1996 2.4L Stalls, Dies, Starts, Stalls, Dies

Hey guys, currently compiling a list of things to start checking over on my truck and was going to see if anyone has any input I haven't found yet.

Background is the truck is a 1996 2.4L 4CYL 2WD Tacoma that currently has 288,XXX miles on it. Got it for $1,400 about 18 months ago so I went ahead and replaced the plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, have done routine oil changes and routine maintenance. I also put new battery terminals on and ran new wiring from the battery to the starter and a new ground wire because the old ones were garbage (truck definitely had a rough life prior to my purchase) and I recently had the alternator rebuilt. After all that it has been running fine up until 6 months ago. I had just filled the tank and while driving up a hill it started to stall out on me and died. Put the truck in neutral, cranked it up, drove decent for a half mile then did the same thing. Every time it happened it would crank right back up, but would have little power then stall out. Pulled it over and let it idle a while to listen for any issues. After about 45 minutes of waiting I cranked it back up and made the 40 minute drive home and didn't have a single issue.

My first thought was maybe the gas was just crap and I started using non-ethanol and have had no issues in the last 5ish months. The problem has returned so I have started to narrow down what it could be. My first thought has been the fuel pump only because when it has happened lately it sounds like I can hear it struggling (could be something else, this is just a guess) and I can feel something in the floorboard under the driver side that goes along with the sound.

Also when it happens once I get the truck started back up I can push the pedal to the floor and it won't even rev the engine.

A buddy of mine in the neighborhood has a code reader and I am getting it scanned tomorrow to see what the CEL is showing.

Now on to the list of things I plan to check out in no particular order (probably going to start with the cheapest option then work to the $$$ items). I have read a couple of forums, but if you have had this experience and know something I haven't listed any help would be great!

1. Fuel pump relay/fuses - fuel filter - fuel pump
2. Crankshaft position sensor
3. All body grounds
4. AM2 fuse
5. MAF sensor
6. Battery connections
7. Alternator connections (although the battery light never comes on)
8. Vacuum lines
9. Buss bar (https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ng-died-on-my-way-to-work-fixed.539965/page-3 WFS)
10. Distributor condensor? (saw this in a forum but can't remember where)

Thanks in advance for any help and I will be sure to update this once the potential fix is found!

 

Does it start good when cold and hard to start when hot?

 

Starts in the heat are definitely not as crisp as in the cold. It was also pretty hot today and it has happened more often lately now so summer related heat could be part of it.

 

No check engine light? How many miles on spark plugs?

 

I would say less than 10K on the plugs. I am having a buddy bring his diagnostic tool over tomorrow to check the CEL.

 

I had a real similar situation on an old truck, ended up being the alternator, good luck!

 

Is the MIL light on wait to see what codes.

When if ever was the fuel filter changed??.288,000 fuel pump might be getting tired I would check the pressure before starting to toss parts

What if anything might be different after your 5 trouble free months

Remember using the throttle only gives it air

 

Thanks for the info. Got the CEL/MIL checked today and had a P0171 code come up for system too lean. Took out the MAF and cleaned it very gently with a small paint brush. Reset the light and will be driving it tomorrow to see if it comes back on and throws me the same code or something new.

So far I checked all the grounds I could find and didn't see anything suspect with them so knocked that one off the list. I also checked for a vacuum leak using a propane bottle and a hose. Never heard a change in idle when doing that but definitely found some hoses that will need to be replaced sooner rather than later.

I'll be renting a fuel pressure gauge this weekend to check for a possible bad pump.

 

Bringing this post back to the top to see if anyone has anymore info that could help.

So after all the above happened I ended up changing my EGR Vacuum Modulator, my Heated Oxygen Sensor and a new to me brake booster since I had a vacuum leak there and it seemed to have fixed the problem for a while. Also while switching the O2 sensor I noticed it looked like at some point in the past it looked like someone tried to cut the cat off with a grinder so I got a new down pipe from the exhaust manifold to the cat from a wrecked Tacoma and threw that on there with new OEM gaskets. Definitely had a big exhaust leak.

