90 Beloved Sierra NV 4runner; Why you gotta hesitate!!!

This is the build thread on my 1990 4runner. Take note, I love this truck, but its had problems since I bought it nearly 2 years ago, with major fixes big and small to no avail! It hesitates after start up! I have replaced nearly everything, including a full engine rebuild! Maybe someone here can help??? This may belong in the tech section, but the build up for my rig has been through troubleshooting for this issue. May the trials and tribulations for hesitation issues begin! I have checked, replaced, double checked again with new OEM or used parts for the following:

Intake system
TPS sensor
Temp sensors
Ignitor
Coil including grounding wires
Spark plug wires
Spark plugs
Cap
Rotor
Distributor
ECM
Complete throttle body
Vacuum lines
Battery
Starter
EGR system
Upper intake manifold
Lower intake manifold
Knock sensor
Knock sensor wire
Heads
Injectors
Complete engine rebuild from block out
Engine grounds
Exhaust system including exhaust manifolds, CAT, muffler and O2 sensor
Extra wire to 80 amp fuse
Extra wire from 80 amp fuse to alternator
Alternator
Ignition
Fuel pump
Fuel filter
Charcoal canister
Opened wiring harness to check injector wires and other wires for corrosion (None)
Fuel pump switch
Fuel pump grounds
All switches on the drivers side kick panel

Whats left???

I love my 4runner and will not give up. I live in Reno, NV. Love to off road, backpack, car-camp and hike! Northern Nevada is the best place for a rig like this!

Rebuild help from my trusty side kick!



Matching Lambo (Matching in color only - Mine is behind it!)

 

Here it is when I first got it.





And a word of advice, don't take your car here for service!

 

It doesn't seem like a huge difference, but all the money has been going to the motor. A full rebuild with picks to come including 2 donor 4runners!!!

I did a straight trade with this 1990 AWD Honda Civic Wagon for the 4runner.

 

Here is the problem that started this whole mess. It hesitates when on start up. You hit the gas, wants to die and does die all the way on occasion. I have lurked on this website for a long time, and its because I had no time to post. Research, troubleshoot, fix, same problem. I have been through it all! Every hesitation issue for the 4runner 3vze can be seen here. This thread will go down in history as the most in depth hesitation/stall project on the planet!

 

 

Specific problem: on startup, it runs perfect for about 1 minute. It takes the ecu a minute or so to check the temperature of the motor, then it runs like crap! It runs like crap until it warms up. Once warmed up, it runs amazing, or ran amazing until the motor seized. I will go through the list of items replaced through the history of repairs...

 

Brush guard install, valance install, paint on the wheels and various parts.

 

The rear was sagging terribly when I first got it. So in went 4 inch pro comp coils in the rear, 2 inch front BJ spacers, pro comp shocks!

 

At first I thought the hesitation was due to a vacuum leak. Near the same time, I owned another 4runner that was beat up and had bad bearings, I used parts from that 4runner to trouble shoot mine. I replaced the entire intake system. It did not fix the issue.

 

Some light offroading in SE Reno. Again, it ran great once warmed up. My tires had pretty bad rot.

 

I swapped a few parts out of this 4runner to trouble shoot the blue one, including the TPS, intake, temp sensors, vacuum hoses. It didn't fix my problem.


The white one had bad barring's. My brother fixed the barring's, and I painted it. I sold it shortly thereafter. The white one was pretty warn out at 250,000 miles and thought I could fix mine since it only had 195,000 miles and it was in way better condition. I thought wrong.

 

A few picks at Donner Pass. I installed euro tail lenses and led brake lights.

 

Also scored at pick an pull for a Yakima ski rack for $30.00!

 

 

 

 

 

Nice runner. Great to see another fellow Reno res on the site. Love all the pics of our backyard.

 

Thanks! Yeah Reno is a great place to live if you love the outdoors! I checked out your build up page, I like the SAS on your pickup! I've just started collecting parts for my SAS. This is what I have so far...

 

Looks like a great start to a sas. What springs are those ? I built alot of Hondas over the years , I even had a 88 rtawd I sold on nolimit few years back. I still have a soft spot for certain Hondas . Ya were pretty lucky to have just about every kind of wheeling just minutes from our driveway. I wanna do some moon rocks / rubicon & fordyce runs next year.