1989 toyota pickup 3.0l V6 no power??????

I just bought an 89 pickup with the v6. I got it for 1700 and have already put 500 in repairs the first two weeks of owning it. For some reason it is missing and has no power at all. I have changed plugs and wires. Changed dist. cap and rotor button and it made it worse so I put the other one back on. It looks new anyways. Please help. I have no idea what is wrong with it....
EDIT: I am using it as a work truck/weekend play toy. I need it to have the NORMAL power that it's suppose to so i can pull my trailer or load up the bed.


EDIT: Ok this is now my build thread. Don't know how to change the title and everything that I have done to the truck and the info on it is in this thread. lol

 

Well that motor is notorious for being a shit pile and it has 10000x problems. the main one is blowing head gaskets.

Check that and check compression on your cylinders. you may have a totally trashed motor in need of a full tear down and rebuild.

A few people have swapped that out for the 3.4.

 

It is called the the "3 Slow" for a reason.

 

I am going to get the compression checked later this week or early next week. If it was trashed then it wouldn't run the way it does now would it??? I can run 55mph down the road, it might take a couple seconds but it will do it... My problem is, i can't press the peddle down more than 1/4 of the way to the floor or it will bog down and act like it is misfiring...

 

Since this, I have replace the knock sensor and throttle position sensor. It doesn't bog down but i can tell it still has a misfire... i need help. I don't need "it's call 3 slow for a reason" remarks. budget is slim to none and don't have money for a swap. trust me if i did. i wouldn't have this. i would have a 1st gen. bought the truck for $1700 needing only the timing belt replaced, or so I thought.

 

I can't help you with your issue...but have you tried asking over here: http://www.yotatech.com/f116/ There are more people with the 3.0 over there, so it might be worth a shot... Hope you get it figured out!

 

ok thanks. I appreciate the link!

 

read the recent comment made.... I don't need the "it's call the 3 slow for a reason" remarks... that falls under it.

 

Start with the basics before spending any more money on parts. You've already changed the tuneup parts. Compression check would be my next step. Yeah, it's going to suck if there is something major wrong, but you have to eliminate that first or you're just throwing money away on anything else you try.

Is the check engine light on? Maybe someone here knows how to pull the codes from the computer? If it's running that rough I would think there would be a code.

 

I had a 3.0 and it is slow but you can find some more pep by changing the timing. The recommended timing was advanced way to much if I remember correctly.

 

No prob. The motor not having power is not normal. My 3.0 has way more pep and power than my 08 4cyl Tacoma did. You said it runs fine until you push the pedal down to accelerate? Perhaps the motor isn't getting enough fuel? Anyway, report back...I'm interested to see what you figure out.

 

update...
I went to start it this morning to fool with it some and all it did was turn over. No firing or anything of that nature... Sprayed some starter fluid in it and cleaned the throttle body. suprisingly it wasnt that dirty. I am suspecting the fuel pump. When the starter fluid was sprayed it fired and ran for a sec until it ran out of the fluid. After the fuel pump is changed, i am going to look into some bigger injectors and a higher flowing fuel rail. I will keep yall posted.

 

CEL is on and idk what the code is. It's an OBD 1 and noone around here has one to check it with without charging 125 dollars! The guy who changed my knock sensor said it was a code 51... I think. Doesn't the motor have to be at operating temp to check the compression?

 

It's best to have the engine warmed up first for max ring seal, but I personally wouldn't try and pull the plugs out of a hot cylinder head. I'd do it cold. What you're really looking for is one cylinder significantly lower than the others. When I had a problem on my 22R, one cylinder was 150psi, the rest were 180psi. Started looking real close at that cylinder and figured out the valves were too tight.

Can't help with the codes. There are service manuals online at TTORA. Maybe it's possible to pull the codes without a reader? The older Chevys you used to be able to short a couple of pins in the connector and get the engine light to flash the code for you. Maybe someone here knows.......

 

Fuel filter maybe? I've heard they are a PITA to get to.....maybe it's completely clogged? Maybe now you know why they sold it?

 

Fuel filter is a good idea-- it would prob be good to do that as maintenance anyway. Also, the 3.0 is famous for burnt exhaust valves...

 

Well the heads were redone at 158k. Idk if they were because of head gasket or burnt valves. Had one of the guys from the alabama thread come down and bring his mechanic from the dealership he runs and they both said that after turning it over once. They both could tell that it had good compression because it wanted to fire right up but didn't. Then they broke loose the fuel intake line that goes into the motor and turned it over and it drizzled out. They both suspected either fuel pump or fuel filter. I am going to do the fuel filter this week and if that doesn't solve it then knock out the fuel pump. Here are some pics of me removing the bed and getting to the fuel pump....


These next two bolts are the same ones taken at different angles


Here is the bed moved back and off a lil bit.

fuel pump.

The guy that suggested me to take off the bed was JoDog from the Alabama thread. That probably saved me a couple hours of cussing and getting angry at dropping the tank!

 

Hey im new to these parts, and looking at getting the same model truck as you have here. how did the repair go? i am curious because the truck i want has little rust but 211k miles on it v6 automatic. i didnt chose auto, but you know you as well as i do that you can only work with the money you have... hope things are well!

 

I actually haven't gotten it fixed yet. Been too busy with the business and went to the beach last week! I am hoping to get it fixed soon though.... if is the 3.0 stay away from it unless you are looking for a project. Ask everyone here, I didn't before I bought it an am now regretting it. I purchased the truck for under 2k and have already put 1500 in it and it still isn't running. I bought it with ONLY needing timing belt and water pump. NOPE. It went into the shop and got the whole inside rewired because it was afro engineered out the yin yang. that helped free up the ECU a lil bit. Then i had to get the knock sensor replaced and that was no fun either! lol. I have had the truck for 2-3 months and it's not running yet... I am thinking that i bought a lemon though. I know a guy who has an early 90's model runner with the 3.0 and it has over 220k and no problems out of it. MAKE SURE THE TRUCK RUNS the way you want it's suppose to before you buy it.

 

Update on the truck. I got the filter and pump in and it runs like a champ. Took it out for a test run lastnight and it ran like it was suppose to. Felt like it to me. I did notice a HUGE difference in power from when I first got it until now. I will definitely be doing a 3.4 swap for the power. Unless I can find an awesome deal on a 1st gen. I will start a build thread soon and get that going.