2L diesel performance. issue

[Froon]

Hi Guys,

I have a 4runner with a 2L diesel engine. I bought the thing a few months ago and up until a couple of weeks ago the thing was running great.

I took the runner up to Stockton a couple of weekends ago for a two day jaunt on the dunes. On the first day, the thing was running fantastic... I was able to tackle ever dune my eyes saw... There was not much in the way of a heat problem (was running at its standard on road temp)

Late in the day, someone commented about my truck sounding very 'diesely'... popped the hood and noticed that the exhaust had come away from the manifold (some bolts shook loose)

I also had some problems lowering the tailgate (turns out I bent up the rear bar)

Anyway, shut the car down for the night and enjoyed camping... woke up the next morning to find a dead battery, which was solved fairly quickly with a jumpstart...

On the second day on the sand, I struggled with heat issues (pushing well above what the truck runs at on the road) and also with a severe lack of power, I was unable to climb dunes that were no where near the challenge of the ones I'd succeeded on the day before and the sand was firmer.

I finally got fed up with the lack of power and left the beach (struggled on the track out to lavis lane)

On my way back home, (down the F3) I had trouble getting the truck to go any faster than 80-85kph, infact, the entire trip was spent with my foot to the floor in 4th trying to get the revs up.

Finally got back home, replaced the missing bolts from the exhaust (problem solved) and finally got around to doing a coolant change on the thing (other issues with that, but unimportant)

Anyway, I decided to take the truck on a run down to Kiama and then on to Kangaroo Valley today and felt a significant loss of power compared to a few weeks ago. I came up through one of the hairpin turns along Kangaroo Valley Road and was barely able to get enough power to come out of it.

Anyway, sorry for the long winded story, thought I'd give a thorough background on the problem... One of the things I'm considering might be the problem (I'll check tomorrow) is that I may have crushed the exhaust when I bent the rear bar - not sure if that would cause the problems I'm facing though... Any ideas or thoughts would definitely be appreciated.

[gotoy]

Is this 2L engine fitted with a turbo?

Rather funny question you may say. However if you are a new owner you may not know.

If you do indeed have a turbo, sounds like you have a loose rubber jointing pipe.

[Froon]

No turbo no. (though its a mod I'd like to make after I sort this issue)

I actually took it for another run tonight... Think I've isolated the problem to the fuel system as it comes and goes and the engine really seems like its struggling for fuel at high RPM.

Where is the fuel pump located on the 4runner (maybe a stupid question) is it something that might have a hard time with sand?

To note, I did a fuel filter, oil filter and oil change about 1500km ago.

[+dj_hansen+]

the fuel filter might have moved slightly causing an air leak and starving for fuel.... try nipping it up if its loose (by hand).

The fuel pump is located on the passenger side of the motor beneath the water pump housing, its pretty hard to miss, trace the injector lines down if you must

Failing all that, you may have stirred up some crap in your fuel tank and blocked the strainer in the fuel tank (not sure if they run one, i have the same model but have never fiddled this far) and it is blocking fuel flow. The inspection port is under the rear drivers side seat

[trains]

Check your air filter.

and my money would be on a blocked fuel filter


Trains

[Froon]

Fuel filter was replaced 1500km ago and fuel flows through it easily when the bleeder valve is open

air filter has also been cleaned in the last few weeks.

[gotoy]

Fuel pump? Injectors?

[Froon]

Checking all that tonight once the engine cools down a bit... been running around like a fly with a blue rear.

[trains]

Fuel filter was replaced 1500km ago and fuel flows through it easily when the bleeder valve is open

air filter has also been cleaned in the last few weeks.

with the bleeder valve open, the fuel is not going thru the filter.

whats it like when it is going thru the filter ?.

is there a pre filter down under the body along the chassis??

Some people have fitted them.

in my experience when diesels dont rev or create power, its a fuel issue.

Do you have air in the fuel??
This can really rob you of power too.
usual suspects are the hand primer pump on top of the fuel filter.
Put some clear fuel line on after the filter and check for bubbles.

Trains

[Froon]

Thanks mate, I'll give that a try...

Basically, the primer pump is at the top of the filter with the bleeder (may be using the wrong terminology, this is something I learned through hobby and stuffing around with cars) on the bottom.

[Sic Lux]

Yeah had a drama like this on one the old mans truck's one trip long story short there was a Ryco paper filter on the return line and it just blocked up bigtime only so much you can do on side of highway in the pissing down rain, Tilt tray bill was more than the fix and as trains said check fuel filter all you need is one bad batch of diesel to block and have had it happen to a mates lux was a good 200ml of sludge/crap in it Chaged it and differance was noticed eaisly

[Paul Smith]

I know you said the air filter was cleaned a few weeks ago, was that after the problem started, as you say you were driving on dunes, I take it that is sand dunes, it dosent take to much sand to block up your air filter.
Just give it a quick look.

[Froon]

Thanks Paul, I have checked the filter.

I've actually discovered what part of the problem was... missing thermostat causing the engine not to run at its ideal temp.

[thewayitis]

When my car started losing power it was the fuel setting screw had ratted loose. Turns out when it was tuned it wasnt tightend properly.