4Runner 3vze doesn't run right
Nov 12, 2019 | 07:00 PM
#1
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 120
Likes: 12
4Runner 3vze doesn't run right
I don’t know where to look and barely know how to ask the question, but I’ll give it a try anyway. I have a 1990 Toyota 4Runner with a 3VZE engine. The engine was rebuilt 3 years ago and I installed it myself. I’m really good with gross mechanical stuff, but the detail things are an art I never acquired. It’s never run quite right since I put it back together and I’m almost certain it’s an emission control thingy. I haven’t been a mechanic in the profession for over 30 years, so most of what I think I know is probably apocryphal anyway.
Anyway, when I start the car and it is cold, it runs, but there is no throttle response to speak of. I can step on the accelerator and I can hear that the throttle plate is opening because it has that growly – sucky sound, but the engine won’t accelerate. It just chugs along until some internal part reaches the right temperature, then it runs better, but never quite right. My sense is that something is not telling it to deliver more fuel, even though the throttle plates open, it doesn’t get any more gasoline.
Once it is up to temperature, it seems to run like it is in some sort of default mode; low power, crummy acceleration, tends to have little misses here and there. I’ve tried some things with it, but it amounts to "test this thing because this guy on the Internet had a kind of similar problem and this is what he said to do".
It does have a leaky muffler. I have a new one but haven’t installed it yet. I don’t think that should make a difference, but what do I know? Obviously not as much as I used to think I knew.
I’m sure this is a sensor or an actuator or some emission control, but when I was a mechanic, I was a diesel mechanic, so I never really learned much about emission controls that I retained. I look on the Internet for an idea of where to start. I can turn a wrench and use a multimeter; I just need a starting place.
Thank you in advance for your advice and suggestions.
Anyway, when I start the car and it is cold, it runs, but there is no throttle response to speak of. I can step on the accelerator and I can hear that the throttle plate is opening because it has that growly – sucky sound, but the engine won’t accelerate. It just chugs along until some internal part reaches the right temperature, then it runs better, but never quite right. My sense is that something is not telling it to deliver more fuel, even though the throttle plates open, it doesn’t get any more gasoline.
Once it is up to temperature, it seems to run like it is in some sort of default mode; low power, crummy acceleration, tends to have little misses here and there. I’ve tried some things with it, but it amounts to "test this thing because this guy on the Internet had a kind of similar problem and this is what he said to do".
It does have a leaky muffler. I have a new one but haven’t installed it yet. I don’t think that should make a difference, but what do I know? Obviously not as much as I used to think I knew.
I’m sure this is a sensor or an actuator or some emission control, but when I was a mechanic, I was a diesel mechanic, so I never really learned much about emission controls that I retained. I look on the Internet for an idea of where to start. I can turn a wrench and use a multimeter; I just need a starting place.
Thank you in advance for your advice and suggestions.
Nov 13, 2019 | 06:05 AM
#4
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 6,059
Likes: 101
From: Sacramento, CA
I don’t know where to look and barely know how to ask the question, but I’ll give it a try anyway. I have a 1990 Toyota 4Runner with a 3VZE engine. The engine was rebuilt 3 years ago and I installed it myself. I’m really good with gross mechanical stuff, but the detail things are an art I never acquired. It’s never run quite right since I put it back together and I’m almost certain it’s an emission control thingy. I haven’t been a mechanic in the profession for over 30 years, so most of what I think I know is probably apocryphal anyway.
Anyway, when I start the car and it is cold, it runs, but there is no throttle response to speak of. I can step on the accelerator and I can hear that the throttle plate is opening because it has that growly – sucky sound, but the engine won’t accelerate. It just chugs along until some internal part reaches the right temperature, then it runs better, but never quite right. My sense is that something is not telling it to deliver more fuel, even though the throttle plates open, it doesn’t get any more gasoline.
Once it is up to temperature, it seems to run like it is in some sort of default mode; low power, crummy acceleration, tends to have little misses here and there. I’ve tried some things with it, but it amounts to "test this thing because this guy on the Internet had a kind of similar problem and this is what he said to do".
It does have a leaky muffler. I have a new one but haven’t installed it yet. I don’t think that should make a difference, but what do I know? Obviously not as much as I used to think I knew.
