No/Slow Startup After Catalytic Converter Install

Bought a 1986 4Runner recently and extremely happy with my purchase. Excuse me because I'm a bit mechanically inept, but I purchased this vehicle to learn more and build on.

To the point : I had a catalytic converter installed to pass DEQ. After install, the vehicle started great. I noticed after a week that there was exhaust leaking from the front side of the converter. It looked like a healthy amount of exhaust. I brought it back to the shop and the mechanic informed me the there was a small pin-hole that was causing the leak (he patched it). Since I got it back, it's been extremely slow to startup and/or wont start up after having the key turned for about 10 seconds.

Is this due to the catalytic converter or should I be looking somewhere else?

Thanks!

 

Welcome to the forum, and to the wonderful world of Toyota Trucks!

"Slow to start" As in it cranks over slowly, as in the starter turns over the engine, but it turns it over more slowly than it used to, or it cranks a long time before it catches, but at normal starter speed?
BTW: What engine is in the truck? 22R? 22RE? 3VZE? We need that information to help you out. From the sound of it, it's a 22RE, but we need to be certain.

Do you have a multimeter? An electrical meter that reads volts AC, volts DC, and ohms? If not, get one at some place like Harbor Freight. They're cheap. You're going to need a timing light, and a tachometer to read engine RPM. Again, cheap, and easy to get.
You'll also need, if you don't have them already, some basic tools. Screwdrivers, from very small to pretty big, both Standard ( - ) and Phillips ( + ). You'll need a set of metric "combination" wrenches, The ones closed at one end, open at the other. From about 8mm to 20 or 24 mm. Same with a ratchet wrench and a metric socket set. Including a set of extensions. AND a spark plug socket to fit your ratchet. A set of metric feeler gauges, as well.

Last, but far from least, find an FSM, or Factory Service Manual, for the year of your truck. I'm pretty sure that you can download one in PDF format from this forum. You WILL need it. You can easily print out the pages you need to do a particular task, take them with you when you go to do the work, then either keep them in a binder, or just throw them away when you are finished.

These are the basic, minimum, tools you'll need to be able to avoid paying for a mechanic to do things for you, at a high cost. It sounds like a lot of "stuff" to get, but the first time you take your truck into a mechanic, for something you could do easily, like change the oil, or set the timing, those tools will pay for themselves. Labor costs for mechanics are pretty high, by comparison to the cost of the tools. Not to mention, once you've bought the tools, you'll have them from then on.
Don't worry. The longer you own your Toyota, the more "mechanic stuff" you'll learn how to do. And the more tools you'll buy to do it with

Anywho, let us know about my first questions, when you can, please. Let's get your truck running like it should!
Pat☺

 

Hey PhantomTweak,

Thanks for responding!

It's a 22RE. It's cranking a long time before it catches, but at a normal starter speed. I'm assuming I wont know this for sure unless I pick up an extra tool? Once it catches, everything seems normal

I have everything you spoke about, except for a timing light, tachometer, and a spark plug socket. I'm going to purchase those today.

 

I don't see how the cat would cause the starting issue, I think it is just a coincidence of another issue. If it takes a while to start only when cold, is cranking normal speed and running fine when it finally catches, not bogging down while accelerating, I am guessing the cold start system has an issue. You can unbolt the cold start injector from the side of the upper intake manifold and put something in front of the nozzle, like a piece of cardboard. With the engine cold, give the starter a quick crank and see if the injector is spraying. If it does not spray, you can check the resistance of the cold start injector time switch. There are two coolant sensors on the front of the lower intake manifold, the brown one on the left is the cold start injector time switch that activates the cold start injector, the green one on the right is the coolant temp sensor for the ECU.

 

And you have a copy of the FSM? That can be the most critical "tool" in you inventory. Like I said, I'm pretty sure you can find a copy, in PDF format for downloading, on the forums at Yotatech, another Toyota forum I'll go look later, after I get done typing. I'm a crappy typer. Takes me forever

First, and foremost, do you have a Check Engine light stay on, on the dash panel, after the truck starts? As you have seen, it should come on when you first turn on the key, like the OIL, and BRAKE lights do.
Have you checked to see if there are any Check Engine codes stored in the computer? It can have codes stored in the ECU, without the light being on after the truck starts. "How-to" check the codes, and what each code indicates, are in the FSM. In the front of the EFI chapter. Easy to check, and may well tell you exactly the problem. Like I said, I'll go find you a PDF copy in a couple hours, if you need.

Have you checked the timing of your trucK?
I realize you haven't had the chance to pull, and examine, the plugs yet. No spark plug socket But once you are capable, pull the plugs out, make sure they're fairly clean, and gapped properly. If you can, a picture in here of them would be a huge help.

Is it possible that during the work on your cat, the electric plug on the Cold Start Injector got knocked off? That's on the Throttle body, about 1/2 way back, should have an electric plug and a small, metal, fuel line connected to it. Check that the CSI ohms out correctly. The correct value is in the FSM (detect a pattern, here? )

The electric plug on the cold start injector timer is another good possibility. Not only ensure the plug is secure and on properly, but also pull the plug off and ohm out the timer.

Another possibility is the O2 sensor. Either it's bad, or the plug isn't connected. It's bolted into the exhaust pipe, just downstream from where the 4 pipes from the head all feed into 1 pipe. Before the cat. It's bolted into the top of the single pipe. Easy to see, easy to trace the wire to it's connector. It has a single wire coming off of it, going up to a connector near the coil, on the driver's side fenderwell. There are two bolts holding it in. Again, easy to remove/replace (R&R) if it's bad. Make sure if you do replace it, you use high-temp antisieze compound on the bolts!

Make sure that ALL the vacuum lines are connected, and connected in the right places. There should be a diagram in the upper, left corner of the hood, when it's open. Especially, and this is often not considered a "vacuum" line, the big tube between the Air Flow Meter, and the Throttle Position Sensor (the Throttle Body).
Especially where the flexible sections at each end, where it goes around corners, are. They can easily develop cracks that are hard to see. Best to pull the flexible sections off, and look inside while flexing them around, to see if you can see any light coming in.

A little trick to try: When it's cold, and you want to start it, turn the key to Start, but don't push in the clutch, or press the Clutch Start Cancel switch. Listen to hear the fuel pump running. A high pitched whine coming from back seat area. The fuel tank is under it, and the fuel pump is in it. Hold the key in Start until you hear the fuel pump change pitch slightly. It should drop a little, to a slightly lower pitch. When it does, then push the clutch in. See if it starts as fast as it used to. You're pressurizing the fuel system this way. Filling it up so when it cranks, the injectors have fuel ready to spray.

Last, for now (hehehehe), is to check out the IACV. Input Auxiliary Air Control Valve. It's bolted to the bottom front of the throttle body, with two bolts. It has a large diameter air hose going up into the bottom of the Throttle Body. It should open when the truck is cold, and once the coolant has warmed to a certain point, close down. It's what brings the idle up to about 1100 RPM when the engine is cold. Remember that "cold" is a relative term. Cold to the engine is much different than cold to US. Again, the FSM has the "how-to" on checking out the IACV.

It sounds like a lot, I know. But really, all this is just getting started. And most of what I've talked about is just doing ohm checks. Very easy, with your multimeter. When you go to do ohm checks, BTW, ensure that you pull BOTH battery leads off, and wait 1 minute minimum, before doing any ohm checks. It only takes a very small amount of voltage in a circuit to destroy the ohms portion of a multimeter.

Have fun!
Pat☺