Hello my problem i need help with is my 97 runner with 3.4 eng.At least once a day when i come to a stop the engine starts to idle rough and then stalls.Then it will start right back up,then today while going over the walt whitman bridge in philly i took my foot off the gas and it stalled,then again it started right back up and ran great.I am getting no check eng light and i hooked up the reader to see if there were any pending codes and nothing.So far i've changed plugs and wires,fuel filter,which someone put on backwards "DUH"but not i im not original owner.Also changed both o2 sensors a couple of months ago when the check eng light flagged them.Thanks for ya help.

 

Check all your hoses- could easily be a vacuum leak.

 

Thanks,I started doing that once i got to work,but i'll have to finish later.By the way do you know if this 3.4 eng has a egr valve ? This problem is really freaking me out man cause other than when it does do this,the truck runs so damm good.Oh and i forgot to say the runner has 180,000k on it.

 

Sounds familiar, I've the same thing. It happens maybe once every two weeks or so for me. I would appreciate if you could keep us updated.
If I figure it out I'll let you know.
There is no EGR valve on those engines.

 

Maybe try a throttle body cleaning and a MAF sensor cleaning. Even if it doesn't solve the problem, it's good to do!

 

Yes ,i've done the throttle body already and i'll do the maf tommorow.Now that you mention those about 2 months ago I installed a K&N fipk and I do run the truck on the beach alot,and just maybe some of the sand got by eh.I've never had this problem since i've had the truck which is about 40,000k ago and like i said i just installed the fipk.

 

Gentlemen,I cleaned both the maf and the throttle boby today they were a little carboned up but not to bad.So i drove it round for a while,and then made the 43 mile drive over to work and so far it is ok,but then again it was only doing it once a day,and the day isnt over.What troubled me a little is the presence of a little fine sand in the tube from the maf to the t.b.Thanks for the help all and i'll let ya's know tommorow if i make it home tonight,if not there will be a good looking 97 runner along I295 in joisey for parts.LOL

 

I just thought I'd let you know I had a similar problem with my 97 4Runner 3.4L earlier this year. After putting in a new fuel filter, air filter, plugs and cleaning the MAF/Throttle Body it still didn't help.

In the end it turned out to be my Idle Air Control valve that was a little gunked up. The gunk sometimes prevented it from opening up correctly when I let go of the pedal. I just took it out and cleaned it with some intake cleaner and a soft tooth brush, and I haven't had any problems since.

- Einar

 

>>I installed a K&N fipk <<

I think I have the info in my head right, '97 would be a 3rd gen with the maf sensor. So as an FYI, the oil in the K&N filter is known to gunk up the maf and make the truck run like crap so if you are going to have it and keep it, you might make a point of cleaning the maf on a regular basis and to go light on the oil when you service the K&N filter.

 

Thanks for the idle air control valve tip i will take it off tommorow and clean it also.As far as the fipk I'm not to happy with it,if it is letting sand in and there is really no power increase.I'm thinking of putting my box back in.Once again thanks for the help.

 

Do you have a picture of it? Thanks.

George

 

Here's a picture of the throttle body and the idle air control valve (green thing on the underside of the throttle body at the bottom of the picture) that I lifted from a previous thread:

Throttle Body and Idle Air Control Valve

In order to get the IAC off, remove the throttle body and the two coolant hoses first. Once the throttle body is off, take off the throttle position sensor and the IAC. I used a screwdriver to move the actual rotary valve back and forth while cleaning with intake cleaner and a soft toothbrush. All in all it took me about an hour to do.

The FSM recommends that you use new gaskets for the IAC and the throttle body when putting everything back together.

- Einar

 

Most have replaced their FIPK's with the stock airbox then do the deckplate mod and install an Amsoil air filter. It has been dyno proven to make more power then the K&N by several people already. Sell the FIPK on eBay and recoup a good portion of the money you paid as well.

I also agree that if your truck is dying at idle but otherwise runs fine then you need to clean the throttle body very well (toothbrush and carb cleaner) and if that doesn't work then you should do the same to the Idle Air Control (IAC) valve. Post back if neither of those does the trick.

 

Thanks to everyone here,pointing me in the right direction I cleaned up the idle air control valve last night at work,and so far between last night and the 42 mile trip to work today no shutdowns yet.As far as the fipk ima gonna put stock box back on with an amsoil filter everyone here seems to be happy witem.I have no pics of the truck yet I guess I have to work on that eh.

 

Glad to hear you think it's fixed!

emyhrer!

 

Yes thanks to everyone here my baby is up to par again,good for another 200,000 miles LOL.Thanks again.Or maybe i can tell my wife the cat is clogged and get me one of them nice exhaust systems eh,just a thought.