I’m sure this is a sensor or an actuator or some emission control, but when I was a mechanic, I was a diesel mechanic, so I never really learned much about emission controls that I retained. I look on the Internet for an idea of where to start. I can turn a wrench and use a multimeter; I just need a starting place.
Thank you in advance for your advice and suggestions.
Anyway, when I start the car and it is cold, it runs, but there is no throttle response to speak of. I can step on the accelerator and I can hear that the throttle plate is opening because it has that growly – sucky sound, but the engine won’t accelerate. It just chugs along until some internal part reaches the right temperature, then it runs better, but never quite right. My sense is that something is not telling it to deliver more fuel, even though the throttle plates open, it doesn’t get any more gasoline.
Once it is up to temperature, it seems to run like it is in some sort of default mode; low power, crummy acceleration, tends to have little misses here and there. I’ve tried some things with it, but it amounts to "test this thing because this guy on the Internet had a kind of similar problem and this is what he said to do".
It does have a leaky muffler. I have a new one but haven’t installed it yet. I don’t think that should make a difference, but what do I know? Obviously not as much as I used to think I knew.
I’m sure this is a sensor or an actuator or some emission control, but when I was a mechanic, I was a diesel mechanic, so I never really learned much about emission controls that I retained. I look on the Internet for an idea of where to start. I can turn a wrench and use a multimeter; I just need a starting place.
Thank you in advance for your advice and suggestions.
Definitely wouldn't be anything to do with the exhaust plumbing. The truck would run on manifolds only, if you wanted it to.
Nov 13, 2019 | 04:04 PM
#5
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Registered User
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 120
Likes: 12
The timing mark showed up at a point just below the 5 after indicator on the gauge. The adjustment on the distributor lets me set it to almost 5bdtc, so I'm thinking I need to adjust the entire distributor, as in take it out and move it a tooth, then go back in. Am I thinking this through correctly? I'm thinking that when the distributor assembly was installed, it was a tooth off in the adjustment.
Nov 13, 2019 | 09:45 PM
#6
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,380
Likes: 871
From: San Francisco East Bay
The under-hood sticker gives the correct timing advance, and 5° is almost certainly too little. If 5° is as far advanced as you can go, then you may well need to "re-stab" the distributor (one tooth is about 23°) It's driven by a helical gear (so it will twist as you pull it out). There are marks on the distributor to guide you when you install it. http://web.archive.org/web/201212070...13distribu.pdf
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Nov 20, 2019 | 05:50 AM
#8
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 121
Likes: 31
From: Mission Viejo, CA, USA
Afm to tb plumbing on 3vz-e
After you set the timing try 14 degrees and make sure that the air pipes between the AFM and the TB are not cracked or split or improperly seated at the joints. If the rubber hose that fits the TB is original it is likely hard and has no elasticity to its structure any longer. This is the one that is usually disintegrating. Also the double coupled pipe at the air box and AFM can be tricky to seat properly.
Nov 29, 2019 | 05:28 PM
#9
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
From: 93308, my rig
De
I don’t know where to look and barely know how to ask the question, but I’ll give it a try anyway. I have a 1990 Toyota 4Runner with a 3VZE engine. The engine was rebuilt 3 years ago and I installed it myself. I’m really good with gross mechanical stuff, but the detail things are an art I never acquired. It’s never run quite right since I put it back together and I’m almost certain it’s an emission control thingy. I haven’t been a mechanic in the profession for over 30 years, so most of what I think I know is probably apocryphal anyway.
Anyway, when I start the car and it is cold, it runs, but there is no throttle response to speak of. I can step on the accelerator and I can hear that the throttle plate is opening because it has that growly – sucky sound, but the engine won’t accelerate. It just chugs along until some internal part reaches the right temperature, then it runs better, but never quite right. My sense is that something is not telling it to deliver more fuel, even though the throttle plates open, it doesn’t get any more gasoline.
Once it is up to temperature, it seems to run like it is in some sort of default mode; low power, crummy acceleration, tends to have little misses here and there. I’ve tried some things with it, but it amounts to "test this thing because this guy on the Internet had a kind of similar problem and this is what he said to do".
It does have a leaky muffler. I have a new one but haven’t installed it yet. I don’t think that should make a difference, but what do I know? Obviously not as much as I used to think I knew.
I’m sure this is a sensor or an actuator or some emission control, but when I was a mechanic, I was a diesel mechanic, so I never really learned much about emission controls that I retained. I look on the Internet for an idea of where to start. I can turn a wrench and use a multimeter; I just need a starting place.
