I was hoping for opinions on why my truck (04 Tacoma 4x4, V-6, auto, 42k miles) recently hesitated. I was towing my boat (2900lbs) about 30 miles w/ overdrive off, 55 mph, 2700 rpms. I stopped at a gas station for about 15 minutes w/ truck idling. Left the gas station and began to climb a very small hill when the truck began to hesitate for about 30 seconds. It quit and has never done it again. I believe it is the engine, not the transmission. Not sure. My truck doesn't have the towing pkg., but I plan on installing a tranny cooler soon. The truck's engine temp. was fine the whole time. Any ideas on what it could have been? possibly vapor lock? It is a black truck. Don't know whether to worry or ignore the one time incident.

 

dunno if this is it, but since you had just got gas I wonder if the vent on the gas cap had some seal material stuck in it...maybe caused a small vapor lock like your theory.

Outside temp high? Trannie cooler is a smart idea. Stock tire size or pushing 33's?

 

I'm on stock 30" tires/ 18" BBS wheels. Outside temp. was in the upper 70's. The hesitation was momentary loss of power, approx. 5 times during a 1 minute period of time. I think you might be right about the vapor lock caused by gassing up. When I normally gas up, I noticed a sucking sound when I loosen the gas cap.