1996 Tacoma won’t start

So my 1996 3.4 Tacoma won’t start. Engine is 5vzfe, replaced last year including starter. I just replaced the head gaskets a week fews ago and it has been driving great the past few weeks. I drive it daily and never had an issue with starting the engine the past few months such like when the alternator would be going out. I went to start it today and the engine wouldn’t turn over. Power is obvious going to the engine like it’s trying to start but it just won’t start.

I’m no expert but know the basics. Fuel air electricity. The engine needs all three to fire.

I started with air. I replaced the air filter and checked to make sure path of air into the engine was clear. When I replaced the engine last year I deep cleaned everything inside and out all the way down into the engine.

The battery works great still under two years. I got it tested at O’Reillys which they said is fully charged and holds a charge under load. I cleaned the terminals and the wires to the battery.

I then checked the spark plugs which are all relatively new (2years/10000 miles) and sparking fine when I take them out and test them.

Alternator is under 5 years (I think) and was deep cleaned last year when I replaced the engine.

When I unplugged the engine wiring harness between the engine and cab I triple checked all the plugs were back in and secured.

I pulled one of the spark plugs and didn’t see any fuel on it which makes me think fuel issue. When I replaced the head gaskets a few weeks ago I cleaned and tested all the fuel injectors and replaced all the o rings on them. I did a fuel pressure test and the needle didn’t even bounce. Which makes me think something definitely wrong with the fuel side of things.

I pulled the relays for the fuel pump which all seem to be working just fine as far as I can tell. The ones I pulled was the green relay (circuit opening relay) under the dash by the steering wheel and the EFI relay in the engine compartment. (Power levels within normal limits for those relays when touched and they click when I add power to the EFI relay.) power is going to the COR relay which makes me think fuel pump?

I’m guessing it’s the original fuel pump (222000 miles) but I didn’t think a fuel pump could suddenly just fail without warning.

Any ones ideas or help which be much much much appreciated. Attached below is a video of the sound of the engine and the pressure test

Again thank you for any help

https://youtube.com/shorts/0U8yrDSOCu8?si=J1iGZ0tB54eittcr

 

3 checkmarks on the fuel pump

 

So update. It was the fuel pump. I traced the fuel line and replaced the filter. The pump was getting power but wasn’t pumping hard enough to get fuel up the line to the engine. After watching a ton of videos I took on the task of replacing the fuel pump. It’s a hell of a process to drop the pan so I lifted the truck bed. 4 bolts and a little bit of wires it comes right off. I was able to lift it up and back just enough to get access to the pump. I replaced the pump, plugged everything in and it fired right up.

 

Just out of curiosity, how far up did you need to lift the bed in order to change the fuel pump?

 

I just removed the 4 bolts and the fuel filler bolts. Then pulled back just enough to get access to the fuel pump bolts and lifted one side by hand putting a wood block between the frame and the bed. Then doing the same on the other. Not the greatest picture but way way way easier than dropping the pan. I even have a heavy shell on the bed and was able to lift up one side by myself.

 

Outstanding! Your photo answers a lot of my questions!!

 

That sounds very doable. I have a camper shell too and maybe I could lift the bed up and off with ratchet straps attached to my garage ceiling joists somehow.

 

I have seen some people use an engine lift to lift the back off but my truck was stuck on the rocks next to my house. If you have it on flat ground like a driveway or garage you could use an engine lift. I found it honestly not that hard to lift one side at a time to lift up and back using wood to hold the bed over/off the tire and frame. Especially if you had someone else to help lift it’s surprising not that heavy. The hardest part to lift over is the fuel filler funnel.

 

Man, I wonder when someone will fab a “fuel pump door/hatch” for our tacos

if your old enough, many Camaro/Firebird F-body owners would cut a hole in raise part of the rear floor(behind the rear seat)
Fab a latch and hinge to make easy access for FP. This would prevent removing exhaust/rear suspension/rear axle just to drop tank for FP install

 

Taco0416 didn't write that he had to lift the bed, so I assumed that he just slid it back. Maybe he could elaborate a bit? Like what he did to the wiring harness to the rear lights ( but I think they are fixed to the frame and not to the bed). And how high he had to lift the front of the bed to clear the top of the fuel tank (if at all)?

 

You’re right I forgot to say I undid the 4 screws that held the light in and then unplugged the back of it. Then pulled the wiring harness down and out of the tail light holes. The rest of the harness/anything else was attached to the bed. I was able to lift the bed up AND back by myself.

I lifted the truck bed up to clear the tailgate, rear tires and fuel filler. The most I had to lift up with 4-6 inches more to clear the rear tires than anything. I pulled the bed back about a foot. I pulled the bed back just enough so I could get my fat ass between the cab and the bed. In theory with two people you could easily just lift it up and completely off.

The fuel tank and the attachment hoses etc for it are just below the bed and weren’t at all an issue at any point to clear with the bed for me. Honestly with all the projects that I have done with this truck this was one of the easiest. Next time I will do a better step by step guide with pictures

 

Looks like it's my turn to do this one.

Started her up this morning to go to the airport and noted the idle seemed unsteady. Backed her out of the driveway and put her in gear, gas pedal doesn't do anything. RPMs start to drop, and engine cuts off. Start her up again and she dies 2 seconds later. 3rd start, no fire.

Seems like a fuel pump failure to me, just burned up the residual fuel in the line. I bought a spare pump a while back after reading on here people get around 200K out of a pump on average. I'm still on the original at 410K.

Any support for the diagnosis? When I get back into town I'd like to take on the repair myself.

 

Bump. Hoping someone will chime in here. @Speedytech7

 

I'd verify it. But yeah that does sound like bad fuel pump almost to a tee

 

Hopefully im late to the party and you were able to fix the issue.

I’m in no way an expert but I had to replace the fuel pump on the above 96 Tacoma and you can read through my thought process on replacing the fuel pump in my Tacoma and then was able to work my through a bad fuel pump on my 95 4runner. The way I confirmed it to be a fuel pump problem was a little sketchy but it worked for me.

I first undid the fuel filter on the bottom of the vehicle. I set my phone up to watch as I tried to start it. When no fuel came out or just a little tiny bit of fuel came out I was able to deduce that the fuel pump was bad.

That being said probably more to it with maybe a bad wire or a clog or something else that could cause it but I’m guessing fuel pump

 

Haha! @Taco0416 I was considering hooking a gauge to the fuel rail, but I like your quick-n-dirty method better. It's already parked in the street in front of the house, so when I get home from my trip I'll confirm it your way! Easy!

I'll be by myself, so I'm guessing you just lift the bed, put it on wooden blocks, and shimmy it back.

 

If it is a fuel pump issue and you need to replace it I think the correct thing to do is to drop the gas tank and there is a few videos that way but I was surprised how easy just pulling the bed off was. You can see in the above picture that I posted you only need to move it just enough to squeeze yourself in. Be careful with the 4 bolts that hold the bed on. When I pulled the bed to paint the back of the truck I busted off one of the 4 bolts and had to re tap it. Same with the little bolts holding the fuel pump on. After undoing the fuel filter might as well replace the fuel filter why you have it undone. They are cheap enough. Let us know how it goes.

 

Yeah I bought the pump, filter and oval flat gasket a few years back. Thanks for the tips!

 

Did you get a genuine pump from dealer parts dept or elsewhere?

 

From what I remember I ordered a Denso pump from RockAuto.