Question about skips

[kcult]

My 1995 3.4L Tacoma started a skip today. And when I say started, I mean it went from no skip, to skip.

I've noticed when the plugs were going bad before (happened often, until I replaced some cracked hoses), there would be a miss here, then maybe the next time I drove it, a miss there. Then over the next few days, the misses would get more frequent. This time, I felt a bump, then another, and within the next half mile, the whole dang truck is vibrating.

Guess I'll start with plugs and wires, but this has me curious if it's a coil. Even when I knew it was plugs, the skip would be sporadic. This go round, the truck vibrates. It's like the plug, or plugs, ain't getting fed at all.

But I'm curious. Why does the skip go away under acceleration? It comes back once the RPMs plateau.

 

[Schattenreiter]

The nibbling pin has become disconnected from the gobbling rod.


Either that or the blinker fluid is low.

 

[rdinatal]

3.4L

I'm not familiar with that engine but sounds like it's spark related. After dark, start it up and see if there’s a light show under the hood.

 

[Burt Gummer]

I had a 2002 once. Vibrating on take off and acceleration. Was a cracked plug

 

[kcult]

I think the coils are as old as the truck.

I don't want to just start throwing money at it, but it's probably not a bad idea to go ahead and replace them.

 

[Trevillian]

Sounds like a coil pack went bad. An extra check. If it runs fine tomorrow until it gets warmed up, then I'd vote coil.

Disclaimer: I am not nor was I ever a mechanic. I was paid to pretend to be one for a few years and I do work on my own garbage. But this opinion is worth what was paid.

 

[kcult]

Well, I don't know if it was the plugs or the wires.

I was going to just replace the plugs, to see if it was the problem. I destroyed a wire in the process. So, I had to go back for wires.

Dull story short, the truck runs again.

 

[Burt Gummer]

Well, I don't know if it was the plugs or the wires.

I was going to just replace the plugs, to see if it was the problem. I destroyed a wire in the process. So, I had to go back for wires.

Dull story short, the truck runs again.

Now, back to your retirement thread