Howdy, I have a '94 4runner, automatic, with a 3.0. The other day I was headed to work on the interstate and I get this loud knocking type noises, so I whip it over on the shoulder, and the engine dies as I'm slowing down. It won't start, but after its towed back to the house I put a new battery on it and it starts. However, the knocking noise is still there. I was thinking I had a loose rod or something along those lines. My Dad said it might be the torque converter, is this possible? Suggestions and thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

Oh yeah, there is a lot of vibration, with the hood closed I can see the hood shaking. Don't know what that means though....

 

not to be negative but it sounds like to me you've "spun a main bearing".

 

Is it a knock or a miss? If you burned a valve, you will be down on power and it will have a miss that sounds a little like a knock.

 

Run a compression test. You can find out alot from that one test. Is it blowing smoke of any color???? how does the oil look????

 

Doesn't really sound like a miss, more of a knock, but that could explain the vibration. Not smoking any and the oil looks normal. I don't think it is leaking any fluid except a little power steering fluid. When I first heard it I was thinking a rod or bearings. Still trying to figure it out. Thanks for the replies.

 

my '91 runner did that when i busted a bearing. driving down the interstate and all of a suddend it sounds like someone's hitting the block with a hammer. you may be looking at a rebuild

 

Yes, sounds like "bearings" to me, too.

 

A 3vz running on 5 of the 6 will might not sound like it is missing at idle but it will shake from here to ----- and back again, and you will notice the loss of power right away....not enough info here yet to make a good call as to what is wrong...how is milage....when was the timing belt changed last.....does the noise change with rpm Ie higher pitch, louder, faster knocking? We are going to need some more info before we can make a good call...with what is here now most of our offerings are guesses based on prior knowledge or "when it happened to me that is what it was"