2002 Tundra Can you diagnose? Bringing to Dealership

[lleroux5]

Hi all! I haven't drove my Tundra in about 9 days and when I started it up the truck started to vibrate. It acted like it was going to stall at low speeds i.e. accelerating after stopping and starting (RPM needle stays steady and no chk engine lights) and would run better at high speeds. I took it out to see if maybe running it for a while would correct whatever the issue was and it didn't do anything. I replaced the spark plugs about a month ago and it was running great until now. I have 88,000 miles on it and have purchased almost everything to do the Timing Belt and water pump etc., could that be an issue? The engin sounds a little louder than normal i.e. metalic sound. I also checked the oil level and that is fine. Any thoughts? Thanks!

[kerryman71]

Maybe (hopefully) the fuel filter needs replacing. Could also be a fuel
injector(s). These are just a couple of possibilities.

[mostsleek]

Check the air filter and while you are there clean the MAF sensor. Another possibility is the ethanol in the gas has separated which will settle on the bottom of the tank, read HERE for more info. I know that my truck had extremely low RPMs at idle, under 500, and when I did the timing belt and water pump service the idle RPMs were back to normal. I guess that the timing belt over time stretches out and the timing is off.

[lleroux5]

I live in Maine and we are using ~10% ethanol in the gas but we have been using that percentage for a while. I occasionally put fuel system cleaner in the tank about every 10,000 miles or so.

I checked the air filter and MFS and they are very clean. The AF is a few months old.

Would a fuel injector issue or a Timing Belt slightly off cause the check engine light to come on? If the Timing Belt being off wouldn't, I would be surprised but have been surprised before. Listening to the engine is sounds like there is a lot more metal movement/ contact sounds.

Could I be the first on this forum or anywhere that I've read to have Timing Belt issues with less than 90,000 miles?

I brought my Tundra to the dealer and I'm sure I'll find out soon. I would just love someone here to put a finger on it first.

If the dealer says it's the timing belt, I would like to bring it home and do it myself. Do I risk it? Any more thoughts?

[muvico]

do you have the engine light on , check for codes if yes, and maybe its a bad coil. they are known for failing.

[lleroux5]

I have no engine lights on. That's whats so puzzeling!

[mostsleek]

I did my timing belt at 92k miles and noticed the low RPMs starting earlier the 90k miles. As soon as I did the timing belt, back to normal idle RPMs. HERE is the post of my low RPMs and timing belt solution.

The problem with the ethanol is that when it sits for a while, it will separate. Most of the time in a car it is used fast enough and the movement of the car keeps it from separating. I know about this because I have seen it happen. I changed a fuel filter on a boat and used a gallon jug to catch the extra fuel, with in a week it had separated.

[lleroux5]

Did the truck vibrate and shake at the low rps like mine does? I am getting that at startup, idealing, stopping/ accelerating after a stop. When I give it gas it accelerates past the vibrating and seems to run fine.

I do have less than a quarter tank of gas left and the gas has been in my tank for about a month.

I'm wondering if I should fill the tank, put in some fuel system cleaner and run it for a while.

I hate to pay a dealer for an easy fix......or will they consider it an easy fix. Sometimes easy things are hard to diagnose.

[kerryman71]

I had an '89 Toyota pickup that kind of did the same thing. When
I gave it gas it ran, but when I let off gas it would stall. I would
have to keep revving the engine while stopped (it was a standard)
to keep it running. It ended up being the fuel injectors that
needed a heavy duty treatment to fix it.

I now put a fuel system cleaner in my tank every time I change my oil in
my Tundra and wife's care. I haveover 95K on the truck and have never
had a problem with the way it runs. Hope it's something simple, and inexpesive,
for you. Good luck.

[mostsleek]

My truck before I had the timing belt done the RPMs were low, extremely low. The truck would vibrate and feel like it was going to stall but it never did. This would happen at the same times you are describing and as soon as I would accelerate back to normal. When it first started for me, I went to the dealer with about 87k miles and they said it was the fuel injectors, about $150 later the problem still existed.

[Greenie]

Originally Posted by lleroux5

Did the truck vibrate and shake at the low rps like mine does? I am getting that at startup, idealing, stopping/ accelerating after a stop. When I give it gas it accelerates past the vibrating and seems to run fine.

I do have less than a quarter tank of gas left and the gas has been in my tank for about a month.

I'm wondering if I should fill the tank, put in some fuel system cleaner and run it for a while.

I hate to pay a dealer for an easy fix......or will they consider it an easy fix. Sometimes easy things are hard to diagnose.

You may have diagnosed your own problem.

It's not good to let a vehicle sit with an almost empty gas tank for extended periods (a week or more). I never let mine get much below half a tank. Condensation can occur in a nearly empty gas tank adding moisture to your fuel mix. Additionally if you have bought fuel contaminated with water or debris then the fuel pump is going to pick up this concentrated contamination from the bottom of the tank. Try topping off the tank with a brand name premium grade fuel (not raceway or some other generic) and add a bottle of gas dry. I prefer Seafoam for this purpose. Also you might check your air inlet tube into the air box just in case Chip and Dale might have set up housekeeping in there.

Then take about a twenty mile loop including some freeway and see if this helps. You're going to have to buy gas anyway.

You did not mention if you had cleaned your throttle body. There are plenty of threads on this subject too.

[duffyatkinson]

If your going to let your vehicle sit for an extended period like that, fill the tank and add some Sta-Bil to it. It'll help keep the fuel in a properly suspended state.

[lleroux5]

Well, I brought it to the dealers last night and talked to the service manager today. He said that they took a sample of the gas out and it is contaminated i.e. milkey white and he asked me if I wanted to see it....no reason to. My daughter put gas in it about two weeks ago, $10.00 worth. He suggested removing the tank and draining the gas out and going from there. He stated maybe replacing the fuel filter next if that didn't take care of the issue. I said price.....and he said that he had one hrs into it and would require another two hrs of labor~$250.00. He said he would call me back when he found out more. I told him......and it was and is still painfull, to go ahead. I didn't want to drive it home with bad gas in the tank, even though I drove it there.....don't know if any additional damage may occur do to the gas.
My first thought was gas but this isn't the first time that I have left gas in the tank for a month or so with no issues. In the winter I try to keep at least a half tank to prevent condensation in the tank. I'm still not convinced that the bad gas was a product of sitting for 2-3 weeks but I also find it hard to believe that it came from the gas station.
I'll keep eveyone informed of what I find out next.
I decided to push up changing my timing belt.....why wait.
I cleaned the Trottle Body about a year or two ago, installed, but after this I'm going to completely remove it and do a 4.0 job....I even bought the TB gasket.....$26.00 at the dealership....after looking at the gasket, I can see why it's so expensive.

[GORILLA]

hi try a bottle of sea foam, check the bottle for directions.
i just learned you can put sea foam directlt into the gas tank.

it this correct?
i never heard of anyone here doing that.
i was told it help's cleaning everything including the gas.
also there is product's that get out the water in the gas tank.
don't mean to hijack, but i also included what i belive might help.
gorilla

[kerryman71]

I've never done it but have heard you can add it to fuel. It cleans
injectors and deposits, etc. etc etc. You would pretty much
use it like a fuel system cleaner. You're only supposed to add so
much to so many gallons of fuel, so read the can before you add
the whole thing.

It's also supposed to stabilize fuel for up to two years. A guy I work with
uses it in his boat. You can also use it if you desired to flush your engine
oil, but as we know regualarly scheduled oil changes will keep that from
needing to be done.