New owner, couple of problems.
01-11-2011, 10:24 AM
#41
Let's be realistic, nothing will get you 5-7 MPG. 17mpg is the window sticker rating, in the warmer months, when it was brand new. At those outside temps, 14-15mpg for city driving on winter gas is well within expected range.
p.s. if your front wheels make even 1 revolution, it's good enough. When you forcefully spin the wheel with your hand, that's no more than 50 watts of energy for about a quarter second. To move the 4Runner down the highway, it takes 50,000+ watts continuous.
p.s. if your front wheels make even 1 revolution, it's good enough. When you forcefully spin the wheel with your hand, that's no more than 50 watts of energy for about a quarter second. To move the 4Runner down the highway, it takes 50,000+ watts continuous.
01-11-2011, 11:09 AM
#42
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Yes the front wheels just barely make one revolution before stopping, and thats using 1 finger. And 14-15 mpg in winter is what I got with my 22re that was totalled, so I'm hoping for at least that in a vehicle that is 10 years newer with a more efficient engine.
So I'm at a loss, I'll try the cardboard trick, concidentally I need to fill up today so I should be able to tell by the weekend if it's improved. If it does, what does it mean, my theromostat is bad or the electric fan is staying on 100% of the time?
(And again, thanks for all the responses I appreciate it very much)
So I'm at a loss, I'll try the cardboard trick, concidentally I need to fill up today so I should be able to tell by the weekend if it's improved. If it does, what does it mean, my theromostat is bad or the electric fan is staying on 100% of the time?
(And again, thanks for all the responses I appreciate it very much)
01-17-2011, 02:25 PM
#43
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Still no better, so tomorrow it goes to the dealership where I'm gonna tell them to diagnose the 10 mpg problem and if they can't find anything it's gonna be traded in on a jeep patriot for my wife.
01-17-2011, 02:59 PM
#44
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How much carbon buildup is on that plug base? Did all of them look similar? The only times I have seen carbon build up on a plug on any vehichle is due to a rich fuel mixture caused by a leaking injector or the rings were so worn that some cylinders had little to no compression in them. Did you perform a compression test?
I'd replace the fuel filter first as a cheap fix and throw some BG 44k in there to see if you obtain any better mileage. You could have a plugged kitty.
Replacing my ECT (CTS) sensor helps bring my car up to temp from the cold much more quickly than before.
If you trade, get the Liberty. The Patriot, not that well put together.
I'd replace the fuel filter first as a cheap fix and throw some BG 44k in there to see if you obtain any better mileage. You could have a plugged kitty.
Replacing my ECT (CTS) sensor helps bring my car up to temp from the cold much more quickly than before.
If you trade, get the Liberty. The Patriot, not that well put together.
01-17-2011, 04:40 PM
#45
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All the plugs have that dry black on them. And I had a misfire on cyl 3 which was fixed by a new coil, not sure if that would cause it to run rich or not. And a couple weeks ago I had toyota run their carbon cleaner directly through the fuel rail so I'm also considering that may have lead to the carbon on the plugs.
I've thought maybe the unburnt fuel from the misfire has ruined the cat but I have no codes and replacing the cat would be a very expensive guess. Haven't done a compression test because it runs so well and has lots of power as well as the fact that its freezing cold outside.
Fuel filter is a good idea, I'll tell them to do that tomorrow when they try to diagnose it.
I've thought maybe the unburnt fuel from the misfire has ruined the cat but I have no codes and replacing the cat would be a very expensive guess. Haven't done a compression test because it runs so well and has lots of power as well as the fact that its freezing cold outside.
Fuel filter is a good idea, I'll tell them to do that tomorrow when they try to diagnose it.
01-17-2011, 07:51 PM
#46
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The Lubegard injection cleaner kit that some Toyo dealers use here in the US is good stuff. Considering where the carbon is on that plug, that makes sense.
The fuel filter is a cheap fix and easy to change as long as those 14mm connector nuts can be loosened with a little muscle.
I'd get a exhaust pressure test after the filter change and go from there.
The fuel filter is a cheap fix and easy to change as long as those 14mm connector nuts can be loosened with a little muscle.
I'd get a exhaust pressure test after the filter change and go from there.
01-19-2011, 10:55 AM
#47
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Has anyone used Engine Restore in their oil?
I have added a can to the last two oil changes and although I have not tested the compression, I have noticed a slight increase in mileage (1-2mpg) over the last year or so.
I get 16-19 depending on how much highway mileage I drive.
Last tank was 17.3 on ~60% hwy and winter gas.
The stuff seems to do the trick for high mileage engines.
I have added a can to the last two oil changes and although I have not tested the compression, I have noticed a slight increase in mileage (1-2mpg) over the last year or so.
I get 16-19 depending on how much highway mileage I drive.
Last tank was 17.3 on ~60% hwy and winter gas.
