Typical me, I proably ain't searching right and am asking a typical question but anyway...
Since doeing headgaskets I've always noticed the lack of aceleration(I understand the 3.0 ain't exactly quick but it seems a littl eextra lacking than it proably should) and not the smoothest of idles. Recently it got to the point where it chugs or pops through the air box when trying to go uphill and I think about 35mph is pushing it. Timing marks were lined up correctly when I pu tit back togher and thought that I might have had the dist. off a tooth but messing around with that I think made it worse. I'm goeing to do a fresh tune up tomorow with some new oil (figuring I proably dumped a good bit of fuel in it messing around) and try to get the dist. in right. Any other suggestions besides swappign something else between the fenders? Weather i sbreakign and I want to be able to beat on this thing a bit with some confidence...


Thanks ahead of time and sorry again if it's been asked
edit: guess I should add it's a 94 4runner, that might help some...duh

 

Today's update... Plugs, wires(NGK), cap, and rotor(Denso) in, Distributer in right, fresh oil w/Lucas and the popping through the airbox is gone. Still verry gutless though and it started blowing coolant out the rad cap and it sounded like coolant bubbling at the back of the motor. Guess I'm doeing the headgaskets again... Yay

 

You may just not have gotten all the air out of the coolant system. I know every time i have drained all coolant out it takes forever to get all the air out. Do you have milkshake oil or coolant out the exhaust? Did you set the timing with the engine at operating temp? Are you a few teeth off on the timing belt?

 

All the air should be out by now, first headgasket job was back in October and have since had the coolant system apart a couple times since for a rad, one of those irritating hoses behinde the plentum, and a t.stat. Timing belt is lined up correctly, have pulled the cover a fiew times since and lined marks up. Oil was black with no signs of coolant but the exhaust does steam a little while warming up.. no sweet smell to it though. Coolant has turned to a rusty dex-cool orange color (used new green global everytime I refilled it)

 

I know it sounds silly, but check that you have all your plugs in the right order. I built my 3.0 and had the same symptoms only to find that I had two plug wires swapped.

 

Not silly sounding at all to me, I think that was part of the "popping" I had... 3 and 5 were crossed at the cap.

 

Did that take care of your issues (e.g. low power)?

 

I can actually drive it on the road without too much embarrasment right now(haven't had a Prizm tailgate me) but is still lacking actual power. I have to defiantly get the coolant blowing out the rad cap and overflow straightened out too though. Hoping once I do that it's finally the home stretch of being on the lines of being right.

 

Little update since I don't check in constantly. Headgasket on the right bank blew out. Only screwing around here and there to not agrivate myself with having to do it again (have 3 or 4 hours of actual wrench time truely invested), but the heads are off getting plained and checked for cracks and all right now, the gasket kit (Rock brand)is sitting on my diningroom table and I am waiting for the new head bolts to arrive.been pourign oil over the tops of the pistons ocasonally with the drainplug out of the pan (yes I have a drainpan under it that is NOT an open top pan) just to keep things clean while I wait.

 

Heads were warped like banannas, otherwise in good shape. Put em all back togher, and it lives again! Idles rough once warmed up and sucks to start once warm. Doeing the "flush" oil change tomorow. Proably pull the plugs and read em/clean em as well. Back from the dead once again.

 

Another update (I think doeing this keeps me working on it) Engine light came on before I even did anything, code 52! Knock sensor wire ordered... I am so happ yI am able to do my own work or I'd be (more) broke! It sits again until the wire arrives, back into the Pathfinder.

 

Well got my nice shiny new knock sensor wire on (I'm getting too good at pulling the top of this thing apart). No more engine light, some sputter at idle and trys to idle low (have a small hose clamp keeping it from goeing too low and stalling) and now it feels like it don't have power brakes and I know it has good vaccum to the booster(where I sucked in the seafoam). I'll search later... I'm hungry

 

RE: Low /Rough Idle
On my 95 3.0 4Runner, I had the same problem, accompanied by power brake problem. Clamp off the large vacumn hose that goes from the air plenum to the power brake booster. If your idle goes back up, you have a bad diaphram in the booster. It is the same as having a large vacumn leak. I chased this on and off for a while before making the connection. Good luck

ETA: If when you push the brake pedal you get a distinct change in rpm, same problem.

 

Worth a try, considering if I'm lucky and it's a booster I got an 88 4cyl pickup that can "donate" one at work. It's already gave up the front factory skid (better than having nothing, have to get whats left of all the old broken bolts out of my mount points first) and is goeing to donale it's manuel hubs after I pull them off and do a spline count to make sure they are useful to me.

And applying the brakes don't change anything, rears are adjusted good too. A couple clicks and the e-brake holds tight.

 

ur perdy handy!!

have u cleaned the throttle body lately or made sure the tps is adjusted correctly?

 

Never touched the TPS, t/b was sprayed through with a good bit of carb cleaner. Messing around I did switch boosters figuring it's worth a try. What it's worth the one from the 88 4cyl truck is skinny compared to my booster. Didn't change anything anyway though. Did find my vac. gauge, only getting about 10lb (or inch whatever the gauge is in, I don't remember) from the manifold which seems low to me so I'm gonna pull the plentum and make sure I didn't forget to tighten anything below it or something stupid when doein the knock sensor wire(since after that is when the brake issue started).



Funny note, when messin around I forgot to put the wires for the right bank on the dist. and fired it up... idled perfectly and vacuum jumped up. Wheird.

 

I pulled the plentum off today, double checked the intake bolts(all tight), replaced a couple vacuum lines (the 2 that go to the p/s pump to be exact), painted the plentum blue (that added power, I know), sealed the gasket good and put it back togher. Instantly fired up and idled perfectly. Power brakes worked correctly (good vacuum) revved up nicely heck even messed around a little in the parking lot at work and it had the guts to actually do mor ethan hop the curb to get in! I put the right booster back on instead of the smaller 88 one and got the front skid on as well. Today was good progress. Maby now I can start worrying about things I want and not need (like getting the front up a little to match the LC springs and getting shocks with a little more travel for the back).