last week I had been travelling at highway speeds for a couple of hundred miles in my 97 FZJ80. At my exit I fueled up, about 20 gallons and hit the road again at speeds around 55MPH. Around 5 miles after fueling up my check engine light came on and the engine started running really rough. To make a long story short, it is showing a P0300 and P0301. I have replaced the plugs, cap and rotor and am waiting on factory wires as well. The old parts looked fine other than some build-up on the plugs, NGK Platnum. Those were replaced with proper Nipondensos. Could water in the gas, I was in New York, cause mulitple misfires? I tried dry gas and no change. What else could cause these misfires? It seems to run better around 3000 RPM. My next stop is the dealer. It has run perfect the last 10 months I have owned it until that tank of gas.
Bad Gas Cause Engine Light?
- Thread starter MSGGrunt
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Yup.
MSGGrunt,
I don't believe it is a coincidence and you likely got contaminated fuel. My suggestion would be to siphon out most of the bad gas, add Red Line fuel system cleaner, and fill the tank with good fuel. I believe the P030x codes will reset themselves if this solves the misfires.
-B-
I don't believe it is a coincidence and you likely got contaminated fuel. My suggestion would be to siphon out most of the bad gas, add Red Line fuel system cleaner, and fill the tank with good fuel. I believe the P030x codes will reset themselves if this solves the misfires.
-B-
- Thread starter
- #4
I drained the fuel tank and added new gas with a bottle of dry gas as well. How long does it need to run to stop the misfiring? I drove around 5 miles and no change. I'm hoping new ignition wires will help. I will try a fuel system cleaner as well.
Yeah drain the whole gas until nearly empty than before you filler up add dry gas/injector cleaner.
Mine i used slick 50 every 5000miles on.
Good Luck~
Mine i used slick 50 every 5000miles on.
Good Luck~
MSGGrunt,
You'll need to drive more than 6 miles; that's barely 1/2 gallon of fuel.
-B-
You'll need to drive more than 6 miles; that's barely 1/2 gallon of fuel.
-B-
- Thread starter
- #7
Well, I drove more miles as well as replaced the plug wires with factory ones. The vehicle still has the rough idle and now I hear what sounds like a small exhaust leak near the exhaust manifold. Additionally, the check engine light is flashing which Toyota says indicates an overheating cat. Could the overheated cat have caused excessive back preasure that caused the leak and is causing the rough idle? Should I check one or both cats for blockage? I'm on my way home from being deployed in the Army and am concerned about the 350 mile trip. Will running it with the cats gutted cause issues? I leave on Friday and am pulling my hair out. When back home I'm considering having the injectors cleaned through RC fuel injection in Torrance, CA HELP
A flashing light means you are exceeding the emmissions by a lot. Might lead to an overheating cat. A hard miss will cause that to happen. Pull your plugs and check for one that is fouled. Check for spark on the wire. If you have spark on that wire, I suspect your bad gas fouled the plug. If not, it's a cap or wire. If you do not have a fouled plug, I would do a power balance test. Pull each wire, one at a time while the engine is running. (loosen the wires and use insulated pliers. Shocks hurt) The one that does not cause the bad idle to get worse is the culpret. If you have a good wire and plug on that cylinder, I suspect you have a bad injector. you could have a compression problem like a blown head gasket, broken ring or burnt valve, but we are going to hope not.
- Thread starter
- #9
Thanks for the advice. I am thinking (hoping) that all my problem is is a bad/clogged injector caused by either water in the gas or debri I picked up from running my tank so low. I would think the fuel filter would take care of this. I will be pulling all of them and sending them out to www.cruzinperformance.com to have them cleaned and flow tested. $12.00 per injector. While they are out I am going to rebuild the head to address some leaking valve seals. Clean the underside of the valve cover where the PVC goes in, resurface head and put on a new head gasket, new exhaust gaskets and new cats if they are needed with a new exhaust sytem. I will check each spark plug as you outlined. Thanks for the tip on the insulated pliers. I tried working on a hairdryer once while plugged in (220 in Europe no less) and am a bit gun shy.