Then it all came back with a vengeance. Ended up putting in a new fuel pump and fuel filter as well as a MAF sensor. Next thing I know the truck stalled out on me and wouldn't start again. It was doing exactly what I have had happen when I forgot to hook my MAF back up one time so I swapped the new MAF for the original I still had in the cab and it fired right up. So I went on Rock Auto and ordered a different brand MAF and returned my faulty one.

While doing all this I also got a new distributor cap because there was a crack around the bolts on mine so rather be safe than sorry. Also got a Fuel Pressure Regulator from a wrecked Tacoma with about 155K on it.

Now that I have all these parts on it and it will start and run but my Long Term Fuel Trim stays steady at 19.5 with my Short Term ranging from -1 to +3.X

I have read that if the LTFT is high while idling but goes down while driving it is definitely a vacuum leak since there is less vacuum while the RPM's are high, however I have hooked it up to a smoke box twice now and am seeing absolutely nowhere any smoke is coming out.

So basically I am at a loss for what is causing my out of whack fuel trims and think it may be time to go to a shop.

Any thoughts?

 

Anyone?

 

Just throwing it out there that aftermarket MAFs are known to create all kinds of issues with these trucks, when it comes to sensors it's best to stick with OEM/Denso. I could see a non-agreeable MAF sensor giving you whacky fuel trim numbers.

 

OOF definitely not what I wanted to hear with the price of those things but I can 100% understand that. I try and stick with OEM but that $500+ price tag is a little steep...

 

You changed the EGR modulator, but did you ever look at the actual valve, if that's stuck open it won't be able to idle

 

I have a spare OEM MAF for you, $75 and shipping and it's yours, sound fair?

 

I didn't look at the valve, but decided to change it when it was leaking smoke from hooking it up to a smoke box, I'll check the old one since I still have it as well as the new one. The truck will start and idle now that I put the new MAF on, however last time I let it run and drove some after about 20 minutes it stalled out again and my LTFT remains constant at 19.5.

I just built my own smoke box and will be hooking it up in the next couple of days to see if there are any more exhaust leaks I can't find.

 

Is it part number 22250-75010? The one I need has to be purchased as the whole housing and everything not just the sensor unit and it seems the early 96's are the only ones they came on. I think I ready somewhere that they changed the MAF in like August or September of 96.

 

I'll check it, it is the whole aluminum 4 bolt bracket thing with sensor in it.

 

That sounds correct so I've got my fingers crossed!

 

Bringing this back to the top with some updates and further questions...

Got an OEM MAF and LTFT has dropped to between -7 and -8.5 outside of that it is still having the same issue. I can let it idle and after about 15-20 minutes it will stall and won't start again, however if you spray starter fluid in it it'll fire right up.

Finally took it to a shop and paid the $80 for them to hook it up to their big computer. From everything I told them they assumed it would be an electrical issue that comes up when it gets hot. Well they let it idle for an hour and it never shut off on them so the next day they tried again and got it to shut down, however they said the computer was saying everything was fine. Injectors were good, crank position sensor was good, throttle position good, temperature readings were good, everything. The mechanic said his next step would be to drop the tank and check inside and see if anything could be blocking flow that just randomly occurs, then check all along the fuel lines for blockages or issues.

Has anyone ever run into an issue with the fuel lines on their Tacoma or have any further options for that? I am taking the bed off again and will be checking out the fuel lines and tank myself to save some money, just wondering what exactly I may need to be looking for.

Also checked my EVAP purge solenoid with the battery and it was clicking.

 

Once it stalls How long to restart with out starting Fluid??


Once started with the Starting fluid it runs without issue ??

It only stalls when it idles for 15 to 20 minutes ??

What did the plugs look like when you pulled them??

Plugs foul truck stalls The starting Fluid ignites on the weak spark just a thought.