1992 Toyota 4Runner Female who needs your help!

Tiny
TINKSTER
  • MEMBER
  • 1992 TOYOTA 4RUNNER
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 300,000 MILES
Hello! My name is Wendy and I own a 92 Toyota 4 runner. Let me first say that "yes" i have taken my truck to mechanics( a few of them) and they kept my truck a couple of days and when returned it was the same way, nothing changed. A couple of them said they could NOT figure it out and a couple of them claimed they did fix it and charged me a few hundred dollars for the non existing repairs. Yes I tried to argue with them but I lost. One guy told me he wasn't gonna give me a receipt because he gave me a discount. So when i tried to take it back they acted like they did not even know me! Anyways sorry just trying to give you a feel of my frustration. Here is what I HAVE done to my truck in the last yr. replaced heads, water pump, timing belt, spark plugs, radiator, fuel filter, battery, fuel injector sensor and random hoses. 5 yrs ago I put in a rebuilt transmission. Ok here is my problem that NOBODY can figure out.......After my heads were replaced (winter last yr.) my truck ran but not as well as it did before, it made an still makes a whine noise , which is not my pwr steering pump, had that checked.The reason I told you it was winter is because the COLD makes a difference in my truck starting. Along with this whine, my truck has a VERY difficult time starting Only on the FIRST start. That is why the list of things I have done to my truck is so long..trying to eliminate..:) OK when I would go out in the morning to start my truck I will turn the key on and hold it all the way on then pump the gas peddle to the floor with a bit of force and quickness. When my truck reaches 1000 rpm I will let go of the key BUT keep my foot on the gas peddle to the floor an hold it there so it will rev up one time. Then I let up on the gas and with my foot lightly on the gas keep my truck idling at 1000rpm . Now after I have my foot lightly on the gas peddle without applying any more pressure, my truck will rev up on it's own like it is a delayed reaction. Ok after all that after a few minutes i will take my foot off the gas and see if it will stay on by itself. Sometimes yes sometimes no. Now I do all of that in the summer time when it is hot. In the winter, it's even harder to get to 1000rpm , then I have to let it run for about 15 min, til it is warm before i can drive it. If i let it sit over night in the winter it WILL NOT start at all even with a jump off. I had to run a heater on top of the engine to get it goin which took forever! So I decided to start my truck and warm it up EVERY 5 hrs, ALL day and ALL night, so that I knew I would be able to get to work. Boy was it a looong winter! It's getting closer to winter now and I don't know what to do! I don't want to get ripped off again! I'm a widowed mother of 2, I bought the toyota manual and do whatever repairs i can myself. (except for the heads and timing belt) Another worry I have now is that my truck is sounding more rough than it normally does. It's a new sound and today I found out that when I put it in reverse and slowly backed up about a block, really slow because it sounded horrible and it kept trying to bog out on me. The sound I think is coming from the passenger side, towards the front by my pwr steering pump. I was thinking maybe a pulley? I watched them while my truck ran an there was no wobbling and the belts are tight with no damage. I hope you can help me.....................I AM VERY WORRIED! this IS my only form of transport right now! I live down south , where that oil spill happened , so it will still be hot for a few more months and I have to figure this out by then! Thank you for taking the time to read this!

Sincerely,
Wendy


http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/576470_2323232327Ffp6325nu5783984259WSNRCG334894978335nu0mrj_1.jpg


http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/576470_2323232327Ffp6325nu5783984259WSNRCG334894978335nu0mrj_2.jpg

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Friday, September 24th, 2010 AT 7:56 PM

