UpInSm0kE

Hello,

I just purchased a 97 Tacoma SR5 3.4 4x4 5spd with 223,000 miles. The truck is running great except every now and then when I start the truck it will either die or sputter. I am stumped because after about 5 sec of sputtering it will resume regular idle and will not exp. any other symptoms. Could it be the plugs or fuel filter? I just purchased this a couple of days ago. This is only a intermittent problem and it is not throwing any codes. Thanks in advance.

Tubbyfatty

Cold start injector? Vac leaks? It wouldnt hurt to check the plugs and wires.

My vote is the cold start injector. When i took off the upper intake plenum of my 3.0 i forgot to hook up the connector to it and it took forever to start but I stopped and looked around for stuff unhooked and it was the only thing unhooked.

brian2sun

IIRC, the 3.4 doesn't have a cold start injector like the 3.0. Maybe a leaky injector though?

Tubbyfatty

I didnt know that haha. Now I do

UpInSm0kE

Thanks for the replies guys. Some of the other info that I forgot to include if it helps or not is it seemed to have ran fine with no problems until I hit just below a 1/4 of a tank of gas and it had been sitting maybe an hour before I started it again when I noticed the problem. Does it sound like a Fuel Filter or would the problem be there all the time? Also maybe a really filthy TB?

Kiroshu

With that may miles when was the last tune-up? Coils? plugs and wires? Fuel filter? Vac leaks? Airfilter dirty?

UpInSm0kE

I just got the truck a couple of days ago so I'm not sure when the last tune up was. The wires look new and the dealer said that they changed the oil and pulled the spark plugs and they said they looked good. This problem is weird it only has done this twice since I bought the truck so its not a problem every time I start the truck. The Timing belt was done at Toyota at 191K and it has 223K now. I am thinking that if it was something like the fuel filter it would be doing it all the time it is only on start up for the first 5 sec. occasionally otherwise a very solid truck.

brian2sun

It could be a fuel filter still, and since it's cheap and it's good maintenance anyways, I say replace it. Check the level of your coolant overflow tank when the truck is warm after being driven and keep an eye on it to make sure you're not losing any over the next few weeks (always check it when it's hot because the level will fluctuate between cold and hot).

Definitely clean the TB, IAC and MAF sensor. It's easy and could help the problem too. I would also pull the plugs and take a look for yourself.

It could be any or all of these things, but I'm still leaning toward leaky injector because it sounds like it's leaking into the cylinder while the truck sits and when you start it, it takes a few seconds to burn off the extra fuel, then runs normal. Just a guess, but do the easy maintenance 1st, then see if the problem persists. Injectors can be tested too.

Kiroshu

Look for vac leaks. Fuel leaks. Coolant loss and or leaks. Fuilds should be a #1 check on any vehicle. All a dealership does when they have a vehicle to sell on their lot is wash it and change the oil check the tires and toss it out on the lot. Sooooo.... i'd do a tune-up on it.

UpInSm0kE

Thanks again guys for the replies I will give them all a look over and replace. You guys are mentioning the coolant overflow as a problem area. I kept smelling coolant after the I would shut off the engine. The PO put a water bottle looking thing that you would find in your kitchen like a tupperware product definitely homemade as a replacement overflow reservoir. I am planning on replacing this but is this gonna affect other areas of the engine?

brian2sun

I suggested keeping an eye on your coolant level because if your loosing it and not seeing any drips on the ground, it may be leaking into your combustion chamber through a head gasket and causing the rough idle until it burns off. As far as the homemade reservoir, it should be air tight because air in there might lead to rust.

UpInSm0kE

Its definitely not air tight thanks for the heads up