We'll try cleaning it.

 

Cleaned it, now its trying to break apart. Put it back in, made no difference.

 

First, the codes you cite have nothing to do with the Cold Start Injector (and certainly not the Time Switch). Indeed, the names you have given for the codes tell you right where to start looking.

Second, while I use the actual FSM rather than Haynes, I pulled out my old Haynes just to take a look. For instance, under code 32 (page 6-6), it did NOT say you had a bad VAF. It said you had an "open or short in airflow sensor circuit." Isn't the sensor itself part of that circuit? Sure -- and 7 pages later Haynes showed you just how to test the sensor. It's an expensive part; I sure would have tested it before I replaced it. (Indeed, I would test the replacement part now!) If your new part passes, then the problem is somewhere in the rest of the circuit -- probably the connectors or wiring.

(In fact, since the Intake Air Temp Sensor is part of the VAF, the fact that you have BOTH code 24 and 32 tells me the problem is almost certainly in the connector or the cable to the connector. For example, if the connector is unplugged, you get both codes.)

The manual gives the procedure for checking the ECT (2-4K ohms at room temp). Since the code tells you you've got an "open or short," I'll bet it's not the sensor but the wiring. (If unplugged, you'll get that code.)

So the code and book don't tell me (at least) that there is any problem with your Start Injector Time Switch. I have no idea what the "dealer" (owner? parts guy? Service Writer?) told you, but you might want go back and ask him/her to explain the connection to you.

Still not satisfied? I gave you the part number and a place to get it for 25% less. Or you could try scrounging up a junked part. But I think you're wasting your time.

 

Thank you for the info, we will still check parts to see if they are working properly. Will try for a junked part. This is a work in progress. The mechanic at the dealer said this was the part we needed to start with, b/c it has heat damage visible on that part. The engine has gotten Hot at some point, before we got it.

 

Mechanic at dealer, said we should scrap this 4runner. Going to try to work with it a little longer, before scrapping.

 

A dealer mechanic said scrap it? Id find a new mechanic.

 

Our 4R is somewhat of a problem child. It was left out in the humid, moldy Arkansas Ozarks for 6 long years. The previous owner had problems with the engine overheating. She had the top of the engine rebuilt, (she's an older lady that knows zip about cars). Having the engine rebuilt didn't help her problem, so her mechanic (private) told her the tranny needed to be rebuilt. She used up all of her $ on the engine, so she just parked it.

When we came across it, it had mouse damage on top of engine, 4 inches of acorns & mouse..... And, apparently we brought home one of HER snakes that was in the engine compartment when we towed it home.

My hubby is a shade tree mechanic, we saw potential with the 4r. BUT, we didn't know about the 3.slow or all of the "sensors"....

We've been slowly working on it since May of last year, I need it for a backup mail vehicle, as my Tacoma needs a break or downtime once in awhile. The mail must go thru'. lol Hubby thinks the 3.0 will work okay for me on the route, I have a 100 mile, extremely rural route with 75 miles of dirt, that I run 5 days a week.

Taking it to the dealer was a last ditch effort, b/c we were stalled out with what to do next on/with it to get it running. It was for diagnostics. The T. mechanics seriously just don't want to mess with that old of a 4r & specifically the 3.0, not that we blame them, but we would really like to get it running.

 

If you look at all of the codes you've posted, they all have one thing in common, which is bad connectivity to various sensors. (VAFM, TPS, coolant sensor, intake air temp sensor). Now, all of those sensors could be bad (highly unlikely) or they could all have corroded connectors (more probable but still not all that likely), or the problem is somewhere else.

I would look at two areas.
- Grounding between the engine and the ECU. This is probably the most likely cause. Unfortunately I don't have the locations of all the grounds at my finger tips, but the knowledge exists on this board if you search for it.
- The ECU connector itself. The ECU is behind the passenger kick panel. Pull the kick panel off, remove the connector from the ECU, and scrub it good (both halves) with some circuit cleaner from Radio Shack or equivalent (isopropyl alcohol is also good) and a toothbrush. Let it dry and reassemble, clear the codes (pull the EFI fuse under the hood, passenger side fuse block for 30 seconds), and see what happens.

