Need Help, truck died, now wont start

[jarrodH]

Hi. I was wondering if someone could help me out. My brother picked up a 1992 toyota 4x4 automatic for me and did a tune up on it, replaced pretty much everything small thing. Oil filter, oil, spark plugs, spark plug wires, fuel filter, fuel pump, and he put new fluids in the automatic tranny and radiator. He replaced the timing chain and put a new timing cover over the chain. The old chain wore a hole somewhere (cant remember where) that allowed coolant to leak into the oil. He had that piece welded, and changed the oil again, since then it hasnt leaked coolant into the oil.

So we thought everything was fine on the truck, and since he lives about 45 minutes away from me, i got the truck registered, brought the plates to his house and started to drive the truck home... about 15-20 minutes from my house, i was doing about 60 mph, and then the truck just died. Speed dropped and i coasted to a stop. I pulled it over, thinking something went wrong with the timing chain. I tried to start it again to see, but it started right back up. So i took off again and it died about 500 feet down the road again. It did this a few times, each time it started harder and died quicker. With the pedal to the floor, it would surge like i just stepped on the gas, then bog down like i let off, but i didnt. Eventually it died for the last time and would not start again. My brother came and got it for me with his trailer the next day.

We have no idea what could be wrong. Its getting power, and turns over, but wont start. A couple of times it acted like it wanted to fire, but didnt. The only thing we can think of is maybe the coil is bad, or we are losing MAJOR compression in the pistons. The truck has absolutely NO power. It is only the 4 cylinder, but thats besides the point... on a straight-away, with the pedal to the floor it barely gains any speed, and when i hit a hill it actually loses speed rapidly. It acts like it needs a tune up really bad, but he just gave it one. Thats why we think maybe just the coil or piston rings could be the only problems.

What do you guys think? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!

[chronoti]

fuel pump, or vaccume leak, you can always get a compression checker on loan from a part store,

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t14957.html

that should help you guys have the same engine

[jarrodH]

thanks, that gives me a few more ideas... since i dont live near my brother and he towed it back to his place and not mine, i cant really take a look at it. He is going to, but wont be able to even start checking things out until at least tomorrow. So im pretty much just searching for common (or uncommon) problems other people have had with their toyota's and jotting them down so we will have some idea as what to check.

So far this is my list of things to check:

Distributor cap
Coil
Condenser in the distributor
Fuel pressure regulator
Compression
See if the timing chain slipped
Adjust tps sensor
Relay
Spark igniter
Try to bypass the fuel pump to see if it still is working correctly
vacuum leak
change EGR valve
Please let me know if there is anything else i should check. Thanks. I cant wait to get this figured out... i will let you guys know what it is if i do.

[Duane]

Sounds sorta like a clogged fuel filter or a vapor lock problem. Back in the days I had a old Nissan pickup that had a fuel filter on the bottom of the electric pump. That gave me the same symptoms as you have.

[wreckless9r]

We have a 86 toyota pickup and everything on it is great except for the Ignitor and it sounds like the same exact problem you are having. It went bad and that downed the truck. My opinion is check that first.

[jarrodH]

thanks again, guys. Im thinking about going to to my brothers house and looking at it tomorrow. Im thinking since my bro just replaced the timing chain on it, we should check that first to see if it didnt slip or anything. Then i think ill check the iginitor and the coil after that. My brother wants to do a compression check too. Man, im so hoping that the compression is still good...

[jarrodH]

Well i just got back from my brothers place. By the time i was able to get up there it started getting colder and darker so i wasnt able to do much.

My brother said the engine isnt getting any gas. He was able to get it to run for about 5 minutes or so he said. The fuel pump and filter are brand new. The old pump is sitting in the box on the passenger side floor. I dont really know what else could be causing it to not get gas. Any ideas? He said he is going to try to take the tank down and pull the fuel pump out and see if everything is ok with it. My dad suggested a leak in the line somewhere... i still am leaning towards a vacuum leak, but i cant seem to find where it could be leaking from.

There is a canister thing to the left hand side of the intake manifold that has a hose that attaches to the air intake tube just after the air filter box. The truck started and ran for about 1-2 seconds then died when that hose was attached. But when i disconnected it, it ran for a couple seconds longer. Dont know if it has anything to do with it or not. I also noticed underneath the intake manifold near the front of the engine bay, there is a connector with 2 prongs just hanging there, i was going to plug it back in, but couldnt see where it connected to. I thought that was kind of odd. I wonder if that could also be affecting it somehow. Any thoughts?

[91toyindiana]

well i got 91 and i changed alot of parts on mine doin trial and error heres what i would suggest... first of all.. see if its pumping gas u can do that easily by unhooking the hose after the filter.. if its pumping gas there then thats good if not check before the filter..if not then u gotta bad fuel pump.. oh yah..check this part out for sure here...too under ur hood inthe fuse box take out the efi fuse for 30 sec or so then put back in.. theres a diagnostic box on the right of it.. u need like a jumper wire or paper clip and put it in the right prongs.. u can get this imformation here or in a haynes book wit the codes if will cause ur check engine light to flash and if its a constant non stop flash its ok.. thats number one thing to do and its simple if u want to know how to do that and the codes of flashes let me know..well if ur gas is agood up to this point... check the spark from the plug wire.. and if its good then check ur timing.. well if it wont start that might gbe hard to do.. but i can tell you one thing that had me stumbled for bout a month on mine is i had my distributor on the wrong tooth its really easy to do on the toyotas and its really sensitive.. if u need help on that let me know its gotta be just right and mines a v6 and the cap on my is kinda weird the numbering im not sure bout the 4 cyclyder but i would say its in your timing...if not your gas or spark...if ur not gettin spark before ur distributor cap then its ur ignitor prob but myswell change both.. i beleive ur engine is prob fine...these trucks gotta be in perfect time and when they are they run so great...i spent 2 months on mine and it runs like a dream....so dont forget to check n see if its on the right tooth ur distributor! if its not any of those the diagnostci self one should help u out on it...there actuall yreally simple trucks to work on after u done messed with everything u kinda figure them out ...im assumin yours is a 4 cyl since u said its a timing chain and not a belt... and how many miles is on yours? oh ya u should really put a new rotor button in it and cap i seen u didnt do that.. also did you time the truck after u put chain on too see if it was right on it...also try puttin some starter fluid in the chamber...so rotor button,cap.. check diagnostics self, check distribtuor placed on right toof...for sure...gas from fliter..and spark from coil and all plugs wire ends... that should really take care of anything basically..

[jarrodH]

Thanks, 91 Toyindiana. So basically, check gas from filter and pump seperately, check spark from coil, plugs, and igniter, check to see if the distributor is on the right tooth, check the efi diagnostic, and change rotor in the distributor cap.

My brother never said anything about a new cap or rotor. That is definately a good idea to check those. I was thinking about those until my brother said it wasnt getting any fuel. He didnt say, but im guessing he sprayed starter fluid in the intake, because he said he had it running for about 5 minutes or so.

My brother was also the one who changed the timing chain. He said that he checked the timing after he changed it when the truck was still running. I trust he knows what he is doing since he owns a 97 tacoma and used to own an 86 toyota pickup with basically the same engine as mine. Plus he has worked on countless vehicles. I just wish the car was at my house because he is working and doesnt have nearly as much time to work on it as i do. Also i dont think he has as much ambition to work on it as i do because i already dropped 230 dollars into it for registration and owe him 450 dollars for the truck as is because he got it from an auction for me. All the work he has done on it so far he has done because he is nice. I never asked him to do this, and never expected it either. So i am grateful for that at least.

Thanks again for the continuing help guys. I really appreciate it.

[GregoryM]

Consider that, if the truck was not well cared for or if it was vandalized in a previous situation, your "new fuel filter" could be full of crap already. Also remember that just because a part is new doesn't always mean it is good. I have been bitten by defective parts in nice new boxes. Check and verify that what you have installed is still functioning. The fact that it ran for "5 minutes" indicates you're on the right track. Good luck.

[jarrodH]

well the fuel filter is new enough to where it wouldnt be clogged up already, because my brother replaced that. The fuel pump however, was replaced by the previous owner, and we know he did it because he still has the box and the old one is in it and he included the reciept with it. I do think you're right though, the fuel pump may be defective.

[burger]

was the new filter in-line ?if so you might want to check if the inlet and outlet lines are switched up,'cause it's hard to suck fuel through those filters backwards.good luck.

[jarrodH]

Thats a good point burger. I never thought of that. But my brother called today and he updated me on his progress. He says that when he unhooks the line at the fuel rail, it will pump gas when you turn it over. However, it still isnt getting gas to the engine, so the engine still wont start. So he believes he has narrowed it down to either the fuel pressure regulator, or the injectors. Im leaning towards the injectors, because it does have 213,000 miles on it. And i know mileage doesnt matter because toyota's will run forever, but it doesnt matter what kind of vehicle you have, after 213,000 miles, with not alot of routine maintenance done to it, your injectors could become quite gunked up.

But who knows, i could be wrong. At this point, from what ive seen on this board as far as fuel problems go, it could be anything. Ill keep your backwards fuel filter suggestion in mind. Thanks burger.

[GregoryM]

jarrod, it isn't enough that the fuel pumps through a disconnected fuel line. There is a schrader valve (I believe) to test fuel pressure with the system buttoned up. There has to be sufficient pressure and volume for the injectors (if they are sound) to function properly. The injectors themselves could also be plugged up. They may be salvagable by having them ultra-sonicly cleaned. Keep checking and don't forget to post when you do solve this thing.

[jarrodH]

Oh dont worry, im not going to stop until i get this solved, i already dropped 230 bucks into getting it registered. hehe. Yeah, im leaning towards the injectors being faulty/fouled. But ill definately post up when i get this solved, so other people can benefit if they run into a similar situation.