Manifold caked with filth

I won't bother. High chances to mess them up. The nozzle doesn't look bad.

 

What’s the filter look like, and the inside of the filter box? Pretty sure if it was blowing by the filter, the filter box downstream of the filter would look about the same.

 

If you have Harbor freight nearby, a few packs of these swab assortments would be handy. Some of them are pretty large, they work well and are cheap enough. Best wishes OP

 

do I need to pull a relay first before cranking engine for compression test? This is to close valves to clean and then gauge leaking.

 

Yes to that. I have tried 3 other air filters, Fram and 2 others I forget but all brand name.

I drive steep highway grades every week during the summer, climbing 5,000 foot over an 18 mile stretch, doing 70mph up that. With all of the other 3 filters, my Taco was struggling big time. All because of the air filter. Each new air filter was used on one trip only as the performance was so bad. They were restricting air flow. I still have them somewhere in my garage, giveaway...

Put a new OEM filter in the next trip, and performance up hill was back to normal. Nothing else changed, these were 4 trips over 4 weeks, and only the filter changed each time.

Now, you could not pay me to use an aftermarket air filter in my Tacoma. You can't pry my OEM air filter from my cold dead paws, or whatever the fuck Heston said...

On the flats no difference was noticed, only on those steep climbs and it was a huge loss of power from just an air filter.

 

So for the cleaning, it's easier to turn the engine over by hand than crank.

For the compression test I don't know which fuse/ relay you would pull. It would most likely be a fuel pump relay/fuse. On most all vehicles I either jumper the starter or just put my foot to the floor on the accelerator and hold before and while cranking. Most vehicles I know of except Mazdas will kill the injectors when you crank with the accelerator floored

 

You know, I felt that too when I changed my filter but just lived with it because I fixed the fuel economy is the same and it to me meant it was filtering better. Maybe next filter I'll go oem again

 

that's what I meant, crank by hand by turning the pulley

 

UPDATE: After doing a leak test, it seems that my 5th cylinder is not pressurizing. The other cylinders tested fine.
My next move is to see if I can determine the source of the leak. I am using this Timmy the Toolman video as a reference to determine a possible leak source.
After a failed leak test he recommends checking for an audible leak from the following areas. The engine oil fill spout, dipstick tube, throttle body intake valve seat. For an exhaust valve leak, Exhaust (remove the O2 sensor near the Cat). Head gasket or cracked head, listen in the area of the radiator fill spout.

If I take into consideration the possibility that heavy debris got into the cylinders, I am guessing the above list of items to check would not account for damage to piston rings/cylinder walls.

 

Set that cylinder to TDC. I used paddle board pump to pressurize the cylinder. Most likely you have burnt exhaust valve.

 

I second the valve. If not burnt you may have some debris from that mess you’re dealing with become heat fused to either the sealing lip on either the valve or the head.

If it turns out to be a head issue or cracked or the such, check out monkey wrench racing for heads. You name it they do it to the 3.5 heads. And cheaper than a new one from the dealer.

 

99% sure it was set to TDC. I was able to successfully test the other cylinders using the same method

 

If it's the piston, rings, or cylinder walls, a pressurized cylinder will push air out of the dipstick tube or oil fill tube.

 

Cool, now pump some air into that cylinder. If air coming out exhaust - exhaust valve(s). If the air coming from intake ports for that bank, intake valves.

 

Not to drop a turd in the punch bowl, but I wonder about the lower end of the motor after all this work. Like the piston rod bearings and such.

 

UPDATE: I assembled everything (upper and lower plenum, throttle body, airbox, etc.) and cranked the motor on and I now have smoke or exhaust (white) exiting near the exhaust manifold, more concentrated near the 5th cylinder. This is the cylinder that was throwing a misfire code and failed the leak test. I did not see smoke before removing parts. The only changes that I made were cleaning everything up, adding a new OEM air filter, adding new plugs and I switched coils with the 5th and 1st cylinders.

 

Didn't you post yesterday that cyl 5 has low compression? What were the compression numbers?

 

White smoke is usually a water or coolant leak no? Maybe a blown head gasket?

Assuming it isn't condensation getting burned out of your exhaust which most cars have upon cold starup

 

The cylinder did not hold any air. The gauge did not register a reading and during the leak test, I heard the air passing through the cylinder.

 

On initial startup, the engine runs on direct injectors for about 20-25 seconds. It would explain the white smoke.