Trying to help a friend with a recent '04 Tacoma Purchase..Conclusion

See below the Work order. I can't see where they listed what the code was unless I'm missing it. States it needs a new throttle body but with the spark plugs replaced, the check engine light is off and he said it's running fine.

 

Usually a throttle body being worn leads to a high idle. That happened to me.
I tell him to do wires & fuel filter as well & drive it. If it does it again I would do those ohm meter checks.
Fucking dealers and they wander why we dread going in there.

 

Cat, I'm curious. Did you actually have to fork out that much money for a Throttle Body or can they be rebuilt??

 

I got a used one for like $150 it drives fine now.
But mine is the older style. U can find them on ebay etc. Just look at the details make sure u get drive by wire or not and a/t cable bracket or not. I think there is 2 different tps sensors to. So just make sure it all matches. And ur buying from a reputable person or its local and can hear run.

 

$140.00 for spark plugs, Holy hell.

 

Yeah, mine ('03) and his are the drive by wire.

 

If ur good buddies u could also swap yours of for trouble shooting if it continues

 

I was actually thinking that was pretty reasonable. It takes an hour or 2 to do, and they have to make money somehow. The ridiculous ones are when you get an $800 quote for spark plugs on a FWD car due to the transverse mounting of the motor. That's a ripoff.

 

Thanks for the understanding, PB65stang. I love how everyone wants a tech and a shop to do stuff for free or near nothing. $120 in labor for spark plugs is pretty standard anywhere depending on the local labor rate. Wait til someone does spark plugs on some of the exotics where you have to dang near remove the engine to replace 4 spark plugs. lol

To the OP: The code is quite important, as it can lead us into several directions. If the code is still active then take the truck to any parts store. They will typically charge you nothing to put a scan tool on the truck and read the code for you. Then we can go from there. Otherwise we are just shooting at ducks hoping to catch the correct issue. That being said, typically when you have a condition that is most active after the engine warms up, it tends to be either an injector that is getting hot, a connection that is getting hot and losing connection, a coil that is breaking down with heat, or a wire that is getting hot and conducting poorly. The code is vital to make any kind of judgment call. When you get the code found out, tag me and I will check back in.

 

Thank you Bama!

 

Typically flat time for spark plugs is 1.2 hours from start to finish. Next time you replace your own plugs time yourself. An hour to replace spark plugs from start to finish is not unusual at all really.

 

Lets take all that money we're saving and hit the strip club.

 

Yea, my Throttle body was acting up after I cleaned it idling at 1500 rpms, got one off eBay for 75.00 and it works perfect now, the good thing about eBay is if it dosnt work you can return it for a full refund.
My old throttle body was dirty and I decided to clean it, after I cleaned the carbon from inside
there was a grove that had been worn from the butterfly on the inside along side the wall.
If I had not cleaned it, it probably would not have had the high idle issue as the carbon was filling
in the grove, so cleaned it and now needed a new one, hehe
They can't be rebuilt that I know for the 3.4
When buying the throttle body make sure the part number on the top is the same.
The throttle bodies are all DIFFERANT and very specific if you have an auto, or 5 speed, or cruise control, etc

You can buy a code reader from pepboys for 40.00, then you will know where
to start and you can clear your codes when the cell light comes on

 

Appreciate the response. Is yours the drive by wire (black plastic on front where the throttle cable attaches) or does yours have the metal linkage on the front?

 

Mines 1997, linkage