Christopherrr

about the truck: its a 94 4runner 3.0l v6, the truck has 138000 miles, the heads were redone by a shop 7 months ago, at this time it got a new cap, rotor, plugs, wires, hoses, the whole nine, it has been driving fine, but i have always felt its a little more sluggish than some others ive driven (i dont know what my gears are) but I average 17mpg on 31s and its a stick.

last week...
on my way to work i noticed in second and third gear it jerked a little and had WAY less power than normal. This problem has persisted for about a week but not all the time, i have not noticed any specific time it seems to be random, load no load, heavy or light throttle it doesnt matter. This problems seems to becoming more of a slow all the time low rpm but after 2500-3000 rpm its happy as a clam, but again some times it pulls strong and smooth through all the gears.

I have gathered from the pages here that
it is one of the following:
1 tps
2 02 sensor
3 maf
4 injectors or the injector wiring
5 cap rotor plugs etc.
6 a small hole in my intake pipes
7 a vacum line
8 fuel pressure

Can any one help me narrow this down?
I will have all day friday and saterday to chase this gremlin around... Where should I start?

scope103

I'd check the timing (you'll need a $20 timing light).
I would check the OX1 output on the diagnostic connector, but you'll need a multimeter with an "analog bar", because you've looking for a voltage switch about 8 times in 10 seconds (easy to see on an analog needle, harder with a digital.)
I would use an UNLIT propane torch to look for vacuum leaks.

If you have an automatic it is VERY easy to check the TPS. http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1990-1995...1/troubles.pdf page 36. That's right, the transmission will tell you what the TPS is doing!

You have a good list. Finding an intermittent gremlin will not be easy. Good luck!

Christopherrr

Thanks man i will get on that this weekend just to be sure. I read a thread after posting my first one where the guy said several day old ethanol might do that, so I filled up with premium at chevron... put in a lucas fuel system treatment and blamo... drove it twenty miles problem free. thanks for the info and i will check that other stuff too though... as i feel you can never be to sure.

Christopherrr

i forgot to mention that 3vze tick quieted down a lot with that lucas treatment. The truck runs real smooth now.