Hilux 4x4 Losing Power

[y051n1]

Hi,

my 1989 4x4 pickup had a couple of incidents a week ago, when on a long run it started to lose power, this gradually got worse until I had to pull over, the engine really sounded as if it was struggling and not firing on all cylinders, it had difficult ticking over and eventually died. I had a look under the bonnet and (as it was dark without a torch) decided that was futile... When I started her again she struggled back to health within a couple of sconds and was fine and got me the remaining 25 miles to the end of my journey. A few hours later on the return leg she'd covered about 30miles and did exactly the same. Starts struggling, gets worse, have to pull over, die on tick over and then restart a few minutes laer with a few splutters and full power.

I first thought pertol filter picking up some crud, but that all seems fine, both times I had a full tank of fuel. Could there be something wrong with the automatic choke? seems straneg taht after a restart she seems to clear the system.

Since then she's been faultless around town, although I've not taken her on another motorway run.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Joe

London

[Andy]

Was it getting hot, and have you lost any water or ol from the engine.

A bit more info would also help, what engine is it how many miles has it done.

[y051n1]

Hi,

Sorry about that, I guess I missed the obvious bits...it's a 2.2 petrol with 120k on it (not sure how long the petrol ones last but she runs very smoothly with no odd noises normally). Never uses any oil or water. had a new oil and air filter a few months ago. She never gets hot, at the moment she runs halfway between 'cold' and 'middle' she didn't alter noticeably either when she was struggling.

Does that help?

Cheers

Joe

[Andy]

Could be a problem with the tank not venting, do you get a hiss when you remove the fuel cap, or the only other thing it could be is the ignition system, sorry but dont know much about the 2.2 petrol.

[Peter T]

Bought an '89 Hilux 2.2 petrol about 2 weeks ago and had the same experience when I drove it home, about 70 miles.

It was absolutely fine all the way and then in the last few miles it started to lose power and I had to pull over. Needless to say I was not too pleased and was on the verge of phoning the sellor to demand my money back when I tried the starter and. lo and behold, it started fine was good all the rest fo the way home.

Since then it has done the same trick once or twice but I'm hoping that today I've solved the problem. I was reading another thread about someone who beleived they were getting too much choke when, in fact, the problem was poor coil terminals.

I have checked my coil terminals and found that, while the ones on the coil itself are fine, about 2 inches along the positive and negative wires are some spade connectors in plastic fittings that were as coroded as the proverbial. Also, the mounting bracket for the coil was very rusty and not getting a good earth.

Cleaned everything up and replaced the corroded terminals and it runs much better.

Peter

[sandgroper]

I dont know much about the 2.2 hilux motor either but I have seen this problem on 3 other hiluxs and each time it has been the carburettor although I cant remember the exact problem.

[LongRat]

Hm, seems my coil problem is doing the rounds then :)

If you suspect something dodgy in the carb, and the engine runs but maybe not ideally, the first thing I would do is run some Redex through on your next tank of fuel. Might be that cleaning up the carb with this avoids you having to take off the carb, with the myriad of attached vac tubes that it has (at least on my 4Y engine).

Here is a shot of my carb with the air filter and housing removed. Without the Aussie Haynes manual there is no way I could have deciphered what all those tubes are for. Still not sure about some!