2000 Tacoma SR5 4x4 starts and runs rough but dies, bet you can

Had my trusty taco leave me on the side of the road the other day......was coasting down a hill and got back on the gas, then immediately just didn't want to run anymore.... felt like someone just pulled the power...

1. Remanufactured Engine installed @ 298,000(low compression on two cylinders). 4500 miles in on breaking-in, ran great until this happened.
2. Good Compression 158 all cylinders, MAF good, IAC good, fuel pressure on the rail is 44psi, good spark on all plugs, timing marks all match up, when i replaced the motor I put all new sensors in OE denso, (cam/crank position, injectors, throttle position, coolant temp, all coils, wires, 2 prong plugs) all new vaccum lines and clamps.
3. no change when spraying starter fluid into plenum.
4. first start it will run for 30 seconds then cuts out, runs rough like its misfiring, then wont start at all after warm.
5. smells like injectors are dumping fuel, smells rich out the pipe, white smoke but with a darker hue, doesn't smell sweet like coolant.
6. Had an issue with it running rich after swap but solved it by installing new injectors
7. used a scan tool and sensors are reading what they should, i don't have an oscilloscope to do a reference
8.No CEL
9.Haven't touched igniter yet, will pull from junk yard this weekend, had a mechanic use his snap-on diagnostic tool and he seems stumped
10. I'm stumped.......$20 to the first reply that states the resolve. (please actually try and not just names things off for lottery sake
11. hoping its not the engine that needs replaced.....thinking about sending ECU to flagship to check first.....

Thanks for listening, this is the most frustrated I've ever been with a truck. Beating myself up pretty good, but telling myself I enjoy the pain

Remanufactured Engine came from Toyota engines in Springfield Oregon. I had a bad experience with them and I would not recommend them, old timer got me with his sales pitch and charges labor for warranty services, which is why i'm not taking it back to him. If it ends up being the engine I'm gonna grab a JDM import and take them to small claims. He wouldn't even give me my $400 core credit back for the old motor, should have bought one from YOTASHOP.......they kick ass.

 

A plugged cat will shut down any motor, FYI
Did u replace coils?
Fuel filter?
A bad fuel pump going out can sometimes show good pressure but once you drive it it fails.
Was MAF from dealership,? There are cheap fake ones every way in toyota boxes

 

Have you verify spark?

 

I’m gonna check the cat this weekend Im highly doubting that’s the issue here but not ruling it out, replaced the fuel pump and checked sending unit for continuity, no resolve.
Fuel pressure maintained post FPR on the fuel rail held steady at 44, pulled fuse let it drop then cranked again and maintained 44psi for the 30 seconds its will run. I think if I had a plugged cat it wouldn’t be pushing so much smoke and it would be quieter than the Flowmaster 50 series I have on there. All new coils, im pretty sure they are genuine parts, got them from yotashop maf is genuine as well, that I remember getting from the dealer and tested good.

 

Spark is there looks good and blue. Plugs were heavily covered in carbon, which seems suspicious

 

When spraying starting fluid is the MAF still in the circuit or have you removed the air intake??

From your description it sounds like the run side of the Circuit opening relay is not working. At least not getting to the fuel pump .

When cranking fuel pump energizes engine starts The run side signal is not getting to the fuel pump engine dies. . The circuit open relay run side has failed . Open circuit between the relay and ECM.

That would allow the engine to slowly starve for fuel stumbling till it dies.

You are able to read the ECM your not getting a failure to connect message?

Just a guess .

Good luck!!

 

You are correct, the symptoms all pointed to that funny circuit opening relay, unfortunately I’ve replaced both relays COR under the dash and efi relay under the hood. When I pull the plugs to inspect they are wet with gas. I’ve ruled out a fuel problem. It’s getting constant steady fuel, these are all great replies! Starter fluid was sprayed post maf, pre throttle body through a vacuum line just before throttle body. I feel like there is weak vacuum but I’ve never assessed an actual vacuum standard for pre intake manifold. Let’s keep digging!

also no error message when connecting computer

 

Well, I don't know how this one happened, but I took the intake plenum off to inspect injectors as a last resort and while looking in the intake manifold I saw this.......
blurry, but that is coolant pooling on the top of the intake valve on the furthest back two cylinders, crank/cam was at top dead center for a couple days and I didn't touch it till i took off the plenum. All bets are off, any one wanna take a guess at what the engine builder didn't do correctly..... This is a complete surprise, never did I ever expect to see coolant on top of the intake valves. Like a lot of coolant, will pressure test tonight to further investigate. 4000 miles on a new remanufactured engine and this is what it gets me. DO NOT BUY from Toyota Engines in Springfield Oregon. I have a full write-up in the process of completion, most likely will have to take builder to small claims to get my $$ back. They have a warranty, but want me to pay for labor to fix, this is the common review I've found after I bought and installed the engine. I should have known this was going to happen after he couldn't give me my engine core credit back because he had $40,000 in come backs....anyone else had this experience? I've been without my truck for 6 months now trying to diagnose an issue that was in front of me the whole time. How can the compression test out great but have a leak like this.....