Lost a cylinder on my 22RE

[WarDamnEagle]

I was so happy for the first few miles of the first long trip after installing front and rear, 4.56 ratio TRD elockers in the 4Runner (FAQ write-up under development). My engine was really liking the new diffs and I was able to maintain 75 easily on grades. Unfortunately, I filled the tank up at BP with 89 octane a few miles into the trip and didn't notice until it was full that it had 10% ethanol. Nothing against ethanol but this is a 1985 4Runner. About 30 miles later I lost almost all power. I tried to diagnose the problem on the side of the interstate but then decided to limp on to the beach and deal with it down here.

Took it to a local shop that I've dealt with before; valves are fine, doesn't seem to be any vacuum leaks and 150 psi plus in all cylinders. By pulling plugs though, we could tell that number 2 wasn't firing. The plug was getting fire but the engine didn't change at all when we pulled that plug wire whereas by pulling any one of the others, the engine would almost die.

We changed the fuel filter (only had a 1000 miles on it as we changed it last year with the new DOA Racing engine) and plugs (again only 1000 miles). Fuel filter was absoutely full of crap and what appeared to be water contaminated fuel (dirty brown color although it could have been the rust).

We are now trying a new injector on number 2. I can't think of anything else that it could be.

I've been so careful since installing the new engine to only run 93 and no ethanol. I'm such an idiot! I did run the tank almost dry before refilling with Shell ultimate 93. I also added a can of Sea Foam in the tank.

Hopefully the injector will solve the problem!

 

[Hilux]

and 150 psi plus in all cylinders.

you!!!

I was so ready to hear you LOST compression

but glad you didn't


And on the ethanol thing, with high compression it should run even better? The only downside less MPG.

 

[KY854RUN]

I lived in Phoenix when they started adding ethanol to the gas to reduce winter emissions. People had similar problems. The ethanol seems to break loose dirt deposits in the tank and fuel lines. Most just had to change the fuel filter a couple of times that winter and everything was fine. But, some had to have their carb rebuilt to get all the debris cleaned out. I hope that the new injector solves the problem.

 

[inkpot]

Howdy! All of our gas here is 10%+ ethanol, and it runs just fine in my truck, with over 200,000 on the original engine. The ethanol will absorb water and clean the fuel system much better than standard gasoline. What do you think is in most fuel system additives down at the auto parts store? Sounds like a problem with a tired injector or wiring harness/connector. Unless you are running much higher compression ratio than stock, you shouldn't need to run high octane. Good Luck. John

 

[Hilux]

Ethanol = +


YouTube - Fifth Gear - Lotus Exige 265E

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Life is good again. Plugged number 2 injector. Runs great again.

 

[inkpot]

Life is good again. Plugged number 2 injector. Runs great again.

Howdy! Good to hear! I just luv it when it's an easy fix. Did you get it cleaned out, or did you have to replace it? John

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I just replaced it. I have a few extra but didn't have any at the beach and the shop didn't have a good way to clean them. I'll probably send four off eventually and have them cleaned and balanced.

 

[Bogo]

Glad to hear our running good again.

Once you've worked past this clogging of filters and possibly the injectors too you should be able to use ethanol all the time.

I've always run ethanol gas if I could get it. Helps keep the fuel system clean. I have '94 4x4 pickup that I've let sit while it had a bad transmission. A couple times I let it sit for over a year between starts. It still has the 3/4 tank of 10% ethanol gas it had when I parked it a few years ago and runs fairly well on it. I siphoned some out of the tank yesterday and got some water. That could explain the occasional misfires when I ran it today.