smiley52

I've read through the FAQs and searched, couldn't find anything. I'm a regular member on TacomaWorld, new to this forum though.

89 Toyota Pickup, 4x4 v6 (3vze) 256K miles
Prior to this, distributor cap and rotor, spark plugs, and wires were changed by me(with minimal knowledge). A few months earlier, before I bought it, the previous owner had somebody do some head gasket work. (No knowledge of what they did or who did it).

My thought is my issue has something to do with timing possibly? Or maybe air/fuel ratio?

While out on some trails, there's a part you get to that has 3 mud holes, then you're on a peninsula in the middle of a lake, and it looks really cool. Go through the mud holes with ease(had to pull out my buddies dakota, that was fun), get to the peninsula, start fishin and shootin a lil bit. Little while later, somebodys coming out to meet us and they need directions. So I go out to meet em, and when I get to the mud hole, step on the gas. Come out of the mud hole, and somethings wrong. I've got my foot on the accelerator and the throttle feels like it catches, and releases, catches, releases over and over again. Thats as good as I can explain it... Completely normal with foot off the accelerator. Limp it all the way back to the barracks.... Hasn't moved since then.
Now when I turn the key, most of the time it doesn't start, just makes a ticking noise under the dash on the passenger side, and when it does start, it turns off within a few seconds.
I have looked up the code, found out the code it's running is for the knock sensor, apparently that goes bad pretty often. I have ordered the parts, just need time to get in there and replace it.
I'm not completely positive that this will fix the issue, so that's why I'm posting.
If anybody has any knowledge on the throttle response issue, It'd be greatly appreciated.

smiley52

Engine code was code 52

VWToy

Does it make any noise while cranking? Or does it even crank?

Sounds to me like you may have hydrolocked.

smiley52

It only turns over every once in a few tries. When it doesn't turn over, the only noise is a click from under the passenger dash. When it does turn over, it turns over smooth, then shuts off after a few seconds.

Now that you mention that... I'll go check, but I don't believe there was enough water to hydrolock. Lemme go pull the spark plugs and see if there's water in there...

smiley52

Nope, no water in the engine, and no water in the oil.

Also recently changed the fuel filter... could the newer fuel filter be restricting the fuel and not sending it to the engine properly, making a bad air/fuel ratio?
That's pretty much what I'm set on... I'm almost positive it's air/fuel ratio

rattlewagon

Have you checked the AFM and TPS, and fuel psi? That would hone you in on it being a air/fuel issue.

I would check compression, just cause. Check the intake for cracks after the afm. Check your grounds too.

Find where the click is coming from... Starter? Relay? what. Have a friend try turning the key while you listen and try to pinpoint.

smiley52

I haven't checked those... but I'll get on it. reading the haynes manual to figure how to check that stuff. seems i need an ohmmeter for all of it, huh?


I checked the click sound, it was coming from the starter, but for some reason today, it was just starting right away. I think it might be because of underuse? idk. just sounded like it was just hitting the flywheel, but not moving it.

smiley52

"So it not staying running was a loose vacuum line, that makes sense. Low vacuum would cause it to bog down and cut off."

This was the issue with it not staying on. Now the issue is the catching and releasing of the throttle. I honestly have no way to describe it, so I'll take a video and post it to youtube I guess.

Team420

Sounds like you still have a vacuum leak. Check the intake boot for cracks, maybe you got your afm wet?