Thanks guys!

Everything I have seen points to the fuel pump being a light blue wire, but I can't seem to find it. I don't exactly want to take the bed off at this point. I guess I can try to take some pictures up there with my phone where my eyes can't see!

For sure I was only going to jump the pump to test if it worked. I wasn't planning on running the engine with it rigged up like that, just process of elimination.

The oily plugs confuse me too, the valve seals are brand new, and the head is torqued down with ARP studs. I have some new ones on order... they should be coming in by christmas.

I've got all afternoon today to check things out, I'll keep y'all updated, and once again thanks for the help!

 

I did find the other plug at the front of the gas tank. It does have a blue and a white wire, and the blue does have power to it. I guess it is time to drop the tank and replace the pump.

 

Flow test.. Measure return to tank volume from pressure regulator, 1l/min with the engine not running..

Fault could be pump, pump sock, or fuel filter.

 

Turned truck on, triggered the fuel pump, heard the relay click, tested power at the pump connector, plugged pump in, and couldn't hear it. I then pulled the return to tank line, and had absolutely nothing come out. I'm pretty sure that somehow my pump failed... now I just need to figure out how I'm gonna get to that pump!
Also wondering what could cause the pump to fail.

 

If it's a 4Runner, there's an access port under the back seat. Just lift the carpet, and it's pretty obvious. It's circular, and directly above the fuel pump's entry to the tank. Makes it's easy to get to. It's a little mall for those with big hands, or fat fingers (ahem), but still.
On the pickup, I believe you have to drop the tank to access the fuel pump.

Good luck!
Pat☺

 

I put the truck up on jack stands today and dropped the tank. I pulled the pump, and hooked it straight up to power. It turned on and had a lot of power to it. I verified connectivity between the plug on the pump harness from power to the pump itself as well as the grounds, and they appeared to work. I plugged everything back in with the tank still dropped, and turned over the engine. Boom! she runs, and she runs well. I don't know what the fuel pump's problem is, but It was most definitely the fuel pump that was an issue.

 

Had a little fun today zig zagging around my neighborhood. Engine runs quite well now, everything was smooth.

With the 5m AFM upgrade I had nowhere to pipe the front crank case vent hose to, so I plugged it into the PS pump intake in the throttle body. It was previously routed to the cold pipe between the AFM and the turbo. I guess I forgot to secure it because on my test ride it blew off and sprayed oil all over the inside of my nice engine bay hahaha.

 

Thanks for the help that all of you have given, it has paid of greatly. Even if the ignition or this or that wasn't my proble, I now have a much better understanding of my engine than I did before, and that will only help me in the future.

Time to tighten that hose clamp and have some real fun!

 

Drill and tap your VAFM for a barbed fitting, you don't want to be pressurizing your crankcase like that it'll start blowing oil out things like your main seals valve cover and half-moons as well as pushing oil up the piston rings, it should have a nice flat spot between the vane and output flange.. This is where mine is since I'm not using some of the original piping.

 

interesting, tapped right into there huh? Yeah the piping is too thin to do anything with.

I definitely felt weird about routing it that way, and didn't know if having it blocked off would do worse harm. The rear has that PCV valve for a reason, right? haha

 

glad you discovered a possible solution. not to be a downer, but i'd have replaced the pump with a new denso one because of the difficulty of getting to the pump in the pickups. once the pump is locked up/not working, they rarely last very long once they get freed up again. you might get a month out if it, or a day. it quit for a reason, and not because it was in great shape. the 1st gen 4runners are more forgiving, in that the pump is easily reached via an access hatch under the rear seat - no need to drop the tank to swap the pump - so if you carry a spare, you can swap it in in about 15 minutes. then you can get every last mile out of that pump, if inconvenience doesn't bother you.

pay attention to any hesitation/bucking when driving - a near certainty that the pump is quitting intermittently now that you've identified it as having been locked up at one point.

 

You also could have had an intermittent electrical connection that worked once you moved things around a bit. It is hard to tell right now.

 

Yeah, seems like them 4runners have it pretty easy. Mine is unfortunately a 2wd pickup, so I even had to take the driveshaft out of the way to drop the tank. If the fuel pump was something i've had to access more than once in the past 4 years of owning the truck I might consider putting in an access hatch.
I do still have a denso replacement pump on it's way that I plan on holding on to until this pump is for sure kaput. I'll definitely pay attention to hesitations or stumbling or an weirdness in my AFRs.
I definitely COULD have an intermittent electrical connection, but the fact that I had power back at the gas tank when the ruck wasn't running means that the electrical issue would be on the whole pump bracket mechanism thing.