Galen

I was driving my 2002 3G 4Runner w/84,000 miles on it the other day across Ontario, Canada. Was on the road with my wife for about 3.5 hours of steady driving at about 75 degrees going approximately 70 mph when the truck started having difficulty accelerating. Instead of the regular 'steady' increase of gas as I pressed the pedal, the truck would not go faster & in fact I had to have the pedal-to-the-floor in order to continue going 70. It was sort of a subtle jerky-motion that lasted for about 2 minutes. I then pulled over at a rest stop to see what was going on. As I did so & got to about 5 mph, the truck felt like it was going to stall; started to sort of shake. Subtle, not violently. It did not stall but I seriously thought it was. the A/C was not on.

I waited about 10 minutes then continued driving & there were no other issues nor did this happen again. I put on about 800 miles after that experience so I don't know what to think right now.

So I ask if anyone has an idea of what this may mean or anything like that? A batch of bad gas (not sure, was about 3/4 full when this happened). Any insight is greatly appreciated.

Jonathan

Sounds like you might need new plugs and wires....could be causing a misfire.

jimbob

No, its much more sublime than plugs and wires...

I had this happening to me --- driving down the freeway at 70 and just a complete loss of power - engine still running and revving, but no power. I could shift it into neutral and rev - back to drive and nothing --- it would last for ~1-2 minutes and go away. Also, cruising ~35mph --- just a complete loss of power for a minute or two. Never threw a code - no other symptoms.

I attributed it to an oily factory oiled K&N filter fouling the MAF during hot summer weather --- pulled the K&N and cleaned the MAF and it has gone away for the most part.

I'm curious what others have done to diagnose/resolve this.

Jonathan

It's hard to diagnose the problem over the internet so it could be either or. I know when my plug wires went bad i would loose all power traveling at highways speeds...i could maintain speed but it wouldn't accelerate any faster. Plus he stated that it has a subtle shake, consistent of what happens when you have old plugs and wires which creates misfire and sudden loss and gain of power. From the description it sounds exactly like what happened to me.

Does the shaking get worse the harder you push down the accelerator?

Galen

Interesting. Plugs & wires - as in spark plugs?

Again this only happened once but when it did, the shaking did not get worse I simply had to have the pedal to floor to maintain the speed of 70. Was really strange. Now, I did not lose all power nor did I lose any power at all, it was difficult to maintain speed then when I went to stop the darn thing had a subtle shake like it was thinking about stalling... like if you were driving a stick shift & you missed your cue to shift & the vehicle shakes (my 4R is not a stick) that's what it felt like. Barely moving, that is when it shook a lot more than going faster.

As a note, there were no check engine lights or anything like that. I keep this beast in shape with oil changes every 3-4K, follow rex according to the book/specs & do not abuse it.

If this is the plugs/wires issue I take it that it is not a constant thing but a sporadic event? If this is something I can just swap out to fix I would like to do that as my wife drives it as well, I do not want her to have an issues either. Is this something, someone with next to 'no' mechanical/4Runner experience do myself? Any idea of a cost?

As for: "I attributed it to an oily factory oiled K&N filter fouling the MAF during hot summer weather --- pulled the K&N and cleaned the MAF"

Could you please dumb that down for me? Where is this filter you speak of & how could I check/clean it? Thanks.

Rock Slide

iTrader: (1)

You're correct, when he said plugs and wires, that's short for spark plugs and wires.

As for the quote: "I attributed it to an oily factory oiled K&N filter fouling the MAF during hot summer weather --- pulled the K&N and cleaned the MAF".

He is describing his air filter made by K&N. This filter is located in the engine compartment behind the passenger headlight. As for dumbing it down, it's a big square filter. Around 10" x 10" in size. The MAF is the mass aif flow sensor. If too much oil is added to the K&N filter, the excess oil gets sucked in and sets the sensor off. However, I suspect that if you don't know where the filter is, you probably don't have an aftermarket filter...just a guess though.

