toyota4x4907

vehicle: '93 truck, 22re, 4x4, 5spd, 145K miles.
I know the Idle surge/ rough idle problems have been beat to death, like this horse----, but mine seems to be different than anything I can find. I HAVE searched, but can't seem to get the results I'm looking for.
Last week Tuesday, as I was heading to the gym as I was stopped at a stop light, the engine RPM started surging rather erratically. It was idling just fine at about 1200rpm because it was still cold, then it just started surging to about 2100-2200 rpm..then drop back to 1200..then back up, like I was revving it to race someone .It was cold outside, maybe 20 degrees, and I didn't let my truck warm up a lot, maybe 2 minutes. Once I got to the next stop light ( about 200 yards) It was idling just fine, and by then it was warm so the idle was down to about 800 rpm....so the week goes on.
Come Friday, I start heading back to my mothers house for the weekend--250 mile trip--no problems with idle since that Tuesday, and again its a little chilly, about 25 degrees. Just out of town I start accelerating to 65, but at 60, the engine starts to bog down and lose power, not a lot, but noticeable. It started shaking the truck as well and it got louder and rougher as the speed increased. So I stop and shut it off for a minute, then go again, but this time it started shaking and losing power at about 55mph. After maybe 15 minutes of driving at 50mph, I accelerate to 55, no problem, then to 60..and it starts again. So I decide to drive 55 the whole way, save some gas. 3 1/2 hours later and after driving 30-35mph for 70 miles due to a ton of snow and ice, the roads clear and I go to accelerate to 55..no problem..60..no problem..65..no problem, 70..no problem... Once at my moms house, I leave again to meet up with my g/f's parents another 90 miles away. The whole way I was able to drive 70-75 with no problem.
On monday, as I was coming home from my mother's house. (the 250 mile trip back) It did the same thing the whole way home. I wasn't able to accelerate over about 63 miles per hour. I mean, I WAS able to, but it loss a lot of power and felt like it would blow up or something. Before this, I hadn't driven over 60 due to being in town, and even then I was breaking the law
Sine then I haven't driven over 55, since there isn't anywhere to drive faster in town.
This past Wednesday, at about 2 am, I was taking my friends back to the university from my apartment, and my truck was doing the idle surge thing again. it was maybe 5 degrees that night.
Then last night after watching my nephew for a few hours, as I was warming my truck up before I left my sisters house, It started doing the idle surge..this time the Idle was high to begin with at about 1900rpm since it was so cold, and it was DROPPING to about 1000 rpm, then shoot right back up. It was too cold for my to stand out there and listen for long, but It almost sounds like its missing, Maybe not getting enough air because of a vacuum leak somewhere? I'm not a mechanic, but I have basic knowledge of engines. I do most the work on my truck. so....hm...long, boring post....
thanks in advance for even reading it :wink:

stoicheg2

First and foremost, check the PCM for stored malfunction codes (check engine light)

When was the last time you had a tune up? Pull your plugs, wires and cap/rotor to check out the condition and for corrosion. If you have a volt meter, measure the resistance in the plug wires.

With the possibility of your idle surge and bogging being 2 separate issues, check the IACV (intake air control valve). It controls your idle during cold starts. Also check to see if your coolant level is correct and no air is in the system

abecedarian

adding to stoicheg2's post... did you happen to notice where on the gauge the temp needle was?

toyota4x4907

Thanks for the replies, fellas!
I did a tune-up about 25K miles ago. and since then I've replaced the plugs again. No reason for doing that, just changed over to NGK.
I failed to mention that my radiator is leaking horribly because I didnt think that would affect the idle or anything like that. I have to fill it up every 2-3 days, depending on how much driving I do, so most likely there is air in the system. How do you bleed the coolant system?
Also, shouldn't the CEL have came on if there was a problem? I've never had this problem before and I've had this truck since 97K miles and about 3 1/2 year. I've never had the CEL come on any other time. But I'm guessing there still cant be a stored code in there?
ABE: The temp gauge was at about 1/4 of the whole thing since it was still cold. I don't have any problem with over heating. I've had the common problem of the t-stat sticking, but thats it for over heating. And that hasn't happened in a few weeks.


I need a new radiator.....

abecedarian

leaking radiator=potential for air trapped in the system=potential issues with the coolant temp sensor reading proper engine temp.

toyota4x4907

hm..so It could be overheating without me knowing it. great. but would the over heating cause it to surge? It has only done it three times in about 2 weeks. now..something new has come up...today when I was waiting for some hot-coco at the drive through coffee place, the engine just randomly began to rev up. It was idling at 750-800...then just revved to about 1200 for maybe 3 seconds, then went back down. Then, when i was in the drive thru at A&W, It did it again. It had done this one other time today..but i forgot when....

Thanks Abe...

I need a new radiator........

stoicheg2

pockets of air in your cooling system can cause your idle air control valve to act funny (surging idle).

I'm not too familiar with yotas yet but on other makes, there is a bleeder valve somewhere very close to the thermostat housing. Or, sometimes what i usually do is leave the radiator cap open when i start the car, add coolant til it's full, then close the cap. i let the engine run for a minute or two and pop the cap open again and add coolant til it's full again. then i wait til it's at operating temp and just twist the cap open a tad to let the remaining air escape.

you should take extreme caution if you do it the way i do. opening the cap while the engine is hot and running can cause the coolant to spray out from pressure.

toyota4x4907

Awesome. Thanks stoicheg2. Im probably not going to try to bleed it the way you say you do. I'm going to look for a bleed valve tomorrow when I do a tune-up and just keep the coolant full. I have a radiator ordered and is supposed to be here later this week...maybe thursday or friday. Thanks again.

abecedarian

there isn't a bleed valve on a 22re.

toyota4x4907

Oh. How do you bleed it then? run it with the rad cap off?

desert-rat660

could be a possible egr valve sticking hanging open causing it to surge and run rough, just a thought

axekick

I'm still waiting for someone to solve this problem because my truck is doing the same surge thing. I have a new radiator though and I'm still losing water but I can't figure out where. I actually think it may be going into the overfill tank and not going back into the radiator. I'm going to figure out what the hose on the throttle body is that was mentioned in a similar thread that can get clogged and cause problems. i'll post if I ever figure out what this is since it seems to be common.