My 83 Toyota pickup suddenly began stalling yesterday every time I slowed down for a light. The engine sounds rough and/or slow. I can keep it running by running the RPM up a bit.I don't know whether it has anything to do with filling the gas tank just minutes before this happened. Nothing unusual at the pump, just regular. I also don't know if it is related to a sort of hesitation I felt on the freeway a few weeks ago. I drive very little, and almost all in town. A few weeks ago I was on the freeway and it felt like it would just slow a hair every now and then, like some giant, invisible hand was pulling on the bumper for a second. I didn't really notice it in town at slower speeds, so I promptly forgot about it.I'm in a bit of a jam with this old beast because I don't get around well anymore to work on many things myself, but I'm on a truly puny fixed income, so I don't have the money to pay someone else either. With that in mind, I'm hoping some of you guys have some ideas for cheap and easy things I can do myself. I figure plugs and wires are likely a good place to start. I don't dare try carburetor cleaner since that almost paralyzed it a few months ago. The carburetor is absolutely filthy. Any insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.I hope it'll run well enough to get my ancient, sick cat to the vet tomorrow. I'm probably going to have to put him down, and it would not be a good time to be stranded on the side of the freeway.

dragonflyspit wrote:My 83 Toyota pickup suddenly began stalling yesterday every time I slowed down for a light. The carburetor is absolutely filthy. That may be a good place to start, after the plugs and wires.

When you say you used carb cleaner, is that the spray-on type stuff? If spraying that in the carb caused more problems then the carb sounds like the issue.If it were me, the first thing I'd do is run some Seafoam or Berryman B12 through it. If your issue is carb related, this should help at least a little, and maybe a lot.Sorry to hear about your cat. Losing those little guys is rough.

You might try just turning up the idle speed a bit. If that keeps you going, then it's likely a jet in the carb that allows only a trickle of gas through might be plugging. If you can get to the adjustments, find the low speed jet and carefully screw in, counting the turns, then turn out again to the same spot. It's kinda like electrical sometimes. Move and jiggle, then put back to exactly the same spot and see if it works better. Do the same with the plug wires, checking each end, before you spend any money. If you get to the plugs, they could be out of gap too, and that would make it come to a halt easier than normal for sure. Set them right before you spend money on new ones if you have the time but no money unless it's obvious they are well worn.

I had an 87 Toyota PU that had similar problems, would be going along just fine then felt like someone stepped on the breaks. Turned out to be the wire from coil to distributor.

I've rebuilt over 100 Toyota carbs in my days as a mechanic. Here's an easy check on this one:With the engine shut off, remove the air cleaner. While looking down on the carburetor, grab the top and give a firm rotational twist to the carb in both directions. If you see any movement the screws between the baseplate, the mid-body or the top of the carb have become loose. This would cause the kind of symptoms you are seeing, and is a common problem. The solution is to remove the carburetor, and tighten up the screws between the sections.If you're in the Tucson area, I'd be happy to check it out for you.Jim

83 Toyota pickup stalling | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

TucsonJim
Explorer II
Feb 03, 2016
I've rebuilt over 100 Toyota carbs in my days as a mechanic. Here's an easy check on this one:

With the engine shut off, remove the air cleaner. While looking down on the carburetor, grab the top and give a firm rotational twist to the carb in both directions. If you see any movement the screws between the baseplate, the mid-body or the top of the carb have become loose. This would cause the kind of symptoms you are seeing, and is a common problem. The solution is to remove the carburetor, and tighten up the screws between the sections.

If you're in the Tucson area, I'd be happy to check it out for you.

Jim
mrquacker
Explorer
Feb 03, 2016
I had an 87 Toyota PU that had similar problems, would be going along just fine then felt like someone stepped on the breaks. Turned out to be the wire from coil to distributor.
Artum_Snowbird
Explorer
Feb 03, 2016
You might try just turning up the idle speed a bit. If that keeps you going, then it's likely a jet in the carb that allows only a trickle of gas through might be plugging. If you can get to the adjustments, find the low speed jet and carefully screw in, counting the turns, then turn out again to the same spot.

It's kinda like electrical sometimes. Move and jiggle, then put back to exactly the same spot and see if it works better.

Do the same with the plug wires, checking each end, before you spend any money. If you get to the plugs, they could be out of gap too, and that would make it come to a halt easier than normal for sure. Set them right before you spend money on new ones if you have the time but no money unless it's obvious they are well worn.
Flyfasteddie
Explorer
Feb 03, 2016
When you say you used carb cleaner, is that the spray-on type stuff? If spraying that in the carb caused more problems then the carb sounds like the issue.

If it were me, the first thing I'd do is run some Seafoam or Berryman B12 through it. If your issue is carb related, this should help at least a little, and maybe a lot.

Sorry to hear about your cat. Losing those little guys is rough.
gbopp
Explorer
Feb 03, 2016
dragonflyspit wrote:
My 83 Toyota pickup suddenly began stalling yesterday every time I slowed down for a light.

The carburetor is absolutely filthy.

That may be a good place to start, after the plugs and wires.

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83 Toyota pickup stalling

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