"Poof" Sound Coming and Oder From Under Dash (1 Viewer)

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Hello fellow cruisers, I'm hoping I can get an idea of what is happening with
my '87 FJ-60. Intermittently at start-up I will hear a "poof" sound
(sometimes two sounds) from the area under the glove box. Also, there is a gunpowder like smell that accompanies the sound. It does not smell like exhaust. I've looked for a relay or something else electrical and found nothing burned- in fact it sounds like a valve opening. Again, this only seems to happen when the engine is cranking over (maybe somehow related to engine compression). I've tried searching the forums and found nothing close to describing what is happening.

Thanks for the help...
 
This thread might help you out...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-...rator-bad-do-i-really-have-buy-new-dizzy.html

Basically what it boils down to is you might have a problem with the dizzy ventilation system, and gases are being ignited inside your distributor. You're getting the smell because there is a hose underneath the glove box that brings fresh cabin air into your distributor. Take off the distributor cap and see what it looks like inside.

HTH-
 
I have the same "poof" and smell...just started recently. I thought it was coming from under the passenger seat, maybe the rear seat heater? I thought I had a pack of matches caught up in the blower????
 
vcv or hvc or one of them funky valves. been researched like crazy. if you get the little valves in your vacuum hoses and check them (start with the ones by the thermostat housing and the one by the right side block, just under the sir cleaner...can't remember which one it is). you should be able to blow thorugh one way, but not the other. that's what you need to replace. it's allowing gas fumes into the dizzy, which then explode and vent intot he cabin.

they run about $60 iirc.
 
It is probably the vacuum control valve that is under the passenger side of the air cleaner. I just replaced mine and the start-up poof sound and smell is gone for now.
 
Be sure to fix it. Mine was doing that for a while and I ignored it, then I go to start it up one time, and the cap EXPLODED. Blew a big chunk out of the side and knocked it loose. I was able to tighten it back down and get it home, but now I carry an extra cap and rotor.

My $0.02
 
Thanks for the help. I'll look at the the HCV and VCV tomorrow. You'll have to forgive my ignorance, I've never heard of "dizzy" ventilation system (referred to in the above link and elsewhere in this thread). What is a dizzy system? I know I need to check for plugs in the the hoses under the dash as well as the HCV and VCV but when I go to repair manuals for more information on the a dizzy I find nothing close to describing such a system.
 
Thanks for the help. I'll look at the the HCV and VCV tomorrow. You'll have to forgive my ignorance, I've never heard of "dizzy" ventilation system (referred to in the above link and elsewhere in this thread). What is a dizzy system? I know I need to check for plugs in the the hoses under the dash as well as the HCV and VCV but when I go to repair manuals for more information on the a dizzy I find nothing close to describing such a system.

"Dizzy" is short for distributor... easier to type out. IIRC the dizzy ventilation system is not described in the emissions manual (don't have mine available). Just no that if it's not working right you will get symptoms such as you described above. Have you pulled the distributor cap of yet?
 
On top of your distributor or "dizzy" there is a hose that runs thru the firewall. It allows fresh, cabin air to the dizzy. This doesn't explain how it all works, but you can see the hose that PAFJ referred to earlier.
dizzy1.JPG
dizzy2.JPG
 
Here's a diagram showing the correct piping.
dizzy.JPG
 
Thanks for the help guys! I checked the distributer today and it was fine. I think I might have caught the problem early. There was not any corrosion or charring inside, although I did notice that I will need a new cap and rotor due to regular wear. I also checked both the cabin filter and the valve under the air filter on the passenger side. The cabin filter seemed like it was restricted while the VCV (under the air cleaner) was harder to test. I really could not determine if it was restricted or blocked by following the instructions in a Chilton's Manual for testing. Neither of the valves are cheap priced at $130 for both and they are special order from Toyota. I'm going to install both once they arrive and will let you know if this "poof " sound goes away.
 
UPDATE To Poof Sound from Under Dash

Thanks for the help guys! I replaced the Vacuum Control Valve (VCV) and the filter inside the cabin and it seems to have worked. It has been almost two months since I replaced the parts and the "poof sound" is gone. The parts were not cheap either- $60 for the VCV and $27 for the cabin filter. The parts also had to be back ordered and took almost a month to arrive.
 

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