Help!! Taco stauling mid drive

Here is the Story. I have a 99 tacoma with 125k miles. The past month it has died on me on the freeway. It seems like the gas does not get delivered. The fuel filter and pump has been replaced but it still dies when there is a quarter tank left. The fuel gauge is not off since it still drives for 50+miles.

 

Welcome to the forum!!! Glad to have you!

maybe try taking the 101 instead of the 202.....



Sorry, i cant help you--im just a smartazz

Oh I miss living in Tempe

 

Does it really happen like clockwork at 1/4 tank? Almost hard to believe.

After it happens, does it restart or do you have to wait etc.

I think the question here is what is the behaviour when you try to restart it.

If the answer is that it does not start (at least right after stalling), you need to check for the basics, i.e. spark, fuel.

Usually a fuel starvation problem will occur at high load (although I think this may not always be the case with modern cars). In my experience these problems are more likely electrical.

I assume you don't get any ECU codes or diags?

If you really think it's fuel it may be the fuel pump relay. I recently had a car that had a similar problem and it turned out to be the fuel pump relay was intermittent. The fuel pump relay is usually a $5 part located in the fuse box so you may want to try it regardless. Fuel injected engines also have a fuel pressure regulator and these often have vacuum as an input.

Good luck

 

I do have to wait 15-20 minutes before it starts back up, but yeah it does happen like clock work. Since it stalled at a 1/4 tank I was thinking the filter was getting clogged or the pump was not getting enough juice through it. If it turns out ot be a relay i will feel silly since i already spent cash on the pump and filter. Thank you for the suggestion.

 

The relay problem showed up only on starting with me so it's just a guess..

And don't feel stupid - even professional mechanics do exactly what you did in this situation - in fact I have had several cars with wierd intermittent problems like yours and normally the mechanics won't even look at it. Also, stalling on the freeway is dangerous so you need to get this fixed.

The quarter tank thing really bugs me though. Did you change the fuel pump yourself and did you take a real good look at the pickup tube? I have never actually pulled the fuel pump on a modern car with electric fuel pump and I don't think they have a puckup tube per say but is there a pickup tube or part of the fuel pump that was not part of the new pump and possibly has a crack that causes it to suck air when the level is down to 1/4 tank?

That would not seem to explain why it restarts but the crack could be so thin that heating from the fuel pump motor opens the crack?? Just guessing but these kinds of problems can be really diabolical.

 

I have had a mechanic change out both things.

 

It looks like the fuel pump is the pickup.

I would post this problem over at Tacomaterritory.com under Early tech.

Many there are abrasive but there are some who know this vehicle and it's peculiarities very well.

 

I don't know why it would happen, but could the pump be overheating once the fuel level gets too low. That would explain having to let it sit....it cools off.

 

Freaking gremlins, they must have snuck across the mexican border and are hiding in your truck! Gremlins I tell ya, and they must be working for al queda these days!!!!

just kidding, your truck stalling at 1/4 tank is odd..... at first I would say your gauge is off and 1/4 tank really means E but if it starts back up and runs down to the e on the gauge..... damn dude just keep your truck at 1/2 tank is the only thing I can think of. sorry

 

Update : So after taking the truck back to the shop. The diagnostic showed that the fuel pump had gone bad again.

 

At least you found the problem.

Do you know if it was a genuine Toyota part?

I probably don't have to tell ya, but the Toyota parts are far superior to any aftermarket parts if you can take the cost (might actually be cheaper in the long run). You can find dealerships on the web that charge far less than the local stealerships. I have compared the price of various parts at my local dealer vs. my online source and I kid you not the mail order is between 50% and 60% of the local!

In general I don't mind paying a little more to support local businesses and of course there is the convenience factor but paying twice as much is absurd.

 

It was not a Toyota part. It does have a lifetime waranty though which came in handy. There was no charge for the part and service.