Newb needing suggestions, please

[Recruiter]

Long story short - woke up to -17 degree temps and lots of snow on top of the mountain yesterday. Due to family illness I really had to get home from my boarding trip, and quickly. Went out to start truck - which I am in total love with sans the Lexus badging - and it was just too cold for the old lady to want to start. I got a jump from some of the boys and she started, but was not happy about it. Was a heck of a time keeping her running - mind you, at this point I just want to get home; I kept her revved and let her warm up. Came down the mountain in low as the plows etc. had not been out yet. Limped her home - not running well at all - gauges read fine - not getting hot, volts running in the usual range, drank a bit more fuel than normal - I really had to keep my foot in it to get any power at all especially on the long mountain pulls, oil pressure read normally. Once home and having a min. to tinker with her - I thought I had fouled a plug - I started unhooking connections to see if she would run any better. I disconnected something that I think may be a throttle sensor or the ECU. I don't have a book on this truck yet. I DO the part number is 8945222090. I don't know how to look up parts by number alone. I have done a google and yahoo search and can't seem to figure it out. Any suggestions? I am leaving it parked until I can figure it out.

Sorry if this is too general. I thank you for any input.

Best,
Katie

 

[Romer]

Welcome Katie

Can you describe what you mean by not running well? Was it making any noises or just running poorly?

Was there a difference in how it ran once it warmed up.

Hard to answer your parts question. Best way to work that is to take a picture and post it. If you don't know how to resize to upload, there are links in the Help section with free SW if you don't have any

 

[murf]

Katie, there are alot of possibilities but the first thing that sprang to mind upon reading your description was a plugged exhaust (i.e. cat converter). Ive seen it before. Simple to check: Remove the exhaust from in front of the cat , install earplugs, and see if your throttle response comes back.

Of course hard to say if not there, but my best guess to help.

 

[tblume]

Online Toyota Parts Catalog!!!

try looking here?

hope the family illness is not serious, good luck, this is the right place to get a heap of help, and

welcome!

 

[Recruiter]

Thank you for your kindness. I will try both catalog and removing the exhaust tomorrow. Dog tired right now. It seems the next few weeks will be spent running up and down I-81 until there is some resolution with my aunt. I fixed truck will make that much easier as driving it ,alone, makes me smile. As far as "not running well" - I know better than giving this description - an oversight on my behalf - it felt like it was missing - I swear I thought I had fouled a plug and it was only running on 5 cyl. I really had to stay in it to pull the mountain hills. It seems to want to die at stops, so much so that I kicked it into N and kept it revved a bit.
Again, thanks for the help. I will check back after some needed sleep and get on some suggestions. I might even figure out how to post a picture

Best,
Katie

 

[Tools R Us]

Thank you for your kindness. I will try both catalog and removing the exhaust tomorrow. Dog tired right now. It seems the next few weeks will be spent running up and down I-81 until there is some resolution with my aunt. I fixed truck will make that much easier as driving it ,alone, makes me smile. As far as "not running well" - I know better than giving this description - an oversight on my behalf - it felt like it was missing - I swear I thought I had fouled a plug and it was only running on 5 cyl. I really had to stay in it to pull the mountain hills. It seems to want to die at stops, so much so that I kicked it into N and kept it revved a bit.
Again, thanks for the help. I will check back after some needed sleep and get on some suggestions. I might even figure out how to post a picture

Best,
Katie

Is the check engine light on? Most of the time if you have an electrical miss it will be on. My first check would be the intake hose, the big rubber hose between the throttle body and air filter. If cracked/leaking will cause the type of running that your explaining.

 

[Romer]

Is the check engine light on? Most of the time if you have an electrical miss it will be on. My first check would be the intake hose, the big rubber hose between the throttle body and air filter. If cracked/leaking will cause the type of running that your explaining.

If it is cracked, wrap it with Duct tape where it is cracked to see if that changes the problem.

 

[Tools R Us]

If it is cracked, wrap it with Duct tape where it is cracked to see if that changes the problem.

Then replace ASAP.

 

[Recruiter]

The saga continues.....

Hopped in the truck today just to see if it would start, you know, just for fun . NADA; was going to have no part of that. I will replace battery today - either an Optima or Odyssey per reviews on this site. My hope is this will clear up the drama with the truck.

Check engine light IS on, but has been on since I bought it. The guy I got it from assured me it was the O2 sensor which I replaced with NO luck of getting the check engine light to turn off and stay off. I guess I learned long ago to ignore those silly lights because the one in my Trooper turned on and off at will, and no one I ever took it to could figure it out. Maybe time to recondition my thinking?:whoops:

Thanks,
Katie

 

[d0ubledown]

i hope that you got the code read before putting in that new 02...it might not ahve been the 02 sensor. dont expect a used car salesman to tell the truth that said, you may have to reset the code by pulling the 7.5A fuse for several minutes. its located in the fuse box behind the battery..and is clearly labelled.

other obvious things: did you replace any tune-up parts when you first purchased it? specifically cap, rotor, plugs and plug wires? how did it run before you bought it..during the test drive etc?

 

[Romer]

Katie, lots of auto parts stores will read the code for free. Get the code read and tell us what it is. When you change the battery, it will erase it. Post up what the code is and we can go from there.

Always get the code read to see what it is. Don't ignore them without at least knowing its something you can ignore. For example, there are codes for a mis-fire. Thats something that should not be ignored.

 

[Beowulf]

Maybe time to recondition my thinking?

Katie,
Yes, it is time to recondition your thinking. If you go to an AutoZone, they will read the code for you. As Ken suggested, do this BEFORE you remove the battery. Be sure to write down the Pxxxx code(s), not the verbal description the guy will give you.

