During highway driving going up a long but not steep hill, the engine has a hard time maintaining highway speeds (60-80) with Overdrive ON. So to maintain speed I would switch off Overdrive, turn on the ECT, and bury the throttle. But the problem is that at these highway speeds and Overdrive off, the RPMS are are quite high, in the 4K RPM, and seems like the ECT doesn't do much for power, only faster gear changes. So now I'm convinced that I'm probably losing power in the low-end, yet the awkward thing is at WOT, it hauls @$$, but down low its very lethargic. It pisses me off that when I have ONLY 2 passengers with me and its struggling up these hills that minivans and small economy cars have no problem with. Anybody have ideas on what might be wrong. I feel that its time for a tune-up but I'd rather not spend the money if its not necessary. My 4R has 148K miles and no CEL or any other similar problems.

 

It could be your gearing but you also have some decent miles on the truck. What is your gearing and when is the last time you did basic maintenance (e.g., plugs, wires, oil filter, air filter, cleaning MAF)? Has it just recently run like this or when did you notice the decrease in power?

I have similar response out of my truck as you've described on hills but this is mostly due to my gearing, lift and bigger tires (compared to stock). I also have to take her out of OD to get power to climb but I'm normally at the 3k to max 3500 range on the rpm, and not close to 4k. It does have sufficient power to move when the OD is off. I've done all the basic maintenance not too long ago and didn't notice a drastic improvement.

The last thing that I haven't done is change the 02 sensor. Some have said that this gets lazy over time even though it's still w/in spec. This can cause you lower performance as the 02 sensor feeds the ECU on how much fuel and air the motor should get.

 

The gearing is 4.30 according to the door label and the fact that I have the rear locker.

The only maintainence type of service I've done was a new air filter (True Flow), but besides that, nothing else since the purchase in November of last year. The previous owner had the car auctioned and then a private reseller (whom I purchased from) drove it for a month or so. When I first got it with 137K miles, the timing belt replacement sticker on the cover read 103K, so I'm guessing thats when it had a full tune-up. Since then, I've racked up about 10.5K miles and haven't done an oil change but I will be doing that tomorrow.

The car been running like this ever since I got it but I always thought it was normal until I actually drove hilly highways with a loaded vehicle.

 

That's a HUGE leap of faith...


wow.. I would never buy a used vehicle and trust any of the fluids.

I'd drive if off the lot, head to a Grease Monkey (much better than Jiffy Lube) and get ALL of the fluids done. Oil, diff, tranny - FLUSHED, PS, coolant - FLUSHED. Then I'd head home and replace the air filter, fuel filter, probably the plugs & wires and front O2 sensor. Then clean the TB & MAF and do a Seafoam cycle on it, 1/2 bottle in the vacuum lines, 1/2 bottle in the tank, and let it sit overnight.

Then I'd go bake some cookies for the neighbors - they're gonna be PISSED when that thing starts in the morning 'cause I'll bet that it's never been done in its 150,000 mile life.

 

Sounds expensive, I would do that, but I'm short on money.

 

Get it tuned. Do what Midiwall said but do the plugs and wires. There's no magic fix here. If want to fix what you're gripping about you gotta do it. Otherwise gripping is moot.

 

midiwall nailed it!!

10 000+ miles between oil changes on an engine prone to sludging sounds expensive to me....

A tune up and fluids are things you have to stay on top of... if you are not willing to throw the basics at a vehicle then I agree that this just becomes a moot post....

 

If you think thats expensive if you don't do what Midiwall says its gonna get infinitely times more expensive.

 

So... whatdoyouguys think? 3 months and 4RRUNN!N will be back asking about a blue tint to the exhaust?

Pay it now or pay a LOT more later..

 

I see a list of current/future mods in your signature, but you claim to have no money for basic maintenance?
......not sure I understand this situation.

 

Well, I can take his side on that one, at least to the point of understanding how money can flow one way when it should flow the other.

For me though, I plead old age - I'm thinking his excuse lies at the other end of the spectrum.

 

I have a ways to go before I can use your excuse myself.

I can also understand how people might not have free flowing cash all the time, but when you are talking about basic maintenance that underscores a different point. If you can't afford it, then sell the vehicle or risk losing some or all of your investment. If the vehicle is a must, then the need for use of credit becomes imminent. It seemed like if the vehicle is valuable enough to modify, then it should be valuable enough to put in the money to keep it running well, you have to find a way to make up the difference.

.....am I way off base here?

 

No, you're not off base but remember some of the people on this board are pretty young. I agree w/ everything you and midwall have talked about but that's only after I've learned my lessons w/ modding cars in the past and not having money for basic maintenance.

My priority now is to keep my truck running as long as possible. If mods still factor into the equation, cool. If not, oh well. Some just have their priorities a little different than ours.

I'm sure if he was smart enough to get the e-locker, he'll take care of his investment...

 

Yeah, your right.....mentality is totally different.

When I was young I never had a car/truck worth more than $2500
......maintenance consisted of an oil change and refill the washer fluid.

 

Yeup!

But then... with all the soapboxing I do about proper care and maintenance, I again plead "mental incompetence due to aging", which has produced a list of 24 items that sorely need to be done on my truck - 5 are getting critical.



4RUNN!N, dude... If you haven't figured it out from us Old Farts, maintenance is HYPER critical on any vehicle. Spending $400 now on stuff that you can't see will keep you from spending THOUSANDS of dollars later when you replace a tranny, replace tires due to bad alignment, replace a leaky diff seal, replace head gaskets, spend more than you need to on gas... the list gets pretty long.

 

I agree with Midiwall. When I was in college I had no money for main. But now at 28 I make a bit more money and am able to take better care of my runner. Pay now or pay a crap load more later.

I do disagree with MLT4runner about a car being an investment. In my mind it is an expense, not an investment. Haha. Frickin money hole.

It's been an expensive year for my 4runner: new PS pump, new shocks and struts, new brakes and now it looks like my ball joints or tie rods need to be changed. That FJ cruiser or 05 Tacoma is look better and better. Ack

 

Most vehicles (there are a few exceptions) are a depreciating asset, but the equity you own is still your investment, right?

Maybe Edwin can shed some light on this as our resident accountant.

 

I do look at it as an investment but not like stock of a company or a house. Everyone needs a car (at least most) and related are normally expenses (car payment, insurance, etc.). If you're car is paid off, there is equity in it and it will depreciate in time; but I like to look at it like Jaime. Not having a car note allows me to invest in other things like stock, cash in the bank, etc. so investing in maintenance keeps monthly car payments away.

I may have gone in circles but I think you get my point.

 

I see your guys' points. However I drive my vehicles into the ground and squeeze every ounce of life I can out of them. That doesn't mean I don't take care of them, I just drive it till it dies. So, in the end they are not worth much and I get very little return of money. Also all along they way you pay for insurance, upkeep, gas, repair, registration, mods and the such. So with all that in consideration, my car is an expense not and investment at least in my mind. This is a great discussion.

 

What I mean't by being expensive and being short on money for was ALL the maintainence work. I guess it threw everybody off when I said not being able to afford it. Just this one time I make a mistake, I get bashed, I guess I deserved it by not wording right.

EDIT: On Monday I got an oil change, new fuel filter, new spark plugs and wires since I really needed a tune up, but I didn't change the o2 sensor, diff fluids, and tranny fluid just yet since they can wait, these types of maintainence which don't need regular maintainence are the ones that I mean't by being short on money for.