Toyota Pickup (pre-Tacoma) issues

wdp · June 2006

I have a 95 pick-up, 4x4, 3.0L V6, 5-sp. Lately, the engine has been running roughly and occasionally it will not start in the morning. For instance, this morning it started up at first but was idling very rough on the verge of stalling. It seemed to run fine parked when I revved it up to about 3000 rpm but would be rough at idle. It eventually stalled and would not start again. It would turn over and would try to start for about 1-2 seconds but would stall again. After leaving it sit for about an hour it started fine but still runs rough. The on-board diagnostic system is returning code 14 (ignition signal), code 25 (A/F ratio lean signal from O2 sensor) and code 26 (A/F ratio rich from O2 sensor). The plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor button and oxygen sensor have all been replaced recently. Any suggestions?

turkeyt · July 2006

Hey, The problem could be the cold start injector or coolant temperaure sensor. When the ECM tries to correct problems other sensors sometime will give bad readings. It sometimes is a crap shoot. The cold start switch is supposed to give that little extra juice at start up. It causes your idle to be around 1500 rpm until your engine warms up and idles smooth. Does the motor ever smooth out after it warms up? The coolant temp sensor works like this. It sends a 5 volt charge to the ECM at start up and as the water temp increases the ECM adjusts the fuel air mixture. When the sensor is bad it can cause stalling and rough idle and poor acceleration. According to my book there could be as many as 6 or 7 areas that could cause your problem. Oh, Does that truck of yours have one or two O2 sensors? Some trucks have 2. Hope this info is some help. D.T.

scottybob · July 2006

figured out what the problem was so far. with it overheating just on the highway it turned out to be my radiator. the tubes on the 94 pickup run up and down instead of side to side. i took my truck to the dealer where i bought it and they could not figure it out unles they start digging away at the engine. they thought maybee the thermostat was the problem so they replaced it. well it didnt fix it. so i talked to everyone i know about it and we all started to come up with the radiator as the problem. well i fixed it yesterday and it has not overheated yet. on the way back i had my truck loaded down with about 400 pds of tile and it did not overheat also so i think i figured out the prob.
also too with the radiators it collects a bunch of crud down in the tubes and blocks off the tubes where its suppose to cool.
:shades:

thanks everyone for your input

ynotman · July 2006

They sure LOOK the same in photos... I got a great offer on a rebuilt unit from an '84 truck... but was told on another site that it would not fit... no reason was given... I need to know... please, if you know about this give me a shout!!!

jnettrecker · July 2006

I am picking up this truck on Monday to use to commute to work. If you could help me answer just a few quick questions that I have I would really appreciate it.

How do I find out if this truck has a P-Trac rear end?

Is it normal for the valve covers to start leaking at 180,000 miles?

What are the best or most important mods for this truck?

Timing belt, water pump and Plug wires replaced 10,000 ago. Are there any other things that should be replaced or serviced?

How about air bags support for bed loads and trailer pulling?

Thanx in advance guys for your help.

turkeyt · July 2006

Hey, I would say your truck is not posi-track. With a toyota 4x4, you do not need posi-track. You do not need air bags or any of that. The truck should handle most loads as long as your cooling system is ok. If it is a automatic you could put a trans oiler cooler on it if you are towing heavy loads. As for valve cover gaskets leaking, they probably should be replaced. Give the truck a good tune up and check all the fluids and change your oil and all the filters. Grease all the fittings in the drive shafts and get a grease gun needle and grease all the tie rods and ball joints. Insert the needle in the boots and fill them full of grease because most oem parts have no fittings. Go down to the auto parts store and get a Chiltons book and study it and you will learn alot about your truck. Hope any of this info helps, D.T.

jjensen · July 2006

I've got a 1982 pickup with a 22R engine, it used to idle rough until the engine got up to normal running temp, then it would run and idle real smooth. Now it idles rough and blows dark exhaust all the time. What can I do?