Thank you in advance for your advice and suggestions.
Anyway, when I start the car and it is cold, it runs, but there is no throttle response to speak of. I can step on the accelerator and I can hear that the throttle plate is opening because it has that growly – sucky sound, but the engine won’t accelerate. It just chugs along until some internal part reaches the right temperature, then it runs better, but never quite right. My sense is that something is not telling it to deliver more fuel, even though the throttle plates open, it doesn’t get any more gasoline.
Once it is up to temperature, it seems to run like it is in some sort of default mode; low power, crummy acceleration, tends to have little misses here and there. I’ve tried some things with it, but it amounts to "test this thing because this guy on the Internet had a kind of similar problem and this is what he said to do".
It does have a leaky muffler. I have a new one but haven’t installed it yet. I don’t think that should make a difference, but what do I know? Obviously not as much as I used to think I knew.
I’m sure this is a sensor or an actuator or some emission control, but when I was a mechanic, I was a diesel mechanic, so I never really learned much about emission controls that I retained. I look on the Internet for an idea of where to start. I can turn a wrench and use a multimeter; I just need a starting place.
Thank you in advance for your advice and suggestions.
Nov 29, 2019 | 05:35 PM
#10
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
From: 93308, my rig
De
I don’t know where to look and barely know how to ask the question, but I’ll give it a try anyway. I have a 1990 Toyota 4Runner with a 3VZE engine. The engine was rebuilt 3 years ago and I installed it myself. I’m really good with gross mechanical stuff, but the detail things are an art I never acquired. It’s never run quite right since I put it back together and I’m almost certain it’s an emission control thingy. I haven’t been a mechanic in the profession for over 30 years, so most of what I think I know is probably apocryphal anyway.
Anyway, when I start the car and it is cold, it runs, but there is no throttle response to speak of. I can step on the accelerator and I can hear that the throttle plate is opening because it has that growly – sucky sound, but the engine won’t accelerate. It just chugs along until some internal part reaches the right temperature, then it runs better, but never quite right. My sense is that something is not telling it to deliver more fuel, even though the throttle plates open, it doesn’t get any more gasoline.
Once it is up to temperature, it seems to run like it is in some sort of default mode; low power, crummy acceleration, tends to have little misses here and there. I’ve tried some things with it, but it amounts to "test this thing because this guy on the Internet had a kind of similar problem and this is what he said to do".
It does have a leaky muffler. I have a new one but haven’t installed it yet. I don’t think that should make a difference, but what do I know? Obviously not as much as I used to think I knew.
I’m sure this is a sensor or an actuator or some emission control, but when I was a mechanic, I was a diesel mechanic, so I never really learned much about emission controls that I retained. I look on the Internet for an idea of where to start. I can turn a wrench and use a multimeter; I just need a starting place.
Thank you in advance for your advice and suggestions.
Anyway, when I start the car and it is cold, it runs, but there is no throttle response to speak of. I can step on the accelerator and I can hear that the throttle plate is opening because it has that growly – sucky sound, but the engine won’t accelerate. It just chugs along until some internal part reaches the right temperature, then it runs better, but never quite right. My sense is that something is not telling it to deliver more fuel, even though the throttle plates open, it doesn’t get any more gasoline.
Once it is up to temperature, it seems to run like it is in some sort of default mode; low power, crummy acceleration, tends to have little misses here and there. I’ve tried some things with it, but it amounts to "test this thing because this guy on the Internet had a kind of similar problem and this is what he said to do".
It does have a leaky muffler. I have a new one but haven’t installed it yet. I don’t think that should make a difference, but what do I know? Obviously not as much as I used to think I knew.
I’m sure this is a sensor or an actuator or some emission control, but when I was a mechanic, I was a diesel mechanic, so I never really learned much about emission controls that I retained. I look on the Internet for an idea of where to start. I can turn a wrench and use a multimeter; I just need a starting place.
Thank you in advance for your advice and suggestions.
Nov 29, 2019 | 05:39 PM
#11
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
From: 93308, my rig
De
I don’t know where to look and barely know how to ask the question, but I’ll give it a try anyway. I have a 1990 Toyota 4Runner with a 3VZE engine. The engine was rebuilt 3 years ago and I installed it myself. I’m really good with gross mechanical stuff, but the detail things are an art I never acquired. It’s never run quite right since I put it back together and I’m almost certain it’s an emission control thingy. I haven’t been a mechanic in the profession for over 30 years, so most of what I think I know is probably apocryphal anyway.
