I have an 89 toyota pickup 4x4. Some recent history: For a couple of months it has been slipping out of gear. Nothing major until recently when I put it into 3rd it would make a grinding noise and pop out right away. I did some research and I hope that it is just the shifter seat and bushing(which I haven't replaced yet). Yesterday I had it in low 4 wheel drive and went up and down some halfway rough stuff. I got back to the highway and it seemed really underpowered. After 8 miles or so it started hesitating and then just died alltogether and I couldn't get it started. I checked under the hood and a spark plug wire had popped off the cap. I put it back on and thought I had solved everything. Wrong. After that it would start, but when I put it into gear it would die. A friend towed me another 7 or 8 miles and it idled the whole time. I don't know if any of the above is related to this problem but thought it might help. Any ideas? *update* I started it this morning and was able to get into gear and drive it around in 1st and 2nd. But it feels "shaky". Again, any ideas?

 

is it a efi or carb motor ?

 

it's efi. Also, I drove it this morning. It got up to the mid forties just fine, although a bit shaky. I came back and was going to leave again, and then it did the same thing as before. It got real shaky when I put it in first and gave it gas and then just died. I was lucky to get it back into my parking spot. Looks like I won't be moving it to far yet.

 

have you checked the plugs ,it may have fouled the one with wire loose . a good tune up might not hurt if it has been a while. i bought an 90 efi toyota that died and wouldn't start , it turned out to be a worn out dist cap.