I still suggest you check your throttle body. Remove the accordion hose stuck on there and move the throttle plate. Stick a finger in there and feel for oil all over the place. I had that problem myself. I chugged about a quart of oil every thousand miles. Turned out to be the 'ol PCV valve.

You're saying there is no amount of adjustment whilst warm that will change your idle issue? If it were the valves, you can test for exhaust blockage and ring health with a vacuum test. Much easier (and cheaper) to do than compression testing. You also may want to do a cylinder leakage test, but with the PITA to get to plugs in the back, you might as well just do a compression test if you have to. If it doesnt hold compression, you would have to do a leakage test to figure out where the bad combustion chamber seal is anyhow.

All of these should be done before you pull the head. If you remove the head, you should always send it out to get machined. Warpage could be an issue, but there is absolutely no reason to put a filthy worn out beaten head back on your block even if it turns out to be straight enough for factory specs. Good luck!

 

I know the PCV is bad. I wanted to replace the valve cover gaskets/PCV soon. I am not 100% clear on how to check the valve clearance and do the adjustments. That is the only thing deterring me.

As of right now my idle screw is set out pretty far to get the car to idle correctly. When the motor is cold it idles fine, only sometimes does the idle drop when the truck finally warms up. When I reset the CEL I get, it takes around 40-50 miles for it to come back. When I did the sea foam treatment in the brake booster I did notice I have an exhaust leak but after the cat (where the cat bolts up to the cat-back). I do not have an EGR, that's been blocked off.

Never heard of a vacuum test or how to do one in a N/A car, will have to research. If I ever do have to pull the head you better believe the head will be machined with new gaskets, timing belt, water pump, etc. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

If you have the FSM (or the digital one) there is a bunch of info outlining the vacuum testing and parameters. Snap throttle vacuum test is particularly useful for checking ring health, and the regular vacuum test is the best way to check for a clogged exhaust (except visual inspection for massive rock damage). Double and triple check all of your vacuum lines. Do the PCV valve and grommet. You won't need to so much as touch it when you pull the valve cover off if you get it on and right now. It may just solve more problems than you would expect. Especially if you know its bad. Without positive crankcase ventilation, your combustion chamber blowby (yes, every healthy engine has a measurable amount of blowby, its unavoidable) just hangs out in your oiling system turning the oil foul. Having the bad valve also forces oil into the intake causing several issues. It may seem obvious, but if you cant solve the problems with tuning up and the PCV valve replacement, you'll need to do a compression and cylinder leakage test: have new spark plugs ready as you will probably have fouled the plugs you have with the oil you've been burning.

 

Ok... so you know that you have a valve issue ( towel getting sucked back into exhaust), that can only be caused by an exhaust valve being stuck open, or needing to be adjusted. From here, I would start with a compression test, find out which cyl has low compression, then I would maybe try running about a quart or less of atf in your crank, this can sometimes help a stuck valve, unstuck itself, if that dont work, then you might be looking at pulling the heads.

BTW.... The 3.0 is known to burn exhaust valves. I hear its usually on cyl 6, but I have had more experience with burnt valves on cyl, 3 and 5.

 

I am running 3/4 quart of Sea Foam currently (for only 250 miles), wouldn't that essentially be the same as what you suggested? I am going to be pulling the valve covers soon anyway but am reading up on how to check the clearance/adjust the valves. I am not 100% clear on that yet (refer to post #42).

 

So where ya at with this???

 

Sea foam is all in and still have the issue. I have about 200 miles since the sea foam in the crank case. I ordered all the parts for the valve cover gasket replacement and PCV. From the sounds of it though it looks like I am going to need to pull the heads. I am wondering if it's even worth it to do the valve cover gasket/PCV replacement if I am just going to have to go back in and pull them off again anyway. No compression test yet work has been keeping me busy.

Thoughts?

P.S. I also started pricing out getting the heads re-done, valves adjusted, timing belt, water pump, etc. It's almost worth it to do the 3.4L swap, or even the Hilux turbo diesel.

 

Well just a bit of thought for you. I think I have a sticking intake valve and I'm going to get the gasket kit from Engnbldr and go from there. I may need a valve or two. I'm not going to have the heads redone nor the block.

Tear it apart fix the bad valve/valves and have it back together.

 

Yea my thought process is though I may as well get everything cleaned up and valves done along with ARP head studs. Wanted to take my time and do as much prevention I can to prevent a possible blown HG and the valves getting stuck again. May as well replace the timing belt/water pump since that most likely has not been done in awhile. I know I know that it's a lose/lose battle with the 3VZE.

 

Compression Test Results:
Cylinder 1 - 165
Cylinder 2 - 170
Cylinder 3 - 0
Cylinder 4 - 160
Cylinder 5 - (couldn't get to it -- wasn't worth it)
Cylinder 6 - 175

So I guess I have a burnt valve in cylinder #3. I put oil in and tried it again no compression either way. Now just the internal debate or a 5vze swap or rebuidl the head and do o/s valves and cams. HRMMMMMMMM

 

thought I would check on your issue.....have you resolved it yet?....you asked me that same question a while back

 

I was unable to pull the heads so not 100% sure. I am still going to go with burnt valve though. The first snow storm of the season I wrecked the truck. I miss it...but replaced it with a WRX!

 

Damn that sucks...should have bought it back and still got the WRX then you would have been on your way to a strictly trail rig. No one was hurt were they, what happened???

 

That sucks boostinchick we were looking forward to you joining us in our what I think will be the first pa yotatech run.

 

Truck is totaled, frame is bent, etc. It was a head on collision.

I was going downhill and started to slip out a bit, as I was trying to gain control someone from the opposite lane was speeding up the hill. My guess was since she was FWD she had to pick up a bit of speed not to slide down. We hit head on my leg was trapped and it was cut/bruised pretty bad. The other driver's air bags went off so she had some chest bruising and I think she broke her wrist. My insurance company filed it under "An act of God" so neither of us were found guilty nor were we cited on scene.

I miss the runner for sure. Maybe if the price is right I would pick another up later on down the road, but a newer one with the 3.4L.

 

Probably more like An act of PENDOT. Cover their asses in the case of a lawsuit due to road conditions by not trying to cite either of you. Glad your ok though. You could still show up in the WRX and have one of cart you around the trails in one of our rigs. 3

Look up the Valentines day mess up here in NEPA a few years back.

 

Exactly, the kicker is that the salt/shovel truck was BEHIND me. At least that driver was able to stop and section off the road to prevent traffic from coming through. When the paramedics came, the two guys slipped on the same ice patch my truck did so they knew I wasn't lying when I told them it was slippery.

I will take a look, I love mud and what not so I may make the trip up. Thanks!

 

Come on up and join us...

Good thing is that no one was seriously injured...Still sorry to here about the runner. Now you have an excuse to get the 2nd vehicle now!

 

Thought I'd add my issue to the list:
3.0, longblock replacement a few months ago
-When new engine went in, noticed warmed up idle was 700 (800 prior)
-Had to plenum and replace a bad valve cover gasket -- no change
-Replaced throttle cable, and then had the oscillating idle, which is like this:
-once warmed up, starts to oscillate and then may stall out
-if in drive, idling at stop, at worst
-no effect on or off brake
-in neutral, idle speed goes up from 700 to 800, eventually starts to oscillate, but takes longer/less bad them when in drive
-after 5-10 more minutes gets better

-replaced distr cap & wires (a short)
-will check for vac leak this weekend
-thinking it isn't brake booster given lack of effect of braking
-so most likely the cold start valve?

Any thoughts appreciated!

 

No vacuum leak by propane test. Any help?