mikelj

I just got a hell of a deal on a 1998 4runner (4cyl). My previous car wsa flooded pretty bad. I have a couple of questions.

First, some jackasses who changed my oil for the previous owner (my sister) put way too much in and there is no manual and I can't find out how much oil to put in. That should be a pretty easy answer.

Second, the real problem. When I accelerate from stop the car bogs down a bit, hesitates. Then the bigger problem (probobly related) is from about 2000-2500 rpm the car just bogs bad. The gas pedal feels like it gets hard, but the only way it seems like it will go past 2200 rpm is to downshift. I thought it might be a transmission problem but it doesn't rev higher like its slipping out of gear. I've never really messed with an automatic, so I don't really know what automatic transmission problems feel like. It also happens with cruise control. At about 65mph, the rpms are about in the nasty range so if I try to accelerate with the cruise control, it'll down shift and stay downshifted. Like the gear its in isn't pulling hard enough to accelerate slowly. Weird.

I traced the throttle cable and it seems ok (although there are like 4 of them, all wrapping around, I'm used to cruise control working via vacuum so I'm a little out of my element). My guess is either a fuel delivery problem, or maybe a throttle issue, TPS, physically the throttle body, etc. In park it accelerates through the powerband fine, but under load it does it pretty regularly. It just perplexes me that it happens at the same rpm in every gear. I can't figure what it could be. Any advice would be greatly appriciated.

BTW, I'm pretty handy with cars in general, and can do most stuff (short of hoisting (being that I don't have a house or garage anymore) the engine) so any DIY stuff you can think of would be helpful. I'm going to take off the throttle body, plugs, injectors, etc. out and examine them tomorrow, but if anyone has had this problem, I might get an easier answer.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any help.