You can also do the same cleaning exercise on the connectors at the various complaining sensors. I'd do that before I replaced any more sensors.

 

Hmmm. You need to be serious about your expectations.

Ron's suggestion to clean the ECU connector is a good one, but that is only one of scores of connectors. And the ECU connector is the most protected one; the VAF, injectors, VSVs, igniter, sensors, etc are all hanging out in the breeze (and acorns and snakes and mouse poop). Did a mouse chew on a wire? Did the the "compost" soak into a connector?

This truck has been seriously neglected. Whatever the problem the prior owner had, she couldn't fix it with professional help. And that was six long, abusive years ago.

Couple that with your general unfamiliarity with Toyota trucks, and I think you've got a real challenge ahead of you. More importantly, until this truck has a lot of miles running like a clock, I certainly wouldn't drive it on 75 miles of dirt road. Particularly if I was on a schedule.

 

Scope makes some good points. The fact that a professional mechanic couldn't fix it doesn't necessarily mean it's unfixable; it just means that they couldn't justify spending enough time on it to get to the root of the problem(s), plus it's perhaps older than many of them have even been in the business, so familiarity is an issue. The only economically feasible way to maintain these trucks is as a knowledgeable and capable DIYer. That's why a forum like this is so essential. If you can't be that DIYer, then this truck is probably not for you.

That being said, the idea of rodent damage is a good one. You might want to look for a place where the wiring harness is chewed up - of course, the critical spot could be in a place that is pretty much inaccessible to humans, such as under the dash.

Fortunately, this generation of trucks uses wiring that is not particularly tasty to rodents. Later generations of Toyota's are much more susceptible - I had a co-worker who had $5000 worth of wiring damage done to his Prius by squirrels. Apparently later Toyotas use some soybean-based material in the insulation that is quite attractive to rodents.

 

I guess I should ask as well, since it's not completely clear from your posts. Is the truck running at all, but just poorly, or will it simply not even start?

 

Very good ideas, we will work on that this weekend.

 

[QUOTE=scope103;52308968]Hmmm. You need to be serious about your expectations.

Ron's suggestion to clean the ECU connector is a good one, but that is only one of scores of connectors. And the ECU connector is the most protected one; the VAF, injectors, VSVs, igniter, sensors, etc are all hanging out in the breeze (and acorns and snakes and mouse poop). Did a mouse chew on a wire? Did the the "compost" soak into a connector?

This truck has been seriously neglected. Whatever the problem the prior owner had, she couldn't fix it with professional help. And that was six long, abusive years ago.

Couple that with your general unfamiliarity with Toyota trucks, and I think you've got a real challenge ahead of you. More importantly, until this truck has a lot of miles running like a clock, I certainly wouldn't drive it on 75 miles of dirt road. Particularly if I was on a schedule.[/QUOTE

Yes, there were chewed wires, hubby fixed all of those, the "compost" soaked many things. The mass airflow sensor had a lot of waste and a nest in it. That's why we replaced that part. Hubby has cleaned all sorts of parts in the engine area. Dropped gas tank, totally cleaned it out, put in new fuel pumps, etc. He's cleaned the fuel injectors, all going towards getting it running again. Its just a machine, right??? We are here for ideas & tips & hear what other owners have to say about it.

We are unfamiliar with 4runners, this is the 3rd tacoma we've had. (first two were wrecked) Mine is 2003, used on route since 2005, hubby has done all maintenance on it & keeps me on the road--he installed right hand drive pedals for me. I have 400,000 on my engine, other carriers are only getting 40,000 miles out of one of their disposable vehicles chevy, ford...

 

Before we took it to dealer, it would run really rough, have driven it a little, but not feeling confidence to take it very far.

Since we've come back from dealer, have not gotten it to start & run like it was.

 

The mechanic was prob. 25 or so, not "old school". Hubby'll look for further rodent damage to wires, in/under dash, ect... We had thought to get another Taco or a 4r that was closer to the generation of my Tacoma, but this one came available for us.