1999 Toyota 4Runner V6 shaking vibrations

PAWEL

MEMBER
1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

Hallo, I just got 1999 Toyota 4Runner V6 Limited with 170,000 km. I experience some shaking vibrations at around ~ 80 km/hr, usually when driving uphill. Looks like a power loss, and as soon as I hit the gas and go over ~ 85 km/hr the shaking vibration is gone. Looks like a major power loss and a problem with downshifting at this particular situations. Everything else is perfect with the car. I asked my mechanic for a ride with me to show him this unusual behavior and he seems to be puzzled - everything seems to be ok with the engine and transmission and there is no "check engine" light; the timing belt was supposedly changed at 161,000. Could this be false information and the need for a new timing belt? Please help!

4 Replies

LOSONE

MECHANIC
1,616 POSTS

99% of vibrations in a 4 runner are caused by drive line problems from the tires up. Most commonm cause are tires/ rims. Take it to a good tire shop and have them check it out.

The 98/99 V-6 engines are a weak engine to start with. There is also a recall on the head gaskets. The Toyota recall number is VO-5.

Good Luck

losone

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Thursday, January 5th, 2017 AT 12:19 PM

LOSTINMARS

MECHANIC
222 POSTS

If the timing belt was recently checked, have the crank bolt checked ASAP, and I mean it. Most people don't know that these bolts need to be tighten to around 280lbs and thats very hard to do w/o the right tool. If even the tiniest bit loose the vehicle will have drivability problems. This is very very common.

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Thursday, January 5th, 2017 AT 12:19 PM

LOSONE

MECHANIC
1,616 POSTS

Good answer from lostinmars. Those bolts are very important and few mechanics torque them because it is difficult to do. Most run them up with an air impact. Especially have them checked when the transmission is down for repair. But as lostinmars states have it done soon.

This doesn't help the V6 weak engine. I had one in 92 and a VW bug could pass me on a hill!

Good luck losone

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Thursday, January 5th, 2017 AT 12:19 PM

LOSTINMARS

MECHANIC
222 POSTS

Not to nit pick, but why would a front crankshaft pulley bolt be checked during a transmission removal?

Also running it in with an impact would be a great way to tighten these cause it would give it enough torque, but the problem with this vehicle is an impact gun will not fit w/o removing the rad.

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Thursday, January 5th, 2017 AT 12:19 PM