turkeyt · July 2006

Hey, When was the last time you tuned it up? Have you checked the accelerator pump on the left side of the carb. Check the diaghram on the side of the carb also. If either are not working, your engine will run like crap. EGR valve may cause your problem. Also when you start the truck next time reach up under the left kick panel where the brain box is at and wiggle the plug to make sure you have not kicked it and it is making good contact. I went through h+++ trying to figure out my 81 4x4 woes and it was that plug. Let me know if any of this helps. D.T.

thirdhogg · July 2006

Is there an easy definite way of checking the fan clutch on a 94 Toyota pickup 4cyl. 22RE? It spins by hand {when not running} but has a little resistance. Thanks. Don

danibieler · July 2006

hi! my 93 4x4 dx pickup toyota pickup is overheating also, just on the highway. it did it once on a hill but i got a new fan clutch and that stopped it. they can't figure out what is wrong, why it is overheating on the highway. what exactly did you do to your radiator? mine works fine as far as i know but i could ask the mechanic to look into something particular.
thanks!

scottybob · July 2006

mine was only overheating on the highway for more than 20 min drive. i had it at the dealorship and they couldnt figure out the problem the first time so they thought it was the thermostat. well that wasnt the problem so i took it back and still they were stumped on it unless i wanted to pay money to have them figure it out. but i got a free thermostat woo hoo for free.
well it was driving me crazy but i prob talked to about 20 people and my mechanic. me and my mechanic came up with the idea that my radiator could be bad. he told me on the phone that with toyota trucks and cavaliers and ford econoline vans have the same problem. he said the difference between these radiators and the other ones is they flow up and down compared to side to side. so all the crud and crap can sit in the bottom and plug the cooling tubes. he told me to bring it down and he was gonna do a laser test on it to see if the temp is the same all over the radiator and the hoses and everywhere the cooling fluid runs.
well come to find out there was a 90 deg diference between the top and bottom. well i went out to my auto shop and spent 180.00$ on the radiator, both hoses, and the cap. i didnt need fluid cause they put new fluid in when they switched out the thermostat. changed out those three things and it hasnt overheated yet. i drove from michigan to florida to missisippi and back to florida and it hasnt overheated yet.
on the old radiator when it was drained i shined a light down in the fill hole and come to find out there was about a 3rd of the cooling tubes plugged.
so i hope that info works for you.
if that is your problem and you decide to replace the radiator dont skimp and just buy the radiator. replace everything that i did and you should change out the fluid also to be on the safe side. depends on where your at but it shouldnt run you more than 300$ on all of it. depends on the warranty you get on the radiator could determine the price.

good luck let me know what you come up with

paul_p · July 2006

I have a '93 2wd pickup with the 22RE EFI engine. When warm, the AC compressor cuts out below 800 RPM. A friend and I tried raising the idle permanently, but I found it not practical to drive that way.

Does anyone know a way to adjust so it will not cut out the compressor until it gets down to 600 RPM?

Btw, the truck has 230,000 miles on it and runs great otherwise.

Thanks in advance,
- Paul

pauliep13 · July 2006

I recently had a similar problem with my 95. The compressor would remain on while driving, but while idling it would cut in and out. I found that when I topped off the freon at the beginning of the summer that I had put in a little too much. Have you recently added freon to your system? Otherwise, I know in some cars the A/C compressor can cut out when the freon is too low, in order to prevent compressor damage.

wdp · July 2006

I recently replaced the plug wires on my 95 pick-up with a 3VZE 6-cylinder engine. I suspected that there might be places where the wires were arcing. I checked under the hood after dark tonight and the wires looked like they were glowing in many places with all kinds of places where they appeared to be arcing. Is it typical to see this sort of thing or would a good set of wires prevent any observing of electrical activity?

pauliep13 · July 2006

I have a 95 std cab 4 cyl, 5 spd. with 383K miles. Recently the main problem I've had has been with the alternator/charging system. I've replaced the alternator, checked the ground wires, charged and recharged the battery, swapped out the alternator fuse. I really don't want to go chasing through the wiring harness, but I'm afraid that's where this is leading. My truck has a lot of little problems, but this is the big one. It's the main problem that keeps me from driving the truck, mainly because I'd have to get a jump start everywhere I go.

