5vz-fe Troubleshooting Advice Needed

2003 Tacoma with 175000 Miles on it.

Symptoms as follows:

Monday: Fine @ Idle, pull away in 1st gear, engine starts sputtering, All Dash Lights Flickering, Coolant Temp Gage Fluttering Everywhere, Engine Dies.

Tuesday: Runs Fine

Wednesday: Fine @ idle, pull away, Sputtering, Coolant temp gage flutters and climbs to red

Thursday: Coolant Temp Light is on as soon as the vehicle is started (Cold Start)

Planning on running a Combustion Leak Test to rule out a blown head gasket tonight.
Is the Coolant Temperature Sensor completely independent of the Coolant Temp Sender? Or do they play off one another?

Besides Ruling out the Sensors, checking grounds and connectors, what are some other possible causes of these symptoms?

Thanks for your time
- A Discouraged Taco Owner

 

Does your truck get parked somewhere where rodents attacking your wiring harness is a possibility? This sounds electrical in nature to me. So I'd be checking grounds, all visible wiring harness locations, etc.

If the symptoms are actively happening, I might suggest even unplugging the negative battery terminal for 5 min and checking if things change afterwards (that may hint whether its electrical vs. mechanical).

Lastly, I'd be scanning for codes as soon as possible.

I wouldnt jump straight to leakdown test or other tests aimed to rule in/out head gasket issues.

 

Good Point Red_03Taco, No Rodent attacks (I have 4 outdoor cats that keep good guard), but I did splash a decent sized puddle the Saturday Before. Coincidence? I'll hook up a code reader tonight, and check true operating temp. I should get my hands on my buddies advanced scanner in 2 or 3 days.

 

Yea that large puddle splash definitely sounds suspect given the timing. Did you drive the truck much on Saturday/Sunday after that?

 

Yeah it seemed fine up until Monday. Then I started having symptoms. --> Tuesday, I had NO symptoms or abnormalities ----> Wed Shit hit the fan again

 

Simple things- check the battery terminals to make sure they are tight.

 

^^^ yep, give the cables the wiggle test. What type of battery cables/cable ends do you have?