-B-

 

[Recruiter]

More...someone shoot me please

Per Murphy's Law style luck, I was away from my internet access this afternoon so I started to hunt down the battery I wanted - a yellow top - finally found it and jumped truck off to go get it - for those of you in the South East, Sams Club has them for $160, red tops are $135. Bought it and had the truck there so they could put it in (easier than dragging it home and returning the old one.) Let them pull the truck in and within 5 minutes they are waving me back inside - the cables are too short to connect (already read the thread above to see about replacing the cables; still wondering on what length to buy?????) I am simply exhausted at this point so I take what they have that will fit - making sure I can return it for the one I want when I fiugre out the cable switch out - and the guy assures me I can without hassle. At that point I took what I could get and headed forward knocking out my "to do stuff" list. Truck is still running poorly. I brought it home and parked it.

Background on the truck - I bought it about a year ago. Fully carfaxed it etc. It was posted on this site. Bought at 123K, now have 137K on it. Check engine light has been on since I drove it home. Has run perfectly until Friday morning when getting her started in the cold brought about all of this. The guy - private owner - I bought it from has a "tune up" done on it before I bought it. He claims plugs, wires, filter - the usual. When I called about the O2 sensor he was no real help. It goes off and stays off for awhile when battery is disconnected. Like a FOOL I did not have code read before I changed the battery. I did ask while at Sams if they could hook it up and read the code and they claim they don't have the computer to do so. The check engine light is currently off, but I am sure will come on again in the next few miles - usually within 50.

On Saturday I tried looking it over and piddling with it. Did the usual redneck vacuum leak test with WD40 and did not find anything obvious. I then started checking connections. That is when I came across the part ( THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR ) that I unplugged and the truck idled much better - that is where I started the goose chase of thinking that might be the culpret.

I am sure the check engine light will come back on soon - I will have the code checked tomorrow.

I hate to throw in the towell this soon and take her to the local shop.

Again, I thank you all for your time and kindness. If I can be more specific about anything, please let me know. I can't tell you how much I enjoy this site - I lurk often.

Best,
Katie

If, at this point, you think I would be better off deferring to a mechanic, does anyone know of a good place in Johnson City, TN?

 

[Romer]

The cables will fit. You have to cut some ties and enlarge the hole for the cable on the battery tray

There is a club in Tennesse isn't there? I am betting someone there can spend some time and help you.

 

[Beowulf]

Don't go disconnecting your exhaust system just yet.

I don't have a book on this truck yet. I DO the part number is 8945222090.

89452-22090 is the throttle position sensor (TPS) for a 1995 1FZ-FE. I'm guessing you have a '96 or '97 LX450 but you were vague on what vehicle you are talking about. It always helps if we have less hyperbole and more details (year, mileage, recent history, whats been done to fix or diagnose, etc.) You can download the Factory Service Manual (FSM) and all the other technical books for your truck from TIS. $10 and a few hours of your time is all it takes.

That part might be for a 96 but Dan would have to tell us that. My TPS (1997 LC) has a different pn.

I started unhooking connections to see if she would run any better.

Katie,
Generally, this is a very bad idea unless you know exactly what you are doing. Actually, I think it is a bad idea period. I can't think of anything under the bonnet that would make the truck "run better" if it wasn't hooked up other than maybe an alarm connection and the only part of the alarm system under the bonnet is the piezo chirper.

As far as your truck running poorly, it seems you are telling us that it ran perfectly on the trip up the mountain in the cold. Then it sat all day while the temperature dropped to -17*. When you returned to the truck it wouldn't start under its own battery power but started when jumped, then ran poorly. This was repeated after you got home and until you got the new battery. Now, it starts on its own but still runs poorly. Is this accurate?

First, plug the TPS back in. Your truck needs that sensor.

Next, start trying to give us some more data points:
* White smoke out the tailpipe?
* Bubbles in the coolant overflow bottle at 3,000 RPM?
* Cracks in the big hose that goes between the air cleaner assembly and the intake?
* Does it run better or worse at full throttle (short burst please)
* Does it run better in reverse?
* Any other abnormal sounds or sights (like excessive tailpipe smoking)
* As soon as your code returns, we need that. It might help if you go on down to the AZ and see if there are any stored codes even if the MIL has not yet been illuminated.

That is enough for now... others might have some more suggestions.

-B-

 

[Goode]

Has ECU been ruled out? A friend's 80 has the same symptoms. The codes indicated ECU. Something LIKE 82 and 84. Not certain.

my .02

 

[Beowulf]

Has ECU been ruled out? A friend's 80 has the same symptoms. The codes indicated ECU. Something LIKE 82 and 84. Not certain.

Pretty much every single "code" (OBD-II or pre-OBD) will have the ECM as a final thing to check/replace. The only somewhat common ECM failure is on the early 1993 models. They will throw a series of codes and you can reset and they come back in increasing shorter duration. That means to replace the ECM. Again, this is 93 only.

Other than the US Spec 1993 model, we have heard of very, very few problems that were fixed with a new ECM. The only one that I can remember is a guy that put voltage on the -12v circuit or something dumb like that... he fried his big time and a new one fixed the problem (of course.)

In summary, if nobody hooked up the jumper cables backward, then it is highly unlikely the ECM is bad. Not impossible, but there are about 50 other things that could cause the problem other than the ECM.

-B-

 

[Goode]

I believe his is a 93. Thanks for the info B.

 

[mainemike]

You mentioned the truck was posted for sale on this site: if you have the sellers MUD screen name, you can search with that name for old posts which may provide some sort of history if the previous owner asked questions here.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Personally, I would throw my chips in as a cracked air intake hose (the one that goes from the air filter to the throttle body). And it probably won't look like it until it's taken off and you can really examine it. When mine cracked, it was in cold weather (like you discribed, but not as cold) and did not throw a check engine light. Hope that helps.