yeah and I think a lot of the early no start issues were human error on my part due to the battery being drained. I’ve now charged the battery to a confirmed 12.6 volts since the last tests. I’m gonna buy a fuel pressure tester (the one scope suggested) because that’s not expensive and I’d like to be able to diagnose these kind of issues in the field if necessary.

By the way I realized the first part was directed at 87 4runner. I’m not saying he is wrong about the regulator but im glad Scope stepped in to remind me that there is a right