As far as you problem and how you have described it goes, I have not experienced this. I once owned a '95 4Runner and had a spark plug go bad on it. The truck would not got past 70mph, but the entire truck ran rough as hell on the freeway (about a 25min drive I had from work to home) until I got it home and replaced it. Drove fine after that.

For your situation though, it wouldn't hurt to check the plugs...heck, it can't hurt to just replace them anyway.

Galen

Thanks fellas. Ah no I do not have an aftermarket air filter. Everything in my truck is OEM & stock. I just took a look, the air filter is quite clean actually as I replaced it about 20K ago, no major issue there. The spark plugs actually look to be OEM & original when it was new in 2002. I have no idea how to tell if they have issues though unless there is a tell-tale sign.

About the spark plugs, can I replace them myself (easilly) or should I just take it to a dealership? Any idea of the cost. I have no problem putting new spark plugs on the truck as I try to be proactive with it before I end up having an issue.

li_runner

I'll throw this out there....


Fuel filter?

Rock Slide

iTrader: (1)

Yes, anyone can replace their own plugs...just depends on how techinically inclined your are. It's not difficult by any means, it just takes patience. Otherwise, if you don't feel up to it, have someone else do it.

Here's a writeup on doing it yourself: http://www.4runners.org/writeups/sparkplugs/

Now as far as rushing to the dealer to have this done, I wouldn't do that. I'm still not 100% convienced just yet that bad plug/wires is the cause of the problem.

We are just throwing ideas out there to help you fix the problem.

aviator

AHA! the goverment's new anti-speeder device works!... sort of... BWAHAHAHA...
firstly 70MPH in northern ONT. is a bit fast... but we'll let that one go.. heck I ain't no choir boy neither... but seriously...

If your truck is still on it's original plugs/wires it is time for new ones and a tune up... you might have picked up a tank of contaminated fuel up north you might try a bottle of fuel system cleaner/water separater(sp?)... You might also have some carbon build up in the engine a piece of which could have broken loose and foulled a sensor or jammed a valve there are a number of products you could use for this problem... as others have said this is difficult to e-diagnose.

all this being said a trip to a mechanic/dealer you trust might not be a bad idea get them to check the obdII for error codes (if any) and use them a starting point. Changing your own plugs/wires is simple but it takes a bit of time and it helps to be a contortionist for the rear ones just go slow and it will work out fine... On the other hand if you're not mechanically inclined or don't have time there is no shame in having someone else do it...
Hope we helped
Prost Aviator

Ron Helmuth

agreed --the symptoms you described are exactly what was happening to my
2nd gen Runner on a long distance trip to Oregon and back. Several bottles of Techron (brand sold at Chevron gas stations) cleaner seemed to help until that batch of gasoline was burned up-however the symptoms returned until the fuel filter was replaced.

I am not a mechanic and do not pretend to be-I pay someone to do most all the work I have ever needed-I simply am going by the symptoms you describe.

icerunner

No question in my mind that at 84,000 Miles and the original plugs are still in the truck....?

Dude, those are 30,000 max mile plugs, you can probably go 50K,
but 84K??? no freaking way the plugs can last THAT long....
do youself a big favor and replace them NOW!!!

I'm going out on a limb here.......the issue is with 1 or more of your spark plugs,
..... kind of a bi'ach job disamembling all the coil packs and air ducting...I've done it several times takes me now about 90 minutes to do it carefully and perfect....
If you do it (plugs)your self:
1) go slow and use ONLY denso or NGK's DUEL ELECTRODE PLUGS....and tell pepboys to go to hell with their BOSCH PLUGS (crapola for our engines)
2) alot of goofy plastic parts/connectors so dont break anything incluiding being carefull not to strip the engine threads
3)use a tad of "anti sieze" on the plug threads
4) clean the "throttle body" while your at it
5) 5" socket extension is your best friend and a socket made for spark plugs(i think 5/8"), don't under torque or over torque the plugs
6) leave the plug wires, at 84K there very likely still good to go (at 140K my plug wires are perfect)
just go slow and you'll be fine

