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I'm new here, just bought a 93 Toyota Winnebago Warrior.  Drove it 1200  miles to get it home.  Started idling rough, then the Check engine light came on.  I drove it between 60 and 65 MPH.  Is that too fast?  Some Toyota dealers are now telling me they will not work on it.  But I found one that will. The RV dealers apparently don't work on engines.  Would a Toyota dealer be the best place?  My father in law thinks it might be the vacuum.  An auto parts store couldn't get their code reader to identify the vehicle.  Ideas?

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I wouldn't take it to the stealership but that's just me. May want to check you fuel filter, you may also want to check your EGR valve.

 

Any reputable shop is fine. these motors are nothing fancy for a mechanic its back to the basics.

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Your vehicle is before code scanners and can't be checked by one. Codes are checked by jumping connection in the fuse box and then counting flashing engine light on dash. See here

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/toyota-trouble-code-definitions-and-code-gathering-method-1990-1995

Not many people rely on dealerships to maintain 25 year old vehicles. Best bet is to look up repair shops that specialize in Toyota's or at least foreign cars and then start calling to find someone who is willing to work on yours. Try truck shops too. They have lifts that can accommodate your vehicle if needed.

Linda S

 

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you can not read the codes with a OBDII reader - these have OBD-I (which are not standard- each mfg did whatever they felt like doing) .  You have to put a jumper under the hood then count the flashes.

If you are not mechanically inclined, I would start searching for a local shop which has a good reputation with a mature mechanic who is familiar with the VZ3E engine.   Hint: that guy will have gray hair. 

The VZE3 engine is a good engine, but it has it quirks.  During the era (~late 80's, early 90's), the VZE3 was used on the toyota pickup & 4runner.

Some shops won't take us because their shops can not physically handle the "big box". The dealers seem to have younger guys who can use the proprietary software but who have no clue about older vehicles.   You will have to do some searching to find a good shop - talk it up whenever at dealerships - a lot of times the older guys go out on their own where they can get more job satisfaction,

If you are mechanically inclined, you can get a copy of the toyota service manual.  I have attached the chapter on how to read codes.

Not knowing the history of your vehicle, it would be guessing to diagnose based on what info you gave.  My first GUESS (emphasis added) is that you have a vacuum leak - a hose came off. For instance, if the hose to the pcv valve comes loose, the engine would run quite rough and posting a code would not be a surprise.  I would take a good look at the many vacuum lines that run about. The pcv hose is hard to see - it is on the passenger side about 2/3rds of the way back UNDER the plenum, tucked in behind the PAIR. 

85diagnosi.pdf

Edited by DanAatTheCape
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IF a shop will not take you - ASK WHY.   Also ask for suggestions / recommendations as to who COULD do it.

BTW,  they need a lift that can handle 6,000 lbs. I have seen regular lifts used with a floor jack under the pumpkin (rear differential).

You are about 9' 2" tall, so they have to accommodate that too.

 

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I run my camper about 55-62 on level ground - it seems to like that speed, stays in 4th gear (O/D) and seems not be lugging.

Drag increases exponentially as speed increases.  We are pushing some boxes thru the air that are lacking in the aerodynamic dept.

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I'm a newbie 92 Warrior owner.    Most of the OBD-1 codes are for the emission control system.  A 1200 miles road trip may change to atmospheric conditions enough to confuse the sensors.  If I get a code, I do the following:

  • Make sure the preventative maintenance is up to date (i.e. filters changed, fluids changed/flushed, plugs & wires, etc.).
  • Unplug the battery overnight to reset the memory of the computer and put it back in 'learning mode' to adapt to your driving style.
  • Run a can of BG-44K through the tank.  Fixes lots of fuel sensor issues.
  • Check if the valves have been cleaned with SeaFoam lately.  (Lots of good advice in the YotaTech forum)
  • Make sure the battery is in good condition (low voltage can confuse the computer)

The above has fixed the problems so far...

 

 

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That is just nuts. He needs to check his codes to find out what's wrong. If your oxygen sensor isn't working it needs to be replaced not have seafoam run through the system. Clearing codes before the necessary repairs are made is senseless. Please find a mechanic for Fred who knows Toyota's so it can be fixed properly and you can enjoy your new camper. You should know that there was a head gasket special service campaign for this engine and that the valves need to be checked every 60,000 miles. They can get too tight and cause a burnt valve situation.

