Stranded! Crank but no start, temp gauge acting weird

I suddenly have a MAJOR problem with no idea how to fix it. I live in a super remote area with no way of traveling without my truck, so if anyone can please give me some advice, I would really appreciate it!

DETAILS;

1998 Tacoma 4x4 V6 3.4 5 speed, 100k miles

Truck has been running just fine for a long time. I started it about an hour ago with absolutely no problem. I was going to do an oil change, so I started it up and turned the wheels all the way to the left so I could access the oil filter. NO PROBLEM. Turned it off, went in with a rag and cleaned off the dust around the oil filter. Getting ready to change the oil and realized I was a quart short, so decided to hold off. Went to start the truck to move it, and here is what happens now, every time I try to start it:

will crank, but wont turn over. With foot on clutch pedal and brake, engine temp gauge reads as hot as it can go. If I remove my foot from the brake, the gauge slowly starts to drop (this is while still cranking). It will drop all the way to "cold" in about 15 seconds. NOW GET THIS: when I turn the key off and remove it, the temp gauge shoots back up to "HOT AS HELL", and the check engine light comes on. If i turn the key to ACC. it stays that way, and if I turn to "ON", it drops quickly back to cold and the check engine light goes off.

What the F#$(&* is that?!

please for the love of god help me!

 

Sounds like an electrical problem.
Check all fuses and electrical connections.

 

Sounds electrical , moving the wheels to far over might have shifted a wire bundle start back tracing from wheel well shake a bundle of wires here and there keep checking the gauge. Or pop the covers off your fuse panels and start checking for hot fuse / relays.

Cypher

 

Sound like an electrical short somewhere? Maybe the ignition is trying to go bad.

 

Thanks for the quick replies. I am gonna go back out there and start messing with it (methodically, of course). Keep the advice coming!

 

Might try taking one of the battery cables off....? When it gets dark outside have someone try to crank it and look for sparks....That is also a good way to see if you need new plug wires...If they are arcing replace them.

Brian

 

I followed Cypher's advice, and now everything is back to normal. I'm not sure which bundle of wires did the trick, though, because I went thru methodically first and nothing happened, and then I got pissed and just started shaking every wire in sight, and POOF! Problem solved.

I am fucking done with this day!

Thanks for all your help!

 

Could you have accidentally disconnected something when you were dusting off the oil filter? Check wires in that area. Like everyone else has said, it seems electrical. Sometimes the quick starts and shutoffs could blow a fuse, not sure why it happens but I've seen it happen. Also, after you check it out try the battery disconnect and let it sit for a good 15 minutes or so to allow the computer reset, then connect it back up and see if it helps.

 

Yes, Mainmoe, I think it had something to do with dusting off the oil filter. There are quite a few wires in that area, and I was definitely bumping into them. And I don't think turning the wheels had an effect, cuz I can't see how that would have shifted anything.

 

Glad it worked out.

Sometimes the Fonzarelli method works best.

 

Nice, I'm glad you figured it out and its back to running normal