MSGGrunt said:
I have it on good authority (read old persons opinion) that it you repair your head and reinstall it then your chances for your rig to never run decent again are pretty good? Something about your piston cylinder hole head warping over time because of the torque from the head, but wearing correctly as the piston rings wear keeps the hole cylindrical. Once the repaired head is re-bolted down it just isn’t torqued exactly as before and induces a new oblong effect on the piston hole.
I would like to hear other people chime in on this one, wifes tale or not.
lurker said:
Lurker,
MSGGrnt is trying to get his truck fixed and you want to start a dialogue about some dumb ostrich theory? ! ! !
Take it to chat and let's stay focused on helping him get his truck running.
-B-
Beowulf said:Lurker,
MSGGrnt is trying to get his truck fixed and you want to start a dialogue about some dumb ostrich theory? ! ! !
Take it to chat and let's stay focused on helping him get his truck running.
-B-
FU @ss hole!
You've had that comming for a long time and it's not only me.- Thread starter
- #13
From my mechanical knowledege and what I have been told and seen, the blocks on the Land Cruisers do not wear nearly as much as lesser motors. This is due to a high nickel content in the block. I know this is the case with the older 2F's and 3FE's not sure about the 1FZ-FE's. I can't see how the head is affected by the piston. The piston does not go into the head. It stops at TDC and that is why on some motors a ridge reemer is needed to remove pistons from a block. I know cylinders do oblong, more so on in-line motors, but I can't believe Toyota designed a motor that would require you to rebore/rebuild your block whenever a head needed work? I would be interested in hearing from a master mechanic or machinest if this is in fact true or just old wives tales started by someone who may have done something else wrong in a rebuild to caused poor running conditions.
lurker said:FU @ss hole!
WOW
, and that's not even directed towards Junk.Back on subject, Grunt, my truck did the exact same thing when i got some bad gas down at the outter banks of NC. Drained the gas out and put new gas in from a new station and the code and rough idol went away.
Good luck. keep us posted.
- Thread starter
- #15
Did that to no avail. Drained tank, new gas, dry gas, Techron, plugs, wires, rotor and cap. I'm concerned it is a clogged injector. Is this something that can be tested or am I just ahead of the game to pull them all and have them cleaned by a pro? Head Gasket? I have read 97's are prone for burning them????
MSGGrunt,
Did you check that you were getting spark to each plug?
It's looking like an injector problem. You don't have typical HG symptoms. If you have the FSM, there is probably a test for the injectors. If you don't have a FSM let us know and someone will post the procedure. Do Gumby's power balance test to get a starting place or start with Cyl 1 since you got a P0301 code.
-B-
Did you check that you were getting spark to each plug?
It's looking like an injector problem. You don't have typical HG symptoms. If you have the FSM, there is probably a test for the injectors. If you don't have a FSM let us know and someone will post the procedure. Do Gumby's power balance test to get a starting place or start with Cyl 1 since you got a P0301 code.
-B-
- Thread starter
- #17
Here is what I found out after getting under the hood once again. All 6 plugs are getting spark. 5 out of the 6 plugs are a nice ashen gray color. The #1 plug is BLACK. Am I correct to think that the #1 fuel injector is not functioning properly? Any test for this without taking apart the intake and fuel rail? If I have to take everything apart to fix the #1 injector is it a smart idea to have all the injectors cleaned and balanced?
I am new to this site but you guys have been great support. Thanks. I guess now I have a project to do while on leave from my deployment.
I am new to this site but you guys have been great support. Thanks. I guess now I have a project to do while on leave from my deployment.
Grunt, i think you are on it. I personally would have them all cleaned if you are there and need one cleaned anyways. I remember way back someone posting a link to a great place i think in CA that cleans them for a good price.
- Thread starter
- #19
I will have them all done. www.cruzinperformance.com in MI does them for $11.00 each. Great price and take a look at their web site. It looks like they do quality work for a very reasonable price. What causes the fuel injector to fail and load a plug? Does it squirt fuel constantly? I wish they were easier to get at. Oh well, a small price to pay for owning the best made 4x4 on earth. Hummers (H1's) are nice just too fricken big. And the ones the Army has don't have leather and AC.
