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Hello! My 2nd baby i've been working on is a 94 with the 2.4 22re. I've been pulling my hair out with this for too long. I'll jump right to it. My truck wont stay running OR it won't start OR the fuel cuts out while driving, it seems like it won't shut completely off and die while driving on the highway but I DO feel the fuel cut off for a second, like the truck just stops its momentum, then when it kicks back on, it jumps like i hit the pedal, like BOOM i have gas again. The guy i bought it from said it "hiccups" every once in a while but its more than that, he said he replaced the mass air flow sensor already and thats not it. I don't even know if hes talking about a "mass airflow sensor" or afm. I'm pretty sure our yotas have a air flow meter. Maybe they are pretty much the same thing... anyway lol. I replaced my fuel filter because when i took off the connection where the cold start injector is, no gas came out when i tried starting it. I KNEW that must be the problem. Replaced the filter, still no fuel. I jumped the fp and B terminal in the diag port and turned the key on, i heard the fuel pump, still no gas at the cold start injector site. I figured i had a bad pump. I dropped the tank, couldn't get the fuel pump assembly out because it was so rusted, ya... dont wanna get into that. Replaced entire tank, fuel pump, assembly bracket and even got a new fuel gauge sending unit as that was rusted to hell as well. Everything put together, jumped that connection for the fuel pump in the diagnostic port and bam, fuel everywhere at the cold start injector. (note) i didn't take the injector off, just the banjo fitting. Awesome, problem solved right? WRONG.
It ran great for like 5 min, i shut it off, turned it back on and no problems. I let it run for a while and then it started trying to die on me, but didn't die completely. But It kept trying to die and would idle terribly. The check engine light turned on, long story short, got code 22. I replaced the temp sensor next to the cold start sensor or whatever. Not the sending unit for the idiot light, the 2 wire green one underneath. Reset the code, check engine light now off and runs great. Awesome, problem solved right?? Wrong!!
Later that day. I took it out again and felt the fuel cut out while driving about 30 mph, in 3rd gear. I parked and shut her off and couldn't get it started again. It would turn over no problem, it would TRY to fire like one cylinder was firing and just when you thought it would turn on, it would die again. Another note, theres lots of air pressure in the tank, not vacuum, pressure when i take the gas cap off, all this air comes rushing out. Yes i tried running it with the gas cap off, same issue. I let the truck sit for 2 hours, walked home and came back and barely got it started but it did, and i crawled home hoping it wouldn't stall. I know i need to fix the pressure in the tank BUT i dont' think thats the problem because i have the same issue with the cap off. So, i did some research and found the infamous Circuit Opening Relay issue. I jumped the same thing in the diag port, the fuel pump, turned the key on and the pump runs, started it up and it started!!! Didn't die at all. So i shut it off, took the jumper off and tried to start it, and it still started right up. So i put the jumper back on and BAM, idles for 1 min and starts slowly dying until finally, it dies. Like it starts starving for fuel. So pretty sure the circuit opening relay is fine because bypassing it doesn't work. Any thoughts, questions? ANYTHING!!?? lol thanks in advance guys.
Last edited by kazuya2416; 03-24-2017 at 04:33 PM.
Both of you guys need to rule out fuel pressure. You will be able to to this accurately because your trucks will run for a while before they die. I plumb my gauge set into the fuel rail via a banjo adapter. You want to see what the gauge does as the engine starts to fail. If it tries to die or dies while you are reading good steady fuel pressure, you can move on to other things. Both of your issues are likely due to fuel delivery to one or more cylinders but could also be due to an electrical issue. Try to rule things out one at a time and don't get caught up in testing everything you read about all a once. Take detailed notes of everything you see, hear and smell each time you test something. Good notes will reduce the time it takes to retest components.
Yota Tay, you need to get yours idling however you can and start pulling your plug wires off one at a time. My gut says you have a dead injector or at least a dead cylinder for one reason or another. Super easy test and will narrow your search down quickly. You are going to be listening for a change in RPM when you pull each plug wire. If no change is heard when you pull one of them, that cylinder is not firing. A dead cylinder will make it difficult or impossible to run at low idle. Kazuya, you might also try this test since it's easy to do but I think you have a different issue.
Both of you guys need to rule out fuel pressure. You will be able to to this accurately because your trucks will run for a while before they die. I plumb my gauge set into the fuel rail via a banjo adapter. You want to see what the gauge does as the engine starts to fail. If it tries to die or dies while you are reading good steady fuel pressure, you can move on to other things. Both of your issues are likely due to fuel delivery to one or more cylinders but could also be due to an electrical issue. Try to rule things out one at a time and don't get caught up in testing everything you read about all a once. Take detailed notes of everything you see, hear and smell each time you test something. Good notes will reduce the time it takes to retest components.
Yota Tay, you need to get yours idling however you can and start pulling your plug wires off one at a time. My gut says you have a dead injector or at least a dead cylinder for one reason or another. Super easy test and will narrow your search down quickly. You are going to be listening for a change in RPM when you pull each plug wire. If no change is heard when you pull one of them, that cylinder is not firing. A dead cylinder will make it difficult or impossible to run at low idle. Kazuya, you might also try this test since it's easy to do but I think you have a different issue.
Thanks Charchee. Im convinced at this point its the fuel pump because idle is worse on an incline. Anyhow, how might 1 get this pressure gauge you're speaking of?
I got mine at advance auto parts. I thought I was going to have to buy a banjo adapter for the Toyota fuel rail but, to my surprise, it came with one. The one I got was not the cheapest one. It was about $50. I think the cheapest one will not have the connector you need. By the way, if you break loose any of those banjo bolts on the rail, you need to install new copper crush washers. You can find them at the dealer for little of nothing. If you are just testing, you could use the old washers because you are going to be right there watching if a fuel leak occurs but when you are done with the test, please replace them for your own sake.
