manyyotaman

Hey all,
I recently purchased this 95 4runner 3.0L, automatic, 4 x 4 for my son's first car. It had a bad head gasket (losing anti freeze thru exhaust). Tore it down and put it back together replacing numerous vacuum hoses, EGR, spark plugs, timing belt, dist cap and rotor along the way. Got this all back together and she fires right up but hasn’t got any power and idles erratically.
I have checked so far…..
Spark plug gap (plugs fouled w/ black carbon)
Timing
Timing Belt positioning, TDC etc
Distributor position (numerous times)
Spark (wires at distrib cap)
Fuel filter
Spark plug wires- locations
Smells to be running rich
I am about to throw in the towel but thought I would check with this group.
Any wizards in here?

anyone able to help this old man save face?

Zinek

Ok, Check, compression on each cylinder, if compression checks out, wrap your air filter in seran wrap and hook up a smoke machine, to the intake, through the booster hose and make sure there aren't any intake air leaks!!!!!!!!

TOYOTA 1

did you plug all the sensors back in?

manyyotaman

I did plug all the sensors in and all vacuum hoses are attached that I can locate. I've looked it over pretty well.
Smoke machine, ehh...Sounds like a good way to check for the intake leaks.... its tuff getting to the injectors (was able to verify 4 are working) and impossible to get to 2 of them. I was able to check the intake for leaks only on about 1/2 of the connection.
Any particular type of smoke machine??

manyyotaman

I'm not sure how I would see the leaks with the smoke machine but I like the idea.
I'm also getting an occasional bit of back fire thru the throttle body when reving it up, but when punching it most of the time it just seems to bog down!

Tubbyfatty

My friend had the same problem. It would sound like it was a stroker at idle and didnt have alot of power.

He took out the dist and moved it over a tooth on the cam. I forget what direction but its been runnin just fine. Well he does have a CEL for the dist but I think it can be solved with a rebuilt one. I can get your more info if you want.

manyyotaman

that'd be great.
I've tried shifting off a tooth to the right ...... it didnt want to run.
Any help/suggestions is much appreciated.

rattlewagon

I changed my head gasket on my 92 truck after hydro locking the motor, and after is had no power also. it would move on flat but when i needed to go up hill, it would jut bog out. after searching nemorus things we ended up checking the timing. it was wayyyy off ( i think around 3) so we put it back to the factory 10. However, i wasnt satisfied because it still didnt have the power that it did before, so after a little more research i cranked up the timing to 15. bam. powers back good as new. so....have you checked timing?

manyyotaman

sounds very familiar but yes timing was the first stop and the..... I have checked it and re-checked it every time I have pulled up the distributor to check it for positioning.

manyyotaman

did the compression test- #5 is a mother to get too
#1- 168
2- 168
3- 172
4- 170
5- 170
6- 164

Zinek

This is what I meant. If you are getting some unmetered air into the intake, VAF will not tell the ECU that it needs more fuel to run at its peak. This engine has a two part intake and its a bitch to get to and see under the plenum, I'm sure you know that by now!!! . It could just be something as simple as an intake leak in a place you would never suspect or even look at. Also when you repaired the heads, you did remove the wire harness and did not forget to re attach the ground wire(s) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V_W_SFxYoI

fork

alright that smoke machine has put me in reverse-engineer mode

that really can't be complex enough to justify the $745 price tag.

manyyotaman

a wise man once said;

“Well you know boys, a nuclear reactor is a lot like women. You just have to read the manual and press the right button.” ~ Homer Simpson

manyyotaman

anyone have any idea where one of these smoke machines can be rented/borrowed in North ATL?

I pulled the cat last night after the fuel filter and the compression test- no change.
I think that if they had spent just an extra 15 minutes on the vacuum line placements on the passenger side......

manyyotaman

I pulled out the digital multi-meter to start checking the various sensors as well as the EGR. The VAF meter (MAF on newer versions), coolant temp sensor, idle speed, etc. The air flow meter does not read a thing, while the coolant temp sensor came in within the ranges when cold and when warmed up and no change in the EGR when vacuum line removed. Verified the VAF readings again after picking up a new auto ranging model and got the same BS. found a used one on ebay for $70- shipped. will post outcome in a few days if problem solved, hopefully the EGR will be ok after the VAF is replaced.

shaeff

Instead of a smoke machine to find vacuum leaks, just use a can of carb cleaner. Spray it around, if your idle raises, you've found a leak. Common leaky areas are obviously around hoses and whatnot, but many leaks occur near injector grommets/seals. Most people don't even bother to check.

Steve777

I have heard that spraying ether (or WD40, which might be a tad safer) around the intake and other places while its running can help diagnose intake leaks. When it starts running better, spray more in that area. If the spray works in getting the engine to run better, it's because the extra "fuel" is taking the place of air and keeping the mixture in running range. So you've localized the area of the intake leak.

Obviously only a diagnostic tool, and a potentially dangerous one (especially with ether) but it might help.

shaeff

It evaporates so quickly that the potential for a fire is very low. I mean, short of spraying it directly on the exhaust manifold, there's really no chance of fire. Besides, you're not drenching anything, just quick bursts.

I've never had a problem in 10 years of using that method, and 7 of those years were working on turbocharged cars (and I still do)

hairbear65

\

I have a couple questions....always start simple..

Did you hear this run before buying it?

When you repaired it...did you use all new gaskets and head bolts?


Assuming you did use gaskets and there is nothing mechanically wrong internally...

1) I've seen 3.0s run lousy with just one vacuum line misplaced on the intake plenum. Make sure they are all in the correct position...make a chart or drawing for yourself...I'd place them from a FSM...don't asume they were in the correct place when you bought it.
2) It is very easy on the 3.0s when replacing the timing belt to get it off one tooth...especially on the passenger cam. Have you pulled the timing cover back off and spun the motor by hand to check alignment of the cams??? If not...it's very possible to passenger cam is off a tooth or two. When placing the belt onto the passenger cam pulley, that pulley is under tension because that cam is in the middle of it's stroke and it wants to release that tension either forward or backward. I'd verify that these two things are correct first.

Assuming you used new gaskets...I highly doubt you have a vacuum leak...assuming you cleaned each and every mating surface before reassembling them.

Tom

hairbear65

I've also seen brand new dist. caps and rotors not work out of the box.

Did you get a quality set or go with the cheapest?


I'll throw one more at you....Did you install a new airfilter? if so...is it possible you let a rag in the intake...don't laugh...I've seen it before.

or

If you haven't changed the air filter...its possible a mouse has a built a condo in the airbox.



another one....Are you getting any fault codes?...Do you know how to jump out the data connector to get the codes using the engine light??