96 tacoma spark plug problem or something else?

i have a 1996 toyota tacoma 2.4L 4 cyl, and a few days ago my check engine light came on and i notice when i have it idled it sputters out a tiny bit , no i dont have access to a computer to read me the code. I'm thinking it might be the spark plugs so i took them all out and they look like they are wearing normal,i have no clue what it could be.

would the check engine light even turn on if the spark plugs are bad? help is appreciated i need to be able to drive it later today

Edited: 12/13/2008 3:37:05 PM by gettwisted07

The light will come on if there are a lot of misfires. If you can get access to the newer style computers like the new one snap-on just came out with. you can check the misfires on every cylinder. Most of the time is the coil that makes it misfire though. BTW, How many miles are on that thing. Its always a good idea to change the fuel filter, Rotor button and distributor cap about 100,000miles.

i took the rotor and distributor cap off, cleaned rotor off and inside of cap. and there are approx 156,000

sounds like a fuel delivery problem replace your fuel filter then go from there

as far as the check engine could not even be related to the sputtering. my check engine light would come on evrytime my tacoma bottomed out

take your truck to a auto zone and they can read your code and it sounds like a TPS (throttle postion sensor)

jeez alot of answers... happened to me before and it was a bad connection on the igniter, but i'd definitely replace the cap and rotor too.

Im gonna try all those, but im thinking its just one of the spark plugs because its been sitting for a couple days (the weather has been very cold lately), and when i try and start it it cranks fine but its like it just isnt sparking or something