have a 1997 sr5 4x4 with the v6. got it on a trade cheap! when i got it a heater hose was busted and i fixed it. fired it up and its the roughed ride ever. i got it scanned and it said cyl3 misfire which is a non coil side. changed the spark plugs and the wires then scanned it and it said cyl 4 misfire and i put a coil on it and no change...it idles rough and after you get in 3rd or so gear running 55 it shutters bad, which i believe is the trans or the toque converter locking up...but now im worried about the bad idle and drive. any advice help is more than appreciated! thank you all!

 

How many miles on it? 97's and 96's are know to have head gasket failures at the 150K+ range - and misfire on cylinder 3 and running rough (on cold start) is often the 1st signs ...my failed at about 195K.

 

Just went through the same thing/same symptoms with my '97 Limited 4R. Code said #6 cylinder misfire. Tried coil, plug, plug wire, even the Seafoam treatment (which actually helped for a short time), etc... turned out be the fuel injector.

*Edit* Mine didn't change from #6 cylinder to another.

 

Similar thing happened to me, it took me like 4 months to finally track it down. I tried swapping coils, fuel injectors, plugs, wires etc....turned out it was the upper plenum gasket leaking and sucking air in to cyl #5. Those gaskets are only like $12, worth a check.

Is the CEL coming on? Then turning itself off?!?!

 

I had a misfire on cylinder #3 and found it to be the coil pack. I had one of the auto stores pull the code. I tried new plugs first and then swapped the coils from cylinder #1 and #3. The code then said misfire on cylinder #1. That is how I determined it to be a bad coil pack. Replaced it and it has been fine ever since. Good luck.