The stuff seems to do the trick for high mileage engines.
02-15-2011, 04:41 PM
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Didn't get the Jeep, reason I didn't get the Jeep is because they only offered me $2,000 as trade-in value for my 4runner and I just paid $7,000 a few months ago.
So I'm trying to sell it privately and get back my money, but I'm also being honest about the gas mileage problem because I don't want some poor kid to spend his hard earned money and discover his new 4runner is gonna cost him a fortune in gas.
BUT: I may have found the problem, the command start that was installed by the previous owner was a huge hack job, and I think it was "grounding out" which means resetting the computer every time I started it which means the ECU was never learning the proper fuel to add since it started from scratch each time. (I realized something was resetting things because the radio stations were always reset) So I just got this fixed today and I'm hoping to see a big improvement in mileage this week otherwise I'm lost again!
So I'm trying to sell it privately and get back my money, but I'm also being honest about the gas mileage problem because I don't want some poor kid to spend his hard earned money and discover his new 4runner is gonna cost him a fortune in gas.
BUT: I may have found the problem, the command start that was installed by the previous owner was a huge hack job, and I think it was "grounding out" which means resetting the computer every time I started it which means the ECU was never learning the proper fuel to add since it started from scratch each time. (I realized something was resetting things because the radio stations were always reset) So I just got this fixed today and I'm hoping to see a big improvement in mileage this week otherwise I'm lost again!
02-16-2011, 06:09 AM
#50
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Didn't get the Jeep, reason I didn't get the Jeep is because they only offered me $2,000 as trade-in value for my 4runner and I just paid $7,000 a few months ago.
So I'm trying to sell it privately and get back my money, but I'm also being honest about the gas mileage problem because I don't want some poor kid to spend his hard earned money and discover his new 4runner is gonna cost him a fortune in gas.
BUT: I may have found the problem, the command start that was installed by the previous owner was a huge hack job, and I think it was "grounding out" which means resetting the computer every time I started it which means the ECU was never learning the proper fuel to add since it started from scratch each time. (I realized something was resetting things because the radio stations were always reset) So I just got this fixed today and I'm hoping to see a big improvement in mileage this week otherwise I'm lost again!
So I'm trying to sell it privately and get back my money, but I'm also being honest about the gas mileage problem because I don't want some poor kid to spend his hard earned money and discover his new 4runner is gonna cost him a fortune in gas.
BUT: I may have found the problem, the command start that was installed by the previous owner was a huge hack job, and I think it was "grounding out" which means resetting the computer every time I started it which means the ECU was never learning the proper fuel to add since it started from scratch each time. (I realized something was resetting things because the radio stations were always reset) So I just got this fixed today and I'm hoping to see a big improvement in mileage this week otherwise I'm lost again!
I'd bet that was your problem. Good luck.
02-16-2011, 07:00 AM
#51
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Hi Guys, 99 4runner v6 SR5, recently bought it. 160 thousand miles on it.
Has had a recent tune up, cleaned maf, new plugs, wires etc.
First problem: Seems to lose and gain power. For instance, on the highway under moderate to hard acceleration it will go pretty steady in 2nd gear and then around 4500 rpm it suddenly gains a noticeable amount of power. From a standstill, it seems to have power one time and less power the next time.
Second probably related problem: HORRIBLE gas mileage. Around 8-9 MPG, calculated the proper method. It's the average over 3 tanks of gas since I owned it.
I do have a code checker and live data scanner, it has no codes, TPS reads fine, MAF reads fine, o2 sensors read fine.
Totally stumped here since it doesn't throw any codes. Do I throw in a new cat and hope that fixes it? Fuel filter is lifetime right?
EDIT: Let me say one more thing, it's extremely cold where I am, ranging from -5 to -20 Fahrenheit, so 8-9 might seem unthinkable, but I'm positive part of the horrible mileage is due to the cold and winter gas, but something is still wrong somewhere.
Has had a recent tune up, cleaned maf, new plugs, wires etc.
First problem: Seems to lose and gain power. For instance, on the highway under moderate to hard acceleration it will go pretty steady in 2nd gear and then around 4500 rpm it suddenly gains a noticeable amount of power. From a standstill, it seems to have power one time and less power the next time.
Second probably related problem: HORRIBLE gas mileage. Around 8-9 MPG, calculated the proper method. It's the average over 3 tanks of gas since I owned it.
I do have a code checker and live data scanner, it has no codes, TPS reads fine, MAF reads fine, o2 sensors read fine.
Totally stumped here since it doesn't throw any codes. Do I throw in a new cat and hope that fixes it? Fuel filter is lifetime right?
EDIT: Let me say one more thing, it's extremely cold where I am, ranging from -5 to -20 Fahrenheit, so 8-9 might seem unthinkable, but I'm positive part of the horrible mileage is due to the cold and winter gas, but something is still wrong somewhere.
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