Can any Toyota or Auto Mechanic here lend a hand troubleshooting?

Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson

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As some of you know I got Jeff Smith's 1985 Toyota SR5 Pickup. The motor (22RE - four cylinder fuel injected) was bad so Jeff bought a rebuilt one but never installed it and the truck sat for four years. I took the truck and new motor to a local shop who swapped the motors and replaced a lot of parts in the process (belts, hoses, clutch, new A/C, fuel injectors, etc.). I got the truck back last night and test drove it. It seemed to run fine, although a little less power than I expected. However, I opened the hood after driving it for about 10 minutes and the exhaust manifold was glowing red.

So, what could be the cause of a glowing red manifold on a truck with a new motor that seems to be running fine? Having said that the check engine light does come on a few seconds after the motor is started. When I dropped it back off at the mechanic and discussed it he thought the most likely culprits were timing advance or blocked exhaust. He said since he set the timing and it was running smooth he kind of doubted that was the issue. I guess a clogged catalytic converter is possible but am more suspicious that there is an issue with the electronic fuel injection and its feedback sensors.

Any suggestions where to look or how to troubleshoot?

Eric
 
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I know next to nothing about auto repair, but the possibility of a clogged exhaust rings a bell. It happened to me on a truck I rarely used, chipmunks filled the exhaust with acorns. The truck sitting for four years was plenty of time for rodents or bees to set up shop somewhere in the exhaust.
 
Three options (and don't discount that chipmunk suggestion) exhaust is clogged, O2 sensor is whacked and allowing the engine to run rich, or (unlikely) possible clutch is not linked right and it's not making it to top gear even though your stick is in that position. That would be like you running the truck in maxed out 4th gear instead of bottom end of 5th...Do your RPM's make sense to what you are hearing and feeling from the engine?
 
Does that truck have a cat?

Sorry, just reread your post. Cat could be the culprit too.
 
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Okay, after a lot of google searches and reading numerous Toyota 4x4 forums I have compiled a list of possible causes. I am hoping it is a clogged cat converter because I have to replace the exhaust system anyways and if it is the culprit I'll pick up some lost power.

Red hot exhaust manifold is caused by A) too lean air/fuel mixture, B) running rich in combination with an exhaust leak, C) clogged catalytic converter, or D) retarded ignition timing.

The above can be a result of:
1. Ignition timing late (check static timing after jumping TE1 and E1, and advanced timing in-jumped).
2. Cam timing off from crank.
3. Exhaust/catalytic converter obstruction.
4. Air Flow Meter (AFM) malfunctioning or poor connection.
5. Back sheave on harmonic balancer slipped causing bad timing reading.
6. Bad O2 sensor.
7. Distributor off 1 tooth.
8. Bad Engine Computer Unit (ECU).
9. Exhaust leak near the O2 sensor.
10. Burnt exhaust valve.
11. Vacuum leak.
12. Weak fuel pump.
13. Bad injector(s), leaking or too lean.
14. Bad coolant temp sensor for ECU (stuck in cold start mode).
15. Exhaust valves too tight.
16. Fuel filter partially clogged.
17. Throttle Positioning Sensor (TPS) malfunction.
18. Intake air temp sensor malfunction.
19. One cylinder not firing.
20. Intake leak.
21. Plugged EGR valve.
22. Gas tank breather clogged.

I'll let you know what is turns out to be.

Eric
 
My money is on the clogged cat after trk setting for all that time. Probably some deep fried mice in there now! I wonder if just unbolting Exhaust manifold at flange to tailpipe would tell you anything. Let run for a while unhooked and see if manifold still gets cherry red.
 
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I had that very same issue on an old 1975 CJ-5 Jeep with the 258 straight 6. Was about to take a long trip and figured I would have a pro do a tune up. You know do it right. Mistake.

Nice guy, everything looked good and he tuned it to spec in the book. Unfortunately the engine had 165,000 miles and was anything but to spec. Ran rich to the point that when I opened the hood an hour later, the glow from the engine made me think the second coming was happening in my engine compartment and the added oxygen immediately flashed every speck of gas, grease and grime into a fire ball that took away my eyebrows.

About two hours later it was cool enough to touch, refilled all the fluids (either boiled off or burnt) turned the key and it started. Set the timing by ear the way i was taught so that a nickle would balance on the air cleaner and drove away. Drove it for another 40 or 50 thousand miles and sold it to a guy for plowing.

If the engine has miles on it, what the book says may not fit.
 
Mechanic just called. Said the catalytic converter was badly clogged. I will pick it up today and drive it tonight (going to be loud until I get a new one) to verify that was the cause but I can't imagine it isn't. Makes me happy. Of all the possibilities this one will also give me more power.
 
Huntindave McCann said:
Eric Patterson said:
,,,,,,,,,,,, (going to be loud until I get a new one),,,,,,,,,,,,,,, will also give me more power.
Click to expand...

Which one makes you feel more like a teenager?[w00t]
Click to expand...

Drove it. Much better now. No cherry red manifold but the noise it terrible. I still want more power, teen or not.
 
Carl said:
straight pipe it and drive loops around the neighborhood at 9pm
Click to expand...

I think I will park in front of the neighbors by my shop and rev the engine. You wouldn't believe how noisy this family is. Their kids play outside all the time and scream like someone is being murdered. Then there are the dogs they have chained to a tree that bark non-stop. They also like to cut their yard with ancient poor running riding lawn mower with no muffler. It's so noisy it's comical.
 
Eric Patterson said:
Carl said:
straight pipe it and drive loops around the neighborhood at 9pm
Click to expand...

I think I will park in front of the neighbors by my shop and rev the engine. You wouldn't believe how noisy this family is. Their kids play outside all the time and scream like someone is being murdered. Then there are the dogs they have chained to a tree that bark non-stop. They also like to cut their yard with ancient poor running riding lawn mower with no muffler. It's so noisy it's comical.
Click to expand...

Well that is something different. Going INSIDE a shop for some "peace and quiet".
 
Eric Patterson said:
Carl said:
straight pipe it and drive loops around the neighborhood at 9pm
Click to expand...

I think I will park in front of the neighbors by my shop and rev the engine. You wouldn't believe how noisy this family is. Their kids play outside all the time and scream like someone is being murdered. Then there are the dogs they have chained to a tree that bark non-stop. They also like to cut their yard with ancient poor running riding lawn mower with no muffler. It's so noisy it's comical.
Click to expand...

Eric,

We either live a lot closer than I thought. Or, their yankee cousins live in my neighborhood.

I grew up in the largest, at that time, suburb of Chicago. I had my grandfathers old pickup to drive. It was the only pickup in the school parking lot, '72 Chevy 3/4 ton w/350. I, of course, had flipped the air filter cover so the engine could breath better. Then, the clamp on the exhaust pipe that came off the crossover pipe rusted off. The pipe would slip back sometimes so it would run wide open. It sounded great but, was loud!

Tom
 
Eric -

Tis amazing how loud that small engine can be. I had several experiences with my 1988 4-Runner, that were good and Loud.

The real power in the vehicle is getting you in and out of very tight spots that will test yer nerve, and not so much haulin' ass down the road.

I hauled my sneakbox and marsh boat all over creation, interstates, to way off road, and never had a issue I could not handle one way or another.

Ya got yerself one heck of a off road vehicle there.

Many of them still in use up here, that are rusted so bad you can see right through em, and the body & bed looks as if they will fall off at any moment.. Yet they still keep on workin'.
 
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