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Troubleshooting ideas? Engine starts then dies.

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Mike6024, Aug 23, 2021.

  1. Aug 23, 2021 at 10:25 PM
    #1
    Mike6024

    Mike6024 [OP] Member

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    How can I troubleshoot the condition, truck starts but dies?
    Started on Sunday it was fine early in the day. Then afternoon I started it and it would die. If I gave it throttle, stepped on the gas it would keep running, but as soon as I let off it would die. Nowhere near would it idle. I'd say I had to keep the revs above at least 2000 to keep it from dying.

    This happened 6 months ago, and I cleaned the MAF. Vehicle started running fine again. But I don't think cleaning the MAF is what did it. There is some other intermittent problem that came up, then went away and now came back again.

    I thought I found a vacuum leak and fixed that, but that had no effect.

    Could I be having a failing fuel pump?

    BTW, last time this happened I took it to the dealer, to check for any engine codes, or anything else they could find. This was after I cleaned the MAF myself and it started running on it's own again. but I had the dealer check it out. The check engine light would come on when it would die. But that always comes on when the engine stops with the key on. Dealer said they found no Check Engine codes when the scanned it. Found no problems otherwise either.

    To take it back to the dealer I would need to tow it.

    Thanks for any Ideas anyone may have!

    (Could a bad MAF be causing this? How do you know if it needs replacement as opposed to just cleaning?)
     
  2. Aug 23, 2021 at 10:31 PM
    #2
    0xDEADBEEF

    0xDEADBEEF Trash Aficionado

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    I’d do some searching on the IAC valve and see if anyone else had similar issues.
     
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  3. Aug 23, 2021 at 10:35 PM
    #3
    TACOTU3

    TACOTU3 Well-Known Member

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    I intermittently had similar symptoms and a new MAF fixed it. Got a Denso unit from rock auto for a pretty reasonable price.
     
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  4. Aug 24, 2021 at 7:00 AM
    #4
    Timmah!

    Timmah! Well-Known Member

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    Sounds like the IAC. They can get sticky and a cleaning will help the issue and they can just fail too. The Idle Air Control valve gives the engine the air it needs under idling and deceleration when your foot isn't giving input to the gas pedal. When you push the gas pedal, you open the throttle baffle which give the engine air to create the air/fuel mixture to achieve combustion in the cylinders. When the throttle plate is closed, your engine is getting air via the IAC valve. If that valve is sticky or has completely failed, your engine will not get air and that's why you are finding the engine will keep running if you keep your foot on the gas pedal but will immediately die without the pedal input. Check out the video below to learn how to test and clean the IAC.

    https://www.youtube.com/embed/agIRNNA-6cs
     
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  5. Aug 24, 2021 at 10:04 AM
    #5
    Mike6024

    Mike6024 [OP] Member

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    Thanks very much. I didn't know anything about the IAC, what it was or what it does. Now I do and will look into it!
     
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  6. Aug 24, 2021 at 10:21 AM
    #6
    tirediron

    tirediron Well-Known Member

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    Buy, beg, or borrow a scan tool with live data capability. Use it to monitor the data PIDs for IAC, MAF, Fuel and spark. One of those should give you a pretty good clue as to what's going on. If you're unsure of the information, post it here, and someone will be able to interpret it.
     
  7. Aug 24, 2021 at 11:09 AM
    #7
    Mike6024

    Mike6024 [OP] Member

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    Wow, the dealer would charge $444.63 for a new IAC. Just sell me the part, not installation.

    I am going to be buying a gasket for the throttle body and the IAC gasket. Remove and clean them.
     
  8. Aug 24, 2021 at 11:42 AM
    #8
    Timmah!

    Timmah! Well-Known Member

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    Hope that fixes your issue.
     
  9. Aug 24, 2021 at 9:44 PM
    #9
    Mike6024

    Mike6024 [OP] Member

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    I got the throttle body off. That's it so far. Not exactly easy by my standards, but I got it off. There were two small hoses connected to the underside that supply antifreeze to the IAC that I didn't know existed until it became time they needed to come off in order to get the throttle body off.

    It also seems clear what the problem is. It looks like the gasket leaked, and allowed some antifreeze colored, purple/red, crud to escape from the oval shaped area over to the two rectangular areas.

    Toyota TB 2.jpg
     
  10. Aug 30, 2021 at 5:21 PM
    #10
    Mike6024

    Mike6024 [OP] Member

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    I cleaned the IAC as per the video and re-installed it and it seems to work fine now. Truck starts and idles. Yesterday was the first day I got it back in and started it and I was concerned because the idle seemed rough and wanted to drop and then the "check engine" light came on. But this morning I started it and all seems fine, drove it on some errands, idles fine, no "check engine" light.

    I think I should get a new IAC anyway in case this fails again. I see you can buy them for $25 or less on Ebay. So why is the dealer telling me $444.65? Seems crazy. I will get one of the Ebay ones and if the need arises install it and hope it is not some fake piece of junk. I figure it may be the same quality as what the dealer is selling.

    Screenshot (532).jpg
     
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    #10
  11. Aug 30, 2021 at 5:24 PM
    #11
    Mike6024

    Mike6024 [OP] Member

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    Thanks for all the help and the video link by the way.
     
  12. Aug 30, 2021 at 5:42 PM
    #12
    Dm93

    Dm93 Test Don't Guess

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    Because the Ebay one probaly has <25% chance to work out of the box and last more than a week and the OE one has >99% chance to work and last the rest of the life of the vehicle.
     
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