Linda S

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Wow, great advice from all.  I like it.  We dropped it off at Suburban Toyota today, and they had vertical clearance and an adequate lift.  They confirmed that the head gasket was changed on it. We'll see what they come up with.  Yes, Oreilly Auto parts code reader couldn't identify the vehicle, even with an OBI reader connected to the right place.  There was a green connector right front under the hood.   Dan, my father-in-law had the same "guess" about the vacuum leak.  (He is 87 years old, retired experimental mechanic for Ford Motor Co. at Dearborn headquarters).  He said the same thing you did.   That's high praise.  ( He lives about 5 hours from us, and therefore  is not much help).  Thanks to all.  I have a lot to learn about Fred.  Looking forward to it.

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Codes are unreliable.  A strong wind can throw off an airflow sensor.  Dirt can confuse almost any sensor. In computer programming, there is a classic acronym:  GIGO:  Garbage In means (or equals) Garbage Out.  The early computers were like that, which is probably why they went to OBD-II.  Unless you are about to take it in for smog testing, the standard Check Engine Light (CEL) only refers to the emissions program and there is almost never a problem with operating the vehicle in 'limping home mode'.

 

Low Oil pressure/High Temp/And So On is a different story.  This is why we pay the extra $20 for a DIY fix-it manual.  The book is always cheaper than the hourly rate for a 'pro' to look at it.  (So is the bicycle that's going on the tail end.)

 

If the code is REPLICATED quickly AND easily, then there is likely a problem.  Otherwise, the code 'justifies' the mechanic embarking upon a lengthy and costly (for the owner) adventure in replacing parts to see what will fix the issue.  Perfectly good sensors can then be replaced with defective ones, but the mechanic cares naught for the owner is funding their adventure!  Do you really want to fund the mechanic's education?  Or invest in your own?  Depends on your wallet, in my experience.

 

Many modern machines need cleaning more than repair.  A good sensor is worth ten bad ones.  I spend the money on cleaning it before I take it to a mechanic.  It's cheaper in the long run and, for a new purchase, needs to be done anyways.  Cleaning will often allow 'bad' wires to carry current and 'bad' sensors to read correctly.  The converse is not always true- 'bad' wires will not magically fix a replaced sensor.  The same applies to 'bad' sensors.  We can't trust OEM 'new' parts anymore, since they are often re-manufactured and packaged as 'new'. 

 

My little Yotahome threw codes like mad in the trek from Mesa, AZ to Casper, WY at 60-70MPH climbing mountains..  Most of that was the change in temperature, oxygen content, wind (!) and the simple fact that the fellow I bought it from put less than a thousand miles on it in 5 years.  The genset had only 55 hours on it and no recorded maintenance.  The tires had good tread... for 2011, but not for sitting in the sun for 6+ years.  (I'm still finding new issues.  This is part of the adventure!)

 

My story:  I bought a used 2006 Dodge minivan a few years back that ran a little rough, but the dealer couldn't figure out what was wrong.  I got a good deal because I was willing to gamble a little.  A long afternoon of reading Dodge Minivan forums brought me to the ignition coil (this is an example, not diagnostics for your Yotahome).  As it turned out, it was about the dealership and the seller being 'cheap.'  (The coil was bad, but it was a $200 part which couldn't be returned for a full refund if it was not defective!)  I drove it 2K miles and eventually figured it out; and then got it replaced at Pep Boys and it ran like a top after that.  The lesson is that I was able to knock almost $3K off of the purchase price because of the $200 part!  The minivan was a total loss after a head-on with a drunk in a snowstorm.)  I got another 50K miles from that minivan.  I was going to modify it for 'stealth camping' before the drunk was placed in my lane that fateful night.

 

The issue not discussed is the value of knowing how to re-connect (or repair) your vacuum lines if one (or more!) pops off/leaks  in the Back of Beyond during your first 'boondocking' adventure.  No cell phone coverage plus no transportation equals a true disaster.  But if you can reconnect and patch with Duct Tape for a couple dozen miles, it's not an issue.  Knowledge is power.  I'm here to learn and share.  I hope the rest of us are as well.

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