Anyway, when I start the car and it is cold, it runs, but there is no throttle response to speak of. I can step on the accelerator and I can hear that the throttle plate is opening because it has that growly – sucky sound, but the engine won’t accelerate. It just chugs along until some internal part reaches the right temperature, then it runs better, but never quite right. My sense is that something is not telling it to deliver more fuel, even though the throttle plates open, it doesn’t get any more gasoline.
Once it is up to temperature, it seems to run like it is in some sort of default mode; low power, crummy acceleration, tends to have little misses here and there. I’ve tried some things with it, but it amounts to "test this thing because this guy on the Internet had a kind of similar problem and this is what he said to do".
It does have a leaky muffler. I have a new one but haven’t installed it yet. I don’t think that should make a difference, but what do I know? Obviously not as much as I used to think I knew.
I’m sure this is a sensor or an actuator or some emission control, but when I was a mechanic, I was a diesel mechanic, so I never really learned much about emission controls that I retained. I look on the Internet for an idea of where to start. I can turn a wrench and use a multimeter; I just need a starting place.
Thank you in advance for your advice and suggestions.
Anyway, when I start the car and it is cold, it runs, but there is no throttle response to speak of. I can step on the accelerator and I can hear that the throttle plate is opening because it has that growly – sucky sound, but the engine won’t accelerate. It just chugs along until some internal part reaches the right temperature, then it runs better, but never quite right. My sense is that something is not telling it to deliver more fuel, even though the throttle plates open, it doesn’t get any more gasoline.
Once it is up to temperature, it seems to run like it is in some sort of default mode; low power, crummy acceleration, tends to have little misses here and there. I’ve tried some things with it, but it amounts to "test this thing because this guy on the Internet had a kind of similar problem and this is what he said to do".
It does have a leaky muffler. I have a new one but haven’t installed it yet. I don’t think that should make a difference, but what do I know? Obviously not as much as I used to think I knew.
I’m sure this is a sensor or an actuator or some emission control, but when I was a mechanic, I was a diesel mechanic, so I never really learned much about emission controls that I retained. I look on the Internet for an idea of where to start. I can turn a wrench and use a multimeter; I just need a starting place.
Thank you in advance for your advice and suggestions.
Dec 2, 2019 | 03:43 AM
#12
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 121
Likes: 31
From: Mission Viejo, CA, USA
OM933,
Thanks for your perspective in sharing this. I too have wondered about how well the heater core in the center console can be purged of air bubbles. I know my rig was running funny after my rebuild and I eventually replaced the temperature switch in the manifold at the back of the engine. The lines to the heater core in the dash and console are quite the spaghetti-mess! I will have to remember to open up the valves to the heater and console radiators the next time I flush the system and replace the coolant. The open to closed loop running of the engines ECM is dependent on this temperature switch getting washed with hot engine antifreeze and so if there is entrapped air in there this will bugger things quite nicely! When I replaced the temperature sensor I released any incumbent pressure in the radiator by cracking the cap and then replaced it and removed the sensor from the manifold. Some coolant was spilled but not much and if any air was trapped it was purged at this point because this manifold is quite high up above the cylinder heads. This can be an easily overlooked cause for the engine not running correctly as it transitions to a warmed up condition.
Thanks for your perspective in sharing this. I too have wondered about how well the heater core in the center console can be purged of air bubbles. I know my rig was running funny after my rebuild and I eventually replaced the temperature switch in the manifold at the back of the engine. The lines to the heater core in the dash and console are quite the spaghetti-mess! I will have to remember to open up the valves to the heater and console radiators the next time I flush the system and replace the coolant. The open to closed loop running of the engines ECM is dependent on this temperature switch getting washed with hot engine antifreeze and so if there is entrapped air in there this will bugger things quite nicely! When I replaced the temperature sensor I released any incumbent pressure in the radiator by cracking the cap and then replaced it and removed the sensor from the manifold. Some coolant was spilled but not much and if any air was trapped it was purged at this point because this manifold is quite high up above the cylinder heads. This can be an easily overlooked cause for the engine not running correctly as it transitions to a warmed up condition.
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