Engine Stops Responding and Throttle Gets Tight, Ideas?

I have a friend who has the thing to read the code for the check engine light, but it hasn't come on since it happened that second time and when the light isn't on, it doesn't show any codes. If I could get a diagnosis, I definitely would.

 

You are going to be in $100/hr for a shop labor to diagnose the old fashioned way. It could take minutes or hours to find. I'd think about how much you're willing to pay to have it diagnosed and fixed and consider if it's worth that amount to you.

 

That's kind of what my original question was...even though i worded it like an idiot, I guess. Sorry, I don't post in forums very often. I'm more of a reader, so yeah...

Unable to quickly diagnose. Would I lose money trying to have it diagnosed 'the old fashioned way'. Should I just suck it up and sell it. That was all.

 

No way to tell til you take it in. How much are willing to gamble on the diagnosis? You could always set the max you're willing to pay for diagnosis and tell the shop not to spend more than X amount of time on it.

 

Okay - that's helpful, thank you! I did not know that was something that I could do. I don't have much experience with mechanic shops as I've never really had any engine problems because, you know, TOYOTA.

I have routine maintenance done but haven't had the need for more. Until now. Compound that with moving from NC to TX and trying to find a trustworthy garage that won't bend me over, that's why I came here. For years I've read these threads for answers, and I figured this was a good place to start for this issue.

 

New to the area. CEL and limp mode is sporadic.
3rd vehicle. Out grown.

I'd suggest to go to a local Toyota dealer. Give them a maximum cost to diagnose. Have them call you if they suspect an overrun on diagnosis cost. I would allow them 3 hours to diagnose.

Based on your description of the shifting......could be tranny (purely a guess on my part). Has the transmission been serviced since you bought it?

Get the diagnosis, then you will be in a better position to repair, sell or sell as is.

You need to do a bit more homework.

 

Another thing to ask the shop is if they waive the diagnosis fee if you go through with the repair. Some shops will waive the diagnosis labor if the repair costs $XXX or more but the amount varies by shop.

 

This was the start to my homework

 

Thanks Wulf, that's really good to know. I'm going to take Knute's advice and go to a Toyota dealer.

 

Check the local clubs or this forum for locals. They may be willing to guide you to a reasonable, trustworthy, honest shop. You might only get 2 of the 3.

 

Will do. LOL, you know what they say. 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

 

I would get it fixed first in your situation. Your field of buyers will definitely be broader. Does suck to have to invest and turn around and sell, but you have to apply that cost to the maintenance free miles in the past and feel okay about it.

However, that said, there are guys like me who would buy it in need of repair, but it will be hard for you to know what's a fair price ask/offer to accept.

I don't know what is wrong with it, but I'll ask a few questions that will maybe help someone else continue to diagnose.

What engine and transmission do you have in the truck?

Since you said it happened on side street and highway, seems maybe unrelated to speed, but can you tell how fast you were going/accelerating or decelerating (under load or light pedal?), was the vehicle up to full operating temps both times(how long/far driven), any other work done recently, general maintenance history like fuel pump/filter, spark plugs/coil packs, etc?

If it were mine and I were trying to fix it, with no codes to go by, I would just start with the basics like confirming ground wire attachments in the engine compartment, checking MAF sensor is clean, checking spark components (coil packs and wires), loose wires to any/all sensors, fuel supply pressure, etc.

It sounds like the fuel supply is reduced (by ECU or low pressure?), and the clunk when shifting is just a by product of abnormal condition when shift occurs. But without more to go on, really tough to help say what/why.

 

I have the 3.4 liter, V6, auto trans.

142,000 Miles

Maintaining speed for both side street and highway, not accelerating or decelerating.
Side street - 15MPH.
Highway - ~60
Recent work - Oil change at unfamiliar shop within 30 days prior to this happening

The weird part is the gas pedal thing. I've had the truck for many years and am very familiar with how everything should feel. So when the thing happens where I have to press hard on the gas pedal and press almost to the floor before any power is regained (and it's limited power at that), that's what throws me.

OH - and, I CAN maintain speed. I just need to press very hard on the gas pedal and almost to the floor.

I'm hoping that it's just a sensor, since the truck returns to normal after sitting for a bit and the check engine light goes off. But then again, I don't really know my a$$ from a hole in the ground when it comes to anything bigger than a 2 cycle engine.

 

This question is more for my understanding than for the OP - doesn't the ECU store check codes for later reading, even when the CEL goes off?

 

From someone in a local thread:
It doesn't show a code cause it hasn't reoccurred enough for the engine to say it a fault just give it time if it does it enough it will put a code on there

 

Your 03 has the drive by wire throttle system(1st yr I believe). Maybe someone more familiar with that system can chime in and say whether your symptoms match a failure mode for it.

This is a copy/paste from the Technical Chat thread:

This version of ETCS-i still had a mechanical cable linkage from accelerator pedal to the throttle body. It added an accelerator position sensor and a motorized throttle body, so the ECM could monitor the gas pedal and exert limited control over the fuel intake. If the ETCS-i components failed, the Taco was still capable of being driven in a limp mode.

 

If I read this correct you had already decided to sell the truck because it is being out grown .

The fact it is misbehaving is just the icing on the cake.

Though at first glance it looks like you want to dump the truck from these little problems which seems counter productive .

The down side if the dealer can`t make the truck misbehave there is nothing to see.

 

You need to diagnose it first.

If it's in limp mode, it surely has OBDII codes you can run. You can buy a scanner for less than $20. You can have an auto parts store run the codes for you, but I find it better to have that info my my hands, not theirs.

That would be my first step. From there, you can see what the common causes of the code(s) is/are, and go from there.

 

I have one arriving this Friday.

 

these days they'll run the codes and give you a free printout to take home so you can investigate on your own