Won't start on incline and cold (Cold Start Injector bypass?)

If you want to skip backstory skip to end. Thanks team!

Ok TW peeps I have a good one. First off please don't say battery as an answer because its not the battery. Backstory- 09 Taco SR5 4x4 110,000 on the ODO. Back in November I drove out to Cali and on my way back my alternator shit the bed coming through Cedar something Utah. I was able to change the alternator AND I put a new battery in it then too. Went to start it and it would turn and turn and never "catch". Had someone jump it off and it still wouldn't catch. I thought it was the fuel pump so I had it towed to a janky shop. They tried to tell me my motor was blown LOLOLOL I told them if that was true, which I knew it wasn't, then I will have it shipped home and pull my own motor. I had to rent a truck and I called a shipping company to get the truck back to NC.

The shipping guy told me the truck started when he pulled it on to the transport. A few weeks later the truck. comes home and it starts off the transport which I was pissed about. So, one morning it was cold and the truck was on an incline and it did it again wrrr wrrrrr wrrrr and I can sit and crank it and it doesn't run battery down or anything just cranks over. I let the truck roll down to flat and boom starts. So the weather was fine and warm and then it got cold and it did it again no starting. The past few days we have had snow and yesterday I was parked in my driveway and the truck was leaning and cold and it wouldn't start. I rolled it to flat and boom.

This morning its 21 and snow and the truck is on flat and it won't start.

So in closing these are the issues and my thoughts.

Ground issue? Probably not because its fine warm

Crankshaft position sensor? I have the 3 degree retard

Cold Start Injector Switch? This is what I believe it to be. Someone help me lol can you bypass this?

Relay or sensor

And no I haven't put it on the scanner yet, I haven't tested anything with an ohmmeter either yet about to do that.

 

Sounds like a fuel delivery issue. Try filling the tank, immediately move it to an inclined spot stop and try to start it. If you have a way to monitor fuel pressure, check that. Some obd scanners have that ability. I’d also check for stored error codes.

 

yeah unfortunately I’m in NC it snowed 6 inches last night so everything is impassable lol I’m not at home where the scanner is. I do know it’s getting fuel but the cold start thing moves more fuel into the injectors during cold start. It could be water in something too and it’s freezing each time it gets below freezing

 

Another thread? Didn't you say last month the shop found low compression?

 

Ahh yes I knew they were full of it, I have meticulously taken care of this truck it’s only hit 110 on it. It’s a sensor, relay or something because it’s intermittent and the hill thing is weird too. The shop never sent me readings they just made claims. Told me the compression was low yet was getting spark and fuel but not engagement. I mean call me Shirley but spark and fuel would cause something to kick even if it shut down. I promise you they didn’t test any coil packs or electrical anything and I was stranded in the middle of Utah so I didn’t have much say

 

I just filled up last night so it’s full and it starts above freezing

 

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I forgot about that post I just went and read it again lol how do I check compression? I find it hard to believe the compression would be screwed up or low. Like what causes premature failure of compression?

 

Do you have a flashing security light in the middle of the dash next to the clock when it won't start?
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...wont-start-thread.751400/page-4#post-26773011

 

When the key is out yes

 

i meant with the key on and/or cranking.

 

Nope

 

And starts on an incline with a full tank?

 

Hmm I’m trying o think of it ever has. I can’t start it now so I’ll let you know. It starts anywhere above a certain temperature. I also took it through a water crossing a few moths ago. Water was above the hood. I’m wondering if it got in something and is now freezing every time? I’m gonna get a compression tester and ohm meter and come back and start running tests.

 

If you truly have low compression, which I doubt, you can almost tell by the sound it makes when cranking. Best I can describe is wowowo instead of wewewe. I’ve seen engines with low compression blow the dip stick out.

Checking compression is fairly simple. If you can change plugs you can do it. It’s a good idea to have an oil can, pistol type squirter. Then you can test, then squirt the same amount of oil in, 2 or 3 squirts, and test again wet. If compression is truly low that’ll help determine if the issue is the valves or rings. Consider this subject to change based on others opinions, which I’m always open to hear.

 

Oh dang!!

Well, if it were mine I’d take it to a shop I trust. If I were inclined to try fixing this myself, I’d remove the battery, remove the starter, disconnect every electrical connector, blow both connectors dry, check for rust, dry the starter, try to dry the harness. If the engine got water in the intake, you could have caused serious damage. Water doesn’t compress like air. Bad things happen like broken rods.

 

I am banking on bad fuel pump. Tank is easy to drop and you can change the pump out in less than 15 min once dropped.

 

We already eliminated that because fuel was working but I’ll test it all again

 

Was this confirmed as in your fuel pressure was good during crank no start?

Guessing here, maybe water got in the fuel tank?

 

Unless you tested with a gauge I’d be willing to give you $5 if I’m wrong. Given the year of the vehicle and conditions you speak of it really sounds like low Fuel

 

ok so when I swapped the alternator and the battery and she didn’t start I just knew it was the fuel the shop that did compression said fuel was running and I’ve been driving it. I swear it’s only happening when it’s freezing abouve that it cranks so I really feel like something is frozen. With all that said how do I test the fuel pump I have a multi meter? I’m gonna grab a compression tester today o hope but more than likely tomorrow