Thank you sir. I will get one right away. I saw a video where this kid drilled out a longer bolt for a longer banjo setup and made his own gauge and hooked it up where the cold start injector is. The same place I look for fuel coming out when I run the pump. Is this the same spot where I'll hook up this gauge or is there another good spot on the fuel rail? One more thing I should mention, my buddy Wyoming asked me about my fuel level being low... I only have 1/8 of a tank since this new tank has no drain plug, I didn't wanna fill it in case I have to drop the tank again. What do you think? And I'll fill it halfway today and post an update. But again thx so much for the info.
One more thIng I forgot to mention. When I first replaced the fuel filter because I thought it was a plugged filter.... when I went to test out the pump with the diagnostic port, no fuel came out and the filter was leaking bad causing no fuel to come out at the cold start injector spot of course. So I tightened the bolts as tight as I could get them without bending the fuel filter bracket. It solved the problem and there were no more leaks. However, I did NOT use the new crusheashers that came with the new filter and since then, I have NOT checked for leaks again. So I will be installing the new washers and triple checking for leaks and of course, I'll be updating this and keeping you guys posted. Good luck with yours yotatay. Make sure to update us with your results as well.
Last edited by kazuya2416; 03-25-2017 at 03:16 AM.
Well I put 5 gallons in it and have been driving a little bit here and there. Like I said it has about 1/8 of a tank. I'm gonna fill it up with another 5 and then start the process of elimination. If it's low fuel causing all this, I'm gonna throw in the towel and start taking it to a mechanic lol.
Thank you sir. I will get one right away. I saw a video where this kid drilled out a longer bolt for a longer banjo setup and made his own gauge and hooked it up where the cold start injector is. The same place I look for fuel coming out when I run the pump. Is this the same spot where I'll hook up this gauge or is there another good spot on the fuel rail? One more thing I should mention, my buddy Wyoming asked me about my fuel level being low... I only have 1/8 of a tank since this new tank has no drain plug, I didn't wanna fill it in case I have to drop the tank again. What do you think? And I'll fill it halfway today and post an update. But again thx so much for the info.
Wyoming is a mentor to me as well. I always go with whatever he says when it comes to testing.
I plumb my gauge into the front driver's side of the driver's side fuel rail. My engine is a 3VZE. Plumbing directly into a fuel rail is the most accurate way to measure but other's can work if you don't have the means to do so. You don't want to be downstream of the pressure regulator. A reading on the return side of the circuit past that point is of no use to you. You can measure fuel flow downstream but not pressure and won't rule out the regulator as a potential problem.
I have an update everybody. And i feel so stupid. I guess my tank setup doesn't like having 1/8 of a tank. I filled her to half a tank and she runs great. I drove up and down hills, took her off road a bit and played in the mud with my little guy with me. Never stalled, never hesitated and started her up about 5 times while out playing. I thank everyone for the help and yota tay, good luck my friend.
So my tank was fine but the reason i bought a new one is because everything on top, the fuel bracket and the sending unit both were SO RUSTED, i got the sending unit out once to test it with a multi meter and it worked but i broke 3 of the screws getting it out, had to use one of those easy out bits, but ended up having to drill them out. I managed to salvage 2 or 3 of the screws and the female threads on the tank itself were ok for those 2 or 3. So to get a good seal, i used plumbers goop. So that wasn't gonna be coming of again lol. The pump assembly and bracket were a completely different story, maybe i'll post some pics. The screws were dust. There was no saving them and if i drilled them out, i would have to get a tap and re-do the holes and... omg i dont think it was worth it. So i bought everything new. And since i got a new tank and fuel pump thing, i bought a new sending unit as well. I undercoated the new tank and it ALL fit perfectly. There are no leaks anywhere and I suggest if you have a 93 or 94 pickup and need a new tank or ANY of these parts, they all work. Just make sure you put enough gas in *wink wink* Thank you wyoming and thank you charchee
Last edited by kazuya2416; 03-28-2017 at 01:28 PM.
Oh so i still have the issue of pressure in my tank so ive been driving with my gas cap cracked open not tight. I know a lot of pressure isn't good and i was pretty close to jsut drilling a hole in the top of the tank and putting a small vacuum line hose in there and securing the hose to maybe the cab or frame somewhere to relieve the pressure. I decided not to go that route and have been looking into the evap stuff and charcoal canister. So I will continue reading and see what i can come up with but any ideas would help. One more thing, i looked under the truck at the gas lines and it looks like one of the steel metal lines is disconnected. I'll take a pic. And the gas pump bracket i bought only has 2 lines and
some places that I looked showed that for the 94, it has 3 lines. So it seems something is disconnected somewhere and maybe that could be part of the problem. So the blue arrow is hooked up to the return line of the fuel pump bracket and the red arrow is still disconnected. I dont even know what thats for, maybe that's the vent line and i bought the wrong fuel pump bracket and mine SHOULD have the 3 steel lines on top, one return, one main fuel line for the pump and one vent. i dont know... I couldn't find a definite answer for which bracket i needed, two lines or 3.
Last edited by kazuya2416; 03-28-2017 at 01:43 PM.
Yup, I'm gonna have to take the bed off again, then drill a hole in the pump bracket and stick a hose in there and connect it to that open steel line. Orrrrrrrr... maybe I can just drill a tiny hole in the damn cap. Could I get away with that?
Originally Posted by wyoming9
Now that is interesting The EFI engines should have 3 lines pressure return and vent.
Now that you only have pressure and return you have no vent to the tank no wonder it builds pressure .
Back in the olden days it would just vent via the gas cap now they are sealed
I know how I would fix this and will say your sort of looking the correct direction.
03-24-2017, 04:18 PM