If you doubt your skills or don't want to mess with it....

heck pay a local tech 75.00 to 100.00 to change them out for you.....Plugs are cheap try that 1st....
after you change them tell us if we are right about the plugs...

tntempest

My 02 had the factory plugs at 85,000miles. NGK's on one side and Denso on the other. That is how you can tell they are factory. Has something to do with the triple coils and +/- coil firings. Why nobody suggests going back to this when you replace them I have no idea. I went with new NGK's factory dual electrode. Used anti-seize and a torque wrench. The electrodes had huge wear patterns and huge gaps. Car does run a lot better at idle, but I was still getting 22+ MPG on freeway trips. You need a good selection of socket extensions to get the right one for the plugs on drivers side. The passenger side is a joke compared. I changed my wires at the same time but they looked fine. Does anybody know the factory torque value? I used 17-18ft/lb which is what BMW aluminum heads use.

icerunner

I believe its 14-15 /lB torque but 17 to 18 is fine, I don't use a torque wrench as I just go on feel as I turn the plug just untill i feel the plug's metal gasket crush and then I give it another 1/4 turn...your right about the Denso on one side and the NGK being on the other as the factory original set ....I found out the "hard way" that these plugs are 30 K max mile plugs just like Galen, I found out at at 78K Miles on my engine... After 'using techron FI Cleaner and I fouled out my older plugs something horrible....Knocking,Pinging, loss of power....I think I cried myself to sleep that night.....

When I pulled the plugs out of the engine THEY LOOKED BAD....Wide gaps,conductor loss, fouled from techron which was the last nail in the coffin for older plugs....trust me when I say this If you add seafoam or any type of cleaner to you engine/older plugs you are asking for trouble....
predetonation, pinging, knocking are horrible for your engine...
Best advice:
get it fixed "yesterday"

Galen

Well s**t I did not know that plugs are really meant to go only 30K or so.

You know, really, I do not know what to think. This was the first (knock on wood) time that this has happened & has not done so again. I don't know what to think, I called my Toyota dealership - said with labor & all that would be about $150 w/tax. Not that bad I guess, kind of sucks that this is something you have to do every 30K or so. The dealership told me to put some fuel injector cleaner + some dry gas in there as the fella on the phone said it sounded like I had some bad gas that was contaminated with water. I've had no pinging, no knocking & sounds as per usual when I start her up. Again, I really do not know what to think...

Rock Slide

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, if you're still on your orig plug/wires @ 84k miles, I'd probably go ahead and change them out too. (Guess I read over that part before)

But since you only experienced the problem you had just one time, it does sound like you got some contaminated gas. Just a thought.

mkgarrison5

yeah its plugs... i had 85k miles on my original plugs and that happened to me while going down a country road going 65. i changed the plugs (denso) and no more.. i also did the following

-replace fuel filter
-plugs
-cleaned MAF
- cleaned butterfly valve and that whole area
- cleaned out the filter box

lots of dust and stuff in the box. keep in mind that the filtration is not that good in tacomas and 4runners. esp if its the one that you just lift up the lid and drop in. they do not seal good at all and you get dust and other stuff in your intake.. thats why cleaning it every so often would be highly recommended. try this stuff first and it wouldnt hurt to mix 2-3 cans of seafoam in a 1\3 tank of gas and run till empty

mkgarrison5

plug wires?? isnt the 3rd generation ran on packs and not wires? my 02 tacoma has the coils and you cant replace the wires without replacing the coil packs.. correct me if i am wrong

mkgarrison5

go get the tune up done, it needs it bad and run the seafoam i suggested in my post above.

FrmrJPGuy

I have a very similar problem with my 94 Wrangler. I have changed the plugs and wires, all of the sensors and it still happened after driving longer than normal distances. Come to find out my catalitic converter is bad. How old is you converter? Mine is the original.