Ecm replacement?? I’m at a loss, need help. 5th gen

This is going to be my first time posting to the forum, and my millionth time getting info from it so I want to preface this with a huge thank you to all of you guys actually posting responses. It has proven invaluable to me. As someone who is mechanically inclined in the sense I can build your house from scratch to finish, but had zero knowledge when it came to cars. I fell in love with my 4Runner and have replaced so many parts and fixed so many issues on my own I have found a love for working on it instead of being terrified.

now to the ECM…

2010 4Runner limited
270,000 miles

Remember I said I had no car knowledge… so to start this two months ago…

wobbling steering wheel when braking. Pick up new brakes and rotors.

realize calipers on front right wheel will not open. Try cleaning parts, buy new front passenger caliber and install. Try having wife help me bleed brakes, try doing it myself for about 4 days in a row. Finally get them bled to the best of my abilities…. Abs light not on, however stoppping distance increased by hundreds of feet, panic break which only happened once as I got used to pumping my brakes, wheels locked up.

just giving you 100% of the info, now on to the ecu. After doing the brakes I decided to finally try and take care of the voltage fluctuation issue I had been having by replacing the spark plugs. Go to autozone, buy the most expensive spark plugs available, go home, replace them. Notice. A ton of oil on all but 2/6 spark plugs. Quick google search says valve cover gasket. But valve cover gasket online and begin that night mare of a project. It actually went really well, except I had a temper, and didn’t realize the importance of the connectors and broke 3 of them trying to get the wiring harness off. I get the gasket online, fight with the spark plug tube seals a while, put it all back together. Still swing voltage issues but barely. I go and test my battery and it’s bad. Last winter I was short on money I bought a cheap battery for 50$ and it lasted me a year. So I bought the duralast platinum like 350$ battery this time. Still seeing a slight voltage fluctuating constantly. Go and test the alternator, they say it’s bad. I replaced this in October of 23 myself it’s still under warranty so I get a new one and install it. Voltage fluctuation seems to be gone and it’s steady now. (This is all within the month). Driving home from replacing alternator, check engine light. Comes on for a camshaft position sensor. I don’t remember which version and to make a long story short, it kept throwing codes for bank 1 bank 2 postion 1 position 2 camshaft position sensor, crankshaft position sensor, variable valve timing solenoid, all showing over advanced or retarded each time. I replaced every single sensor still going off. Realized the connectors are THAT important so I ordered three pigtails online for the broken ones, replaced them, hooked them up and double checked connections. Still throwing codes. I tested all of my old sensors with a multimeter and they were all within normal range resistance. Not knowing how true the “relearn” protocol is I’ve disconnected the battery multiple times with the new sensors for the night, hooked up in the morning and let idle for 30 minutes. Stillthrowing codes, except took three days this time. Then check engine light every 10 minutes, to the point I slowly started replacing the new sensors with the original sensors thinking maybe nothing was relearned and that was the issue. I’ve tested every fuse with a multimeter and all were fine. I’ve changed every sensor, I’ve changed my oil 3 times in the month. I checked the oil filter as I have the stupid aftermarket one everyone chastises. My oil is damn near clear, it’s hard to read on the dipstick without a good light. I’vechecked my oil control valve filters, once when I did the gasket, and once again yesterday in case stuff got kicked up from working on it. I am at a loss, and I almost hit the confirm purchase onflagship one before having a gut feeling to check out reviews and immedietly decided against trying to get one from them as I am out of money to throw at this thing now, I’m about to lose my job from missing so much work dealing with trying to fix this issue myself, and being scared to ruin my engine driving it with the way that it has been.

the main symptom now, and why the check engine light scares me so much is the rough idle, and the fact I could put the petal to the floor (without the check engine light on) and it bogs down and if I’m lucky will get it up to 45mph but my butthole is puckered so tight it waiting for my engine to start knocking or my timing chain to come apart and start whipping itself aroundunder my hood until I pull over and hang myself with it that I’ve only gone that fast once since this issue has been going on.

you guys have been so great for every other step in this process, and believe me it took me this long to post this because I just didn’t know where this would end up taking me. Any info or input will be greatly appreciated and accepted. Thanks guys!

-Evan

 

Sorry to hear of your troubles. I can't be much help personally but have a couple of suggestions. 1) Stop throwing parts at it & do some diagnostics. FSM has procedures for just about everything if you NEED or want to do this yourself. You need to find out what the problem is BEFORE you can fix it. There is a guy on here who is, based on his posts, a diagnostic Guru. I can't remember his username, but I will try to find him for you. Might take a couple of days, 2) Contact everyone you know in the Springs who owns a Toyota & see if you can find a good shop, not a dealership, & have them do the diagnostics. I had one but they went out of business. Or maybe one of them will have a TecStream & do the diagnostics for you. As far a driving it, the common wisdom is that if the CEL is not flashing, driving will not hurt it. Not sure I would take that to the bank, but whatever...... If/when I find the guy on here I mentioned I will post here. Good luck.

 

what does this even mean ? " try and take care of the voltage fluctuation issue I had been having"

edit- this dudes a troll.

 

I appreciate it greatly! I did as much research as possible, I should have looked at some flow charts before throwing so many un-returnable parts at it but I was just trying to get it back up and running as quickly as possible. You live and you learn. That being said, after all the reading I have done the ECM seems to make the most sense, although I have taken it out and opened it up and visually there’s nothing that catches my eye but I know absolutely nothing about circuit boards. Anyways, I ordered one on eBay after the flagship reviews on Reddit convinced me to cancel that order and save myself the trouble and as fate would have it the first one got lost on its way here. The second ecm is supposed to arrive sometime between Monday and Thursday, I will let you guys know if it ends up being the fix all. Any tips on dealing with the immobilizer/whatever other steps need to be taken after I get the ecu in my possession before I just plop it in would be welcomed and appreciated. Thanks all!

 

There are several threads on here about the steps needed to replace the ECU. Do a search you will find what you need. Also, since you have 5th gen, try posting in that section.