Engine sputtering after cold start

[Bryan Rexford]

Alright all, I want to say is PROBLEM SOLVED! :banana: maybe...



The dealer told me two days ago they could not replicate it... still! I explained to them this scenario, as soon as I start it in the morning I pull out of my driveway and drive up a hill always maintaing a steady light throttle and every morning it does it for me. I told them don't get in jab a little throttle to get going then give it a little to turn down another row of cars to go to the street; keep giving it light steady throttle without letting off! And after they did exactly that it happened for them every cold start. while it was happening they eliminated and plug, coil, wires or any skipping in the motor of any kind. They believe it to be a leak in the intake manifold that will expand and seal the leak shortly after start up. I told them I didn't want to play the lets keep changing crap until we get it right game but, convinced they changed it; they reflashed the computer as well.



I picked the truck up last night and it hasn't done it yet!!! I'm hoping this is the end of this issue, if it is not you can all count on me posting back right here to continue the saga.



The best part about this is that the dealer did the repair under warranty for me; since this has been going on since it was in warranty Ford actually covered this repair; maybe I won't be buying that Tacoma after all.



Bryan

 

[scott degroot]

The sad part about this whole vacuum leak thing is that it could have been 100% verified as a problem before any repairs were made instead of guessing and hoping for the best. I, along with any other "qualified" diagnostic tech, have a smoke machine. What we do is after the engine has sat all night hook the smoke machine into a vacuum port and plug the throttle body off and fill the intake with pressurized smoke, about 2 psi, then all you have to do is look for where the smoke comes out. It is not uncommon for a vacuum leak to seal itself in as little as 30 seconds on a cold motor so just maybe they guessed right and fixed your issue...I'm rooting for ya.



Thinking out loud here...if the tech was really trying to find the problem he should have had an IDS hooked up and logging info while he was driving, if a vacuum leak is the issue he should have noticed the fuel trim # go way positive which would indicate a very lean condition

 

[Bryan Rexford]

The sad part about this whole vacuum leak thing is that it could have been 100% verified as a problem before any repairs were made instead of guessing and hoping for the best.

I would agree with you, it seems that they didn't do what they were suppose to do the first time. After the radiator I emailed the service manager since I questioned that repair well before it was done and said, "at what point do you as a dealership start taking responsibility for this? Anyone can start changing parts and eventually stumble on a solution, but I paid you for your expertise; why didn't I get it?" I spoke with the service manager again later in person and he wouldn't admit that they dropped the ball, but since they covered this repair fully I think he agreed with me.



I thank all of you for your help and support with this issue; the truck was fine again today so hopefully next time you hear from me it won't be for this issue.



Thanks again, Bryan