8 Replies

Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
I have a question for you, is your check engine light coming on? Cold start injector and coolant temp sensor been inspected yet?
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Friday, September 24th, 2010 AT 8:51 PM
Tiny
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I believe the check engine light has been on since I bought the truck. Yes it is on now, but it is a '92 so it is extremely hard to find someone with a code machine that goes back that far. Yes I changed the cold start injector, I'm sorry because I called it something else in my question. I just looked it up in my book and it is the one I changed. I didn't replace it with a new one because when I put the new one on, I ran my truck for about 15 min, then turned it off and waited til the next day to see if it made anything different on my first start. It did not at all. Not even a lil bit, So I took the new one off cleaned the old one and put it back on. Then went and got my $ back. Haha As far as I know my coolant temp sensor hasn't been checked. Do you think maybe it could be my fuel pressure regulator? To me it sounds as if it is making a ticking noise, I could be wrong about the noise coming from that since vibrations are hard to pin point. Hope this helps! :)
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Friday, September 24th, 2010 AT 10:49 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Lets read the codes first and see what the truck says! Here's how:
1988-95: Use a scan tool, or 1. Short terminals of Check Engine connector or service connector (depending on model) with suitable jumper wire. Make the jumper connection between terminals E1 and TE1. Some Check Engine diagnostic connectors are round and are located under the instrument panel. Others are rectangular and are usually located in the engine compartment. 2. Turn the ignitiion ON. Trouble codes will be indicated by flashes of the Check Engine light. Count the flashes to determine the code. If more than one code is present, codes will be separated by a long pause. Codes will continue to repeat as long as the jumper connection remains in the diagnostic connector. NOTE: If the light flashes on and off 4 times a second, there are no codes. DRIVING TEST MODE When a fault is first detected, a code is temporarily stored in the computer's memory. If the same problem is detected again during a second trip, the Check Engine light will come on. In order for this mode to store codes, the ignition switch must be turned OFF between the first and the second test. 1. Make sure the battery voltage is at least 11 volts, the throttle is fully closed, the transmission is in neutral and all accessories are off. 2. Use a jumper wire to connect terminals E1 and TE2 on the diagnostic connector, then turn the ignition ON. The Check Engine lamp should illuminate. NOTE: Test mode may not be entered if terminals TE2 and El are shorted after ignition switch is turned ON 3. Start engine and drive vehicle at 10 mph or higher. If vehicle is not driven vehicle speed signal code 42 and 43 may be set. 4. Simulate driving conditions that originally set code (if possible). 5. Turn vehicle off, remove jumper wire. The rejump terminals E1 and TE1 to read any codes that were set during the test drive. HOW TO CLEAR CODES Disconnect the computer fuse for 10 seconds, or use a scan tool to clear codes.


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/62217_95_Older_DLC_1.jpg

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Saturday, September 25th, 2010 AT 10:15 AM
Tiny
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I barely understood what you were talking about. So I am going to print out what you said and take it to a shop to get it done. The parts stores scanners don't go back far enough to scan my truck. I've already asked them. So it will be a couple of days before I will be able to get this done. Like I said before I have had a really hard time finding someone who can scan my truck. I will do my best! :)
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Saturday, September 25th, 2010 AT 10:50 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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  • 17,250 POSTS
A Toyota specialist will have zero trouble reading the codes, it only requires a piece of wire and the ignition key!
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Saturday, September 25th, 2010 AT 11:26 AM
Tiny
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Just saying hello and hoping that you have not forgotten about me! I have been trying to find someone that has a scanner that works on older vehicles, so far I have had no luck. :( I really can't afford to take it to a dealership, plus I don't trust a few of the shops around here. I'm gonna call around tomorrow and give it one last shot. I'm on a fixed income right now, not working because I got laid off because of the oil spill. I need to get my truck fixed since it is hindering me from looking for a job further away from where I live. I'm scared it might break down on me. Aww the joys of being a single unemployed mother.
On another note, I was watching a tv show and they were working on a car and mentioned that the ticking noise they heard in their engine was due to the valves being off or loose. Is that true? Do you think that is why my truck is making a ticking noise? I know with my financial situation I will only be able to fix one thing at a time depending on price. Right now I am mostly worried about the starting problem and how rough my truck has recently started to sound. Maybe you can give me a call, so that you can listen to my truck. That way you can hear how it sounds when I start it for the first time and you can hear how rough it is sounding. Since I can't seem to figure out how to describe that sound. I believe you have my email address. If you email me then I can give you my number.
Talk to you soon,
wendy
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Thursday, September 30th, 2010 AT 10:37 PM
Tiny
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Sorry but I have one more thing to ask you. You showed me how to check for codes with a piece of wire. Can I get that wire at an auto parts store? Also the diagrams you showed are those my fuse boxes? If you think I can do this myself then I need a little bit more instructions. I just need to know where I can get a jumper wire and where to hook it up. I looked under my hood but I couldn't find them. I am a girl! :) Thanks again!
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Thursday, September 30th, 2010 AT 10:45 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Look under the driver's side of the dash. Use ANY small piece of wire or even a paper clip. Make the connection, then turn the key on and count the flashes.
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Thursday, September 30th, 2010 AT 10:51 PM

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