Any Mechanics- My jap truck is idling rough...

[Ezra Coli]

Any of you guys mechanics? My truck, a manual trans. 1997 Toyota T-100, is idling rough, kind of chugging now and then to the point that it will stall if I let it go on without giving it a slight bit of gas. Sounds like its either skipping, has a bad plug or distributor or some crap like that. BUT- I am no mechanic, in fact, I'm the LAST GUY you'd want fooling with a vehicle. Any ideas what I have here? Any suggestions how not to get ripped off if I have to take the thing in to the shop?

Thanks!

[Anscoop]

ty some uncle bens instead of that thai stuff you're using now :p

on a serious note, check the throttle body, you might not be getting enough air in the overlap when the thing closes

[Slakker]

Start with the cheap items ... can of carb cleaner then maybe a new fuel filter, work your way up. Rough idle can be so many different things. A shop can narrow it down pretty quick for ya.

Better hurry up and get that thing fixed by Sat morning!!!!! :eek:

[Derf]

I'd pull the plugs and eye and gap check them, and at the same time inspect the wires. If both of those check out, then it could be anything from fuel filter to bad/clogged injectors...

[Ezra Coli]

Originally posted by Slakker
Better hurry up and get that thing fixed by Sat morning!!!!! :eek:

If I have to heist my wife's little moon bus minivan I will! Just don't savor having you guys crack jokes at that one! :D

Thanks for the advice guys.

[Tango 1Zero]

check your dist. cap and rotor button. They can crack or chip and make your engine do all kinds of weird things

[ID_FWM]

Gas Engines need:

1. fuel and air
2. then a way to ignite them
3. then a way to expel the the waste.

So as stated start w/the easiest and work to the harder/more expensive.

Filters (air, fuel, etc.) Might want to dump some "Heat" in the fuel system in case you got some bad fuel (water).
Then go to ignition.
Then go to exhaust.

The problem is most of the vehicles are computer driven today, so it might just be some sensor or chip. Therefore, try banging on various components until it works correctly. (just kidding).

[Schuetzenman]

Does the t-100 have electronic ignition? Why not take it in for a tune up if you don't know auto mechanics. Most likely thing is it needs a new set of plugs. When's the last time you had the air filter change out?

[TheBigCAx]

From a non-mechanic to non-mechanic:

1. Try fuel injector or carb cleaner (goes in gas)
2. Try the water out of fuel lines stuff.

Go for a little drive and see if it clears out. No.

3. Most likely a fuel filter next
4. Take a look at the plus

Then probably one of the above posts. Or, time to take to a shop. My car did this couple weeks back and ran like crap for a day or two. I did steps 1 and 2 and it shook it off and runs great now.

Good luck.

[63DH8]

You may want to check out your PCV valve and your EGR valve. If your PCV valve is stuck, you're not going to get the correct air/fuel mixture. If your EGR valve is stuck, you could be dumping exhaust into your intake at the wrong time. If you're getting white smoke with a strong gas smell out of your exhaust, and a gasoline smell in your oil, your fuel regulator could have ruptured.

[General Ourumov]

Isn't your "check engine" light coming on? If it is, take it to a mechanic. He has something he can hook up to your vehicles computer that returns a code, which will tell him whats wrong.

[Ezra Coli]

Originally posted by General Ourumov
Isn't your "check engine" light coming on? If it is, take it to a mechanic. He has something he can hook up to your vehicles computer that returns a code, which will tell him whats wrong.

Thats a strange question. My check engine light has been on since I bought it. Several mechanics have checked it out and said the system was OK, but that the light is shorted or something. The light will blink if I let the engine idel rough for a few minutes, so I suppose it may be registering the trouble in the system.

Damn. More gun money about to fly out the window.:cryeyes:

[Schuetzenman]

Life's a Bitch and then you die!

[63DH8]

Originally posted by Ezra Coli


Thats a strange question. My check engine light has been on since I bought it. Several mechanics have checked it out and said the system was OK, but that the light is shorted or something. The light will blink if I let the engine idel rough for a few minutes, so I suppose it may be registering the trouble in the system.

Damn. More gun money about to fly out the window.:cryeyes:


Sounds like it's time to take it to the dealer. :( Mucho Dinero!

[JC]

Where is Fat Bastard when you need him? He fixes all my vehicles online from 3-4k miles away :D

[Vinnie]

I bet it's the O2 sensor. What color is the exhaust? Does it smell like gas?

[Ezra Coli]

Originally posted by Vinnie
I bet it's the O2 sensor. What color is the exhaust? Does it smell like gas?

Nope, clear, "as-usual" exhaust.

Sounds like I need to have the thing looked at.

[RCI2950]

I pissed in your gas tank.

[MPHx]

Try a new fuel filter first, usually when these become so satuated with water, no amount of gas dryer will work. With your fuel injection pushing about 60 lbs., a plugged filter could be starving the motor. Not that expensive for the filter and if you haven't changed it in 2 years, it could use it.

[Skibane]

Get a can of carb cleaner spray, and use about half of it to hose off the Idle Adjustment Control air inlet (usually a small rectangular- or triangular- shaped hole in the front of the throttle body, before the butterfly plate). The plunger on the little air valve inside it tends to get sticky over time, and then the engine doesn't idle right.

Also, check all the vacuum hoses for a minor leak. Spraying WD-40 will usually tell you whether there's a leak where you're spraying, since the engine will start idling normally as soon as the WD-40 temporarily plugs up the leak.

New fuel filter is also a good idea.

Finally, dumping a can of BG-44K fuel system cleaner in the gas tank every 6 months or so can work wonders for cleaning the injectors and back of the intake valves. It's not cheap (about $20 at most garages), but nothing else seems to work nearly as good — it's one of the few additives that really does the job (which is why so many garages use it).