I just bought a 91 4Runner with a blown head gasket. It ran when I bought it so I’m stumped on why it’s acting the way it is now. I replaced the typical stuff when doing head gaskets (Gaskets, Water Pump, Timing belt, Timing belt components) and I also replaced the plugs, wires, cap/rotor. I made sure everything went back together correctly (timing belt/timing marks at #1 TDC, distributor pointing at #1) but when I went to crank it up last night it acted like it wasn’t getting any fuel. I referenced the Toyota Service Manual and jumped the fuel pump. It started but it sounded like crap. It ran like it was only firing on 3 cylinders. I attempted to open up the throttle and it just bogged down (didn’t rev up at all). Turned it off, took the fuel pump jumper wire off and started it back up, same thing (runs like crap and won’t rev up). After about 10 min off messing with the throttle, just before it was completely closed, a miracle, it ran great and started to rev up! Thinking it was a bad TPS, I replaced it but it didn’t do any good. The engine runs like crap unless I’m holding the throttle open just a hair off idle then it will run. Any Ideas?

 

whats your timing set at?

 

Approximately 0˚

 

Sound like you have the timing belt off a tooth.

James

 

That's good if it's the mechanical or valve timing. The ignition timing needs to be set at 10* btdc, though. Where did you set yours?

 

check you got your wires on right, I was in a hurry and happy to be done one of the times I but mine together and had a couple jumbled at the cap for the right bank... easy to overlook, simple to fix, worth the 30 seconds to check

 

Thanks for the feedback, it made me think twice about the “obvious” stuff that I was overlooking. Turns out I had 3 issues:
1- I had a bad mass air flow meter. Replaced that and it started to run better if I advanced my timing all the way but you could tell it needed to be advanced more.
2- I was one tooth off when I put the distributor in. Took it out and put it back in the proper position and it ran a whole lot better but it still sputtered a little bit.
3- One of my spark plug wires wasn’t connected properly. After I made sure all of my spark plug wires were on correctly, it runs like a champ!
I installed the complete LCE exhaust system on it (headers, crossover, high flow cat, Magnaflow muffler and tail pipe) while I was at it and it sounds awesome! Plus the entire system (minus the high flow cat) was ceramacoted so it looks just as good as it sounds. Thanks again!

 

LCE exhaust system ? something online you can buy ?? Mine is stock. If I ever figure out the stupid overheating with a thermostat-installed but not with a gutted-thermostat I'd like a better sound...

 

Here is where I got my Exhaust from.
Headers with crossover:
http://www.toyotacatalog.net/M1WebGe...0-BD3461454C49
High Flow Cat:
http://www.toyotacatalog.net/M1WebGe...3-2729abbb0b13
Bolt on 2.25” exhaust:
http://www.toyotacatalog.net/M1WebGe...9-cdb9fab44efe

 

wow, very expensive but very nice. Looks like that would cure the head-gasket blowing problem nicely (along with good gaskets done right)...

Hopefully you've had no problems...