The other puzzling problem I have is in the cooling system. The truck overheats while it is shut off. If I start it, and run it long enough to get to normal temperature. (Especially in hot weather) Then shut it off, and wait for 5-10 minutes, then restart the engine, my temperature guage will show almost all the way to the red. Is it possible that this is just a problem with the guage itself? Or is there really heat building up while the engine is off?

Any help will be welcome.

blitzkrieg · July 2006

Used to have a great running 84 Toyota pickup that ran great right up till the time I wrecked it. So after a few years of missing it I spotted a truck just sitting. So I bought it. An 89 toyota v6 non-running. Now I need some help. It has about 200,00 on it. Its all there. It will run for a few seconds on starting fluid. Pulled the tank. Found some bad electrical connections and pinholes in the pickup tube. Going to replace that. The fuel pump runs when hooked to the batery directly. It will run when cranking the engine. Should it run when the key is just on also? Like when the dash lights come on? How do you check the relays? Any help appreciated. Thanks

paul_p · August 2006

Thanks pauliep13, I will get that checked.

- Paul

raync · August 2006

I am a new owner of a 93 Toyota 22re. As soon as turn the key to the run position the 15 amp ATC fuse for the EFI will blow. The EFI relay has been changed and is good. Remove the relay and the fuse doesn't blow. Computer was swapped with no result. The fuel pump has been removed and tested (OK). There are no other problems with the truck. A mechanic told me I need a new engine harness and the only way to get one is with a new (USED engine or call a dealer) either way it will be around $1300 for the parts. I have a Hayes manual but don't know where all the sensors and plug locations are. I have just had a liver transplant and money is very tight. Please Help!

Thanks in advance- Ray rbrooks6@cox.net

KCRam · August 2006

...please do not include your email address in your messages! We have no control over who will use it if you do, and it's more beneficial if answers are shared here, in case others have the same issue.

kcram - Pickups Host

tony1177 · August 2006

hey i have a 94 22re p/u. Its got 208,000 on it and runt pretty good. My question is the it gets really hot really quick. like if i let it run for about 5 minutes the oil filter is extremely hot and radiator is untouchable. when you take the oil cap off light smoke or steam comes out. i did change thermostat bacause had a fail safe in it and was stuck open. all knew parts, water pump, timing chain, headers, throttle position sensor. o2 sensor, etc. The temp gauge shows normal temp but does rise high on highway. Wasnt sure if this is normal for these engines to run that warm. I also have needed to add coolant but i did have leeky hose and it sat for some time so some evaporation. please help. thanks :shades:

pauliep13 · August 2006

I have a 95 with the 22re also. It had 36K miles when I bought it and has always seemed like it ran hot to me. I remember the first time I checked the oil, I thought I burned myself on the dipstick. I would say that if the gauge reads normal, and it's not boiling over, then I wouldn't worry about it.

utfesek · August 2006

I have a 93 Toyota pickup, 3.0L 5spd manual, 279k miles. About half a month ago, whenever i would turn on the AC, about five minutes afterwards, water would begin dripping out of the floor vents. If i took any kind of decent turn or brake, a larger quantity of water would spill out, soaking the floorboard. Any ideas on the problem here. I have a Haynes manual for my truck, but can't find any help there. Thanks.

pauliep13 · August 2006

That sounds like you have a build up in your A/C drip line. Usually as condensation builds up on the evaporator the water will drip out of a small metal line from the bottom. If dirt or mold/mildew builds up in the line, then it has no where to go but up, and out of the next lowest relief point. That would probably be your floor vents. If you can find the drip line, (usually a small diameter metal line coming from the firewall under the hood, on the passenger side) then you can clean it out with a pipe cleaner or some kind of soft wire. If you do choose to clean it out yourself, be careful. If you run a piece of wire up the drip line too far, then you can damage the evaporator!! I had a friend with a Ford that had a similar problem, the mechanic charged him less than $50 to fix it. Might be worth taking it in to the shop.

utfesek · August 2006

Thanks a lot. I'll check that out.

raync · August 2006

Sorry for email address. We found the short under the front end of the EFI where the harness splits. The trucks runs pretty good. It has 298,500 miles and burns or leaks any oil. Can any one tell me how to know if the timing chain needs replacing? Also looking for the best place to buy parts (body & mechanical).

Thanks,
Ray

pauliep13 · August 2006

As far as the timing chain, I'd say the fact that you're pushing 300K is the best way to tell. 300K is when I had the chain done on my truck, the mechanic showed it to me when I picked up my truck and it was fairly well worn. Other than that I have no idea how to tell without taking the chain out and measuring it. If you're looking for good body parts there's an all Yota junk yard in Ft Worth, TX they have over 2 dozen pre Tacoma trucks with good body parts, and engines and transmissions, too. If you're talking about smaller parts I usually stick with the larger chain stores like Napa, or O'reilleys.

86redtoy4x4efi · August 2006

OK here it is... 86 4x4 22re leaks a ton of oil out of the front of the engine. I talked to a guy who has worked at a oil change/tune-up shop for 10+ years and he said that my oil leak was coming from the harmonic balancer/oil pump area and that there is a kit available with new o-rings and gaskets and other junk. He said that he has seen several trucks with the same problem and the very fact that they made a kit for it leads him to the same conclusion. Has anyone else ever used or even seen this kit available? Right now i just hit the 200,000 mark and the only thing wrong with my truck is the freakin oil leak. Somebody help!

captlloyd · August 2006

I had the same problem that very slowly got worse over a few years. Cold the engine would run fine, warm it would idle slower, make a coughing sound and shake, pumping the brakes would make it almost die sometimes. After adjusting the valves the problem seems to have completely gone away. Hope this helps.

jks4 · August 2006

Had my 1988 4WD Toyota DX brake lines replaced as well as the thermostat. Something he noticed but I knew also was the engine kind of lags on acceleration with a warm engine at times. The truck only has 70,000 miles on it and is pretty much locally driven which would probably explain some of that. (Had a company work truck for many years which accounts for the low mileage)

He suggested putting in some "Toyota" fuel injector cleaner to kind of clean things out a little. Is he pulling my leg by promoting the use of the Toyota brand or will any good fuel injector cleaner work?

rebeccandkiki · August 2006

:confuse:

I've got a 1994 Toyota Pickup; I did an oilchange onit, but upon taking off the oil filter, there was no oil in the oil filter...., I repalced the filter with the new one, then filled the motor with 5 quarts of oil and then the dipstick did not read anything.... I'm thinking maybe my oil pump has gone bad, but I'm not sure; any ideas? And if it is the oil pump where is it and ow do I repalce it???? Please help!?!

pauliep13 · August 2006

Yeah, man. That sounds a little fishy. I've always put in Berryman's B-12 carburetor/injector cleaner in my truck and it keeps it running just fine. You can find it at any parts store and it's $3.50 a can. Every time I change my oil I put in one can to one full tank of gas. I'd try that before getting the fancy dealership additive.

pablo1116 · September 2006

My 94 toyota has some issues and I need some help. So I am gonna start from the beginning:

For the past couple of weeks, I'd be driving down the road and the "yota" would kick forward almost as if the engine has shut off (but it didn't) and then it would buck a couple of times. Then it would drive fine. It kept doing this, progressively getting worse. Finally it started idling really rough when i would start it, and it would kick out black smoke, and eventually die. When I would try to start it back up, it wouldn't start, it just kept cranking. So to try to fix this problem, I replaced the fuel filter (which is a ROYAL PAIN IN THE [non-permissible content removed]!!!), air filter & spark plugs. It already has a new starter. I also had a slight radiator leak so I drained the radiator and added antifreeze & stop leak. The truck, after a couple of hiccups, ran like a champ.

Then after about a week or so, I noticed it starting to run Hot. Not overheat but to the point I would turn on my heater to try and keep it a little cooler. It appears my water pump is now leaking, so I am going to replace it & my thermostat. I think this should fix my heating issue. But after warming up, the yota kinda hiccups and shuts off. And again, it just cranks not start. After about five-ten minutes it will, but what the f#@k? My check engine light comes on periodically and shuts off after a little bit. Is this connected to the heating issue? What could cause these problems? SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pauliep13 · September 2006

Well, man, I don't know if it's all related, but I do know that Autozone's pretty much nationwide will run the codes from your computer for free. That'll at least tell you why the check engine light is comming on.

pablo1116 · September 2006

Thanks for the reply, I live right around the corner from autozone. I'll take it over there and see what they say.

Just FYI today I changed my waterpump, thermostat, both belts, and did a completely flushed my radiator. The truck isn't leaking anymore, and it's not running hot. But it'll run fine for a while, then choke up and die. I am starting to think it's a vacuum leak or something. F#$@ING SMOG SH#%!!

pauliep13 · September 2006

No problem, and BTW while you're at autozone ask 'em for a can of Berryman's B-12. It's the best fuel system cleaner I've found. It's worth a shot and it's only $3.50 a can.

crashq · September 2006

Its sounds ike you have the overheating part figured out. The hiccuping and the slight coolant leak sounds like a head gasket leak. If the air leaks into the cylinder, it will run extremely lean and cause a very rough idle. If it is a 4-cylinder, this will cause sever for awhile and improve the driveabiltiy like you reported.

Perform a compression check on the motor to verify this diagnosis.

crashq · September 2006

Unfortunately, what I have to say is not good news.

Your problem is exactly the same as my problem with my 92 3.0L V-6. I also had codes 14, 25, and 26. I replaced the Os sensor, cap and rotor, and refitt all of the electrical wires. Eventually, I got it down to just code 25, but the engine started idling roughly. It would still run fine at speed with a very slight loss in power.

I went out and got a compression tester, and checked the engine today. The number 4 cylinder has almost no compression, anbd I noticed a slight oil leak above the plug hole. Diagnosis: a leaking head gasket (again). Last time it was between adjacent cylinders (4 and 6), which had a more noticeable effect at idle.

Perform a compression test on your engine, especially cylinders 4 and 6 since they are the ones that usually go bad. A blown gasket will be readily apparent with a pressure of well below 100psi. These engines had a recall for a badly designed head gasket, which was blowing frequently. Toyota replaced these gaskets with a supposedly redesigned gasket. I think they just installed a new one of the same design. Either that or the problem is with the head design rather than the gasket.

Other symptoms would be a coolant or oil leak if the gasket leak is bad, and poor gas mileaage compared to past mileage.

P.S. The raw gas being dumped by a leaking cyclinder could have comtaminated your new O2 sensor.

ron burgundy · September 2006

4 cly, auto. Starts and idles fine. When driven it dies and can be driven if you constantly baby the throttle. If you accelerate it in neutral, it dies or sometimes will rev up if you mess with it long enough. Check engine light is not on.

Put on a new fuel pump and filter. Plugs, wires, cap and rotor. No change. Any help would be appreciated.

pauliep13 · September 2006

I'm pretty sure you need to check your Idle Air Control valve (IAC) that's a common problem with automatics of many makes.

ron burgundy · September 2006

It runs fine at idle. It dies when you try to drive it. I thought the IAC only adjusted the idle speed. Is that correct?

I didn't see a MAFS, just a big box with a flap. I assume it does the same thing. I'll have to figure out how to check it.

Thanks

pauliep13 · September 2006

The IAC is what lets air come through the throttle body when you are stopped in drive. When you are stopped the throttle plate is closed all the way, but still has to have air coming through to keep the engine running. That's when the IAC opens up. It's possible that if it runs fine while you're stopped and the transmission is in drive, but then tries to die when you try to accelerate, that the IAC might be stuck open instead of closed. I haven't heard of this too many times, and I'm not certain it's the problem, but it's worth a shot.

The box with the flap on top of the air cleaner is the Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF). It looks a little different than other cars, but that is it. The air moving through the tube moves the flap back and forth, which turns the sensor, and then sends the data to the computer.

hachiroku86 · September 2006

i just got my 92 toyota PU 5 spd with 149K miles on it. the person i bought it from installed new water pump, valves, and some other things. it ran perfectly until a few weeks ago. now it putters. i can hear a puttering sound coming from the middle on the underside of the truck. everytime i step on the gas it would run...but it seems like theres no power. i use to go 70 mph on the highway with ease. now i can barely make 60 mph. if im in the wrong gear, the whole truck would start shaking. i took it to my mechanic and he said "loose clutch?" when i press the clutch, a less notable putter sound disappears. let go of the clutch..putt putt putt. i need help before i start to tackle this thanks

danny

ron burgundy · September 2006

thanks, i'll give it a shot.

hls1 · September 2006

Easy fix. I have an 84 Toyota Celica with the 22RE engine and just fixed mine. I paid $3.50 at Advance Autoparts for the seal (Beck Arnley). Pull the fan belts. Pull the harmonic balance by removing the center bolt and using a puller. (advance sells one for < $15 - its just a simple center bolt to push and two bolts that screw into the front of the Harmonic balance). The seal is then open to remove. Use a small screwdriver to pop it out. Push the new one in, you can tap it in with the handle of the screwdriver, no real force required. Then put it back together. I did not pull the radiator, but I did loosen the mounts and lift it up 3 inches with the hoses attached to get the puller center bolt room to clear.

spacoli · September 2006

A friend of mine has a 93 toyota pick up and one day he started it up and it started knocking and squealing within the engine. He shut it off and had it towed to his house and it been sitting there for a couple of years. The truck is in really good shape, 130,000 miles and he said give him $500. for it. He said it didn't burn any oil,run good and no problems with it. It still started last time he started it.

My question is what could be causing this knocking and squealing?

The truck is worth putting a reman. short block in it at $1000. cost. I'm hoping its just the crank/ rod bearings and I can just replace those. I'm no mechanic, I'm just guessing. Is there any other issues with doing a rebuild that I should know of?

Any info would be helpful.

turkeyt · October 2006

My 88 SR5 22RE is blowing the engine fuse under the dash. Does anyone know what all this fuse is linked to? It seems to affect the blinkers and gauges but the truck runs ok. Thanks

spacoli · October 2006

Well I got the truck, got it started and it sounded like a machine gun. So I decided to do the engine swap myself.

I started today and have it just about ready to come out. I think the worst was the wiring. Pulling all those wires though the intake manifold and the wiring that goes back to the tranny and transfer case. It should be a real pain getting them all back in and going to the right spot. Some went up, back, down, across, oh ya fun,fun,fun.

Overall I think it went well. I did an online parts request for a engine and received about 7 responses. One is 55 miles away, 93,000 miles on it and a cost of $600.

I do have some questions and see link to photos below. Is this where I should disconect the fuel line (4th pic)? How do I get the 2 17mm bolts out of the upper bell housing right next to the firewall (2nd & 3rd pic)? I realy didn't try hard, I was done for the day and getting tired. I thought I read somewhere I might be better off taking out the tranny with the engine, is this true?

Picture 5 is what came out of the bottom of the radiator and some of the other low hoses, very oily and sludgy. When I removed the steel elbow that is conected with two hoses from the water pump to the bottom of the radiator, there was a thick oily sludge coming out of it.

What is you take on this cross mixing? Where did the oil and coolant get mixed at? Is it probably under the timing chain cover?

http://www.mytoyotatruck.com/spacoli/

tony1177 · October 2006

Ok My 94 2.4 has 210,000. Runs like champ mostly. It really used to studder when cold but i changed tps sensor and took out cat and runs better. When i start it up sometimes it putters for a couple of seconds. Kinda like about to stall. Then also when im high in the rpm's i noticed mainly in 3 4 and 5 gear it bucks badly. It does this all the time. Im not sure if timing is off or if the tps isnt positioned right because it does have adjustments. Did anyone have these problems or am I the only lucky one

?????

spundoctor · October 2006

I have a 81 4wd toyota and not sure if what i have is a long bed a short bed or a standard bed what are the differences. I believed that I measured it out to 84 inches not including gate.
And does anyone know who made bed liners for it.

pablo1116 · October 2006

Anyone know what the symptoms are of a bad Cat?

Toyota Pickup (pre-Tacoma) issues

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