Crank no start....ugh

Well here we go ... 1996 Tacoma automatic, F2r engine, EFI with distributor. I was told the fuel pump was replaced.. what happened was prior owner, truck ran fine then one day it quit and would not start. they were told a fuel pump was the issue, so it was replaced and the truck ran for about 2 weeks afterward, then did the same. I now own the truck. So there is no spark and no fuel to rail. I could not find a fuel pump relay to check, the relays in the engine compartment are good as well as fuses. There is voltage at the injector plugs. All fuses on the drivers side, inside are good and power is to them. I feel I am going to have to drop the fuel tank to check if new pump was installed. Again if I could find a fuel pump relay, I could by pass it and see if the pump runs... can find one.. please help if possible

Thanks
Usmarine0905

 

don’t know if it’s in the same location as my 98 3.4 but the fuel pump relay is behind the lower dash, near the steering column. If it’s OEM it’s a rather large green cube.

I’m on my phone but if no one has posted a pic by the time I get home I will for you.

 

Never heard of this motor, but welcome to T.W. !!

 

Ok it's the 4cyl 16valve 2.4L sohc

 

Ok thank you

 

Here you go

 

Thanks Madjik_Man, I will look there first thing in the morning..... when you replaced yours, you got spark and fuel back?

 

I never replaced mine. I just disconnected it when I replaced my fuel filter.

Good luck though. Report back what happens if/when you replace it.

 

That engine has a distributor, right? I would also check it out pretty early in your trouble shooting. Not by chance weather related, like rainy, high humidity days? Since it is intermittent problem, could point to distributor if so.

 

I will check it out, I did replace the coil and still nothing... would a bad distributor cause no fuel? I know it would cause no spark

 

Do you have any codes stored it could help the no spark issue and the no fuel issue to know.

Some codes will shut the fuel off.

 

I dont have a scanner... so I am looking up how to use the "Paper clip" method...

 

Sadly that only works with the OBI system

 

a couple of things to mention first. The distributors on these are know to cause issues. The fuel pump relay is not a relay like you are suspecting... it is called a circuit opening relay. This relay only closes and provides power to the fuel pump when it receives various signals from the sensors... one is the crankshaft position sensor, i.e. the motor turning over. To be honest, it has been a number of years since I last worked on a distributor Tacoma so I forget if the crank position sensor is incorporated into the distributor or? The image is from the Toyota factory wiring manual for a MY 1996. You can see where the wiring from the distributor feeds the crankshaft position sensor. Unfortunately these things arn't cheap... $300 to $400. There are tests that can be preformed in a shop with the right tools to check out the distributors signals, but what usually happens... and this is how you got the truck, in frustration, people just give up and parked it. Can you find a good used distributor as a test unit... dont know. I hate to advise a $400 "test" piece. One thing you could do and forgive me as this might cut the wrong way, is to see who in town has one on the shelf. Take it home and keep it clean... install it and see if it works, if it does keep it there, if it doesnt, clean the drive mechanism so that there is no oil residue and return it. Sometimes repairs do come down to "replace with know good unit." You can pull your hair out trying to diagnose some things the proper way, this is one of them.

 

Well thank you everyone that chimed in. I did get the truck running. There is the usual Bosch cube type relay behind the inside fuse panel, I swapped that out with a good used one and heard clicking in the engine compartment, something I have not heard before. It would hard crank and start, but run poorly. Checked spark and it was weak, so I picked up a used coil from the parts yard, removed my distributor cleaned it and replaced it with the used coil. Reassembled all and it fired right up and ran smooth.. So I am guessing the relay was the ignition and fuel issue, and truck coil was going bad anyway. Thanks again for everyone's help....

 

sweet, saved some $$$.