either. If the vehicle ran just fine before your lucky shop visit, then the intake and egr system are probably just fine, just wouldn't hurt at some point to clean. That will improve your power and mileage overall.

I'll check back later to see if you've gotten anywhere and/or if I can think of anything else. Good luck Mike!

MikeKaduce

No, it can be opened from the outside, there is no latch like there was on my sr5 4runner.


let me know if you think of anything else, thanks much for your help.

Myron

This really helps me as well, since i have a 89 pick up EFI
how do i clean the fuel delivery system and intake.

Thanks Guys

thook

Short of taking the intake apart and cleaning by hand, do a search (on this forum) on seafoam. Plenty of info on it. I did mine by hand, though. Had too much trouble trying do it with the seafoam into the vacuum lines (pcv)....motor kept dying on me.

Mike...any luck?

MikeKaduce

None yet, haven't been able to get my truck in my buddy's garage - apparently he has some things to work on as well!?

Once I do I want to first test the fuel pressure at the pump. I have been able to accumulate some info on seafoam with regards to intake cleaning, and I'll give that a try too.

Short of those items, I can't really think of anything else. This is frustrating.

thook

Under the circumstances, Mike, I'd check the fuel filter, if you haven't already. It's the easiest thing to do first since you suspect fuel contamination. If someone dumped something in your tank, it's going to lodge there before it all gets to the injectors and intake. Then again, you'd know at the fuel pump filter, too...which is pretty easy to get, also.

CyMoN

have you ever looked in a gas tank they have a metal box that sticks up around the pump to help stop stuff from getting in the fuel line

the shop you sent the truck to, have they done work before or was this the first time.
not to sound paranoid but pulling a few vac lines could make a easy come back customer.

I would recheck all the vac lines again and the timing
we did a head and it was off from the markings on the pulley but after adjusting it to where it ran good it is fine.

thook

Hey, with all the "wonderfully honest" mechanics I've been to, I wouldn't call that paranoid at all. But, I think he's already checked the vacuum lines. Fingers crossed they're not "rerouted"!

Very good ideas...very good!

I didn't think of that little metal box..hum.

MikeKaduce

Just got back from holiday festivities etc.

thook, the fuel filter was just replaced since it started running poorly. There is less than 200 miles on a brand new oem fuel filter.

Took it to the local Toyota shop today and while I turned down a 96 dollar diagnostics program they tried to sell me, the head mechanic did look at it and drive it. He had no idea what to think about it, after looking under the hood and checking vacuum lines and everything.

The fact that it doesn't surge when going up a hill ( no sputtering or anything) leads me to want to believe that it's not due to fuel or air. I think it's something very simple and stupid and that's why i'm not going to take it in and pay ~100 dollars to have it repaired

MR2Di4

I dunno dude. The fact that you have covered all the basics already would make me want to have them do a diagnostics check. Sounds like you've already got $100+ into it already, why spend more replacing what you don't know is good or bad?

I have come across a similar set of symptoms on a friend's Subaru before and tried everything you did until finally I told her to let the local dealership take a crack at it. After a diagnostic, they found a faulty throttle position sensor and dirty mass-airflow sensor. After getting and replacing those it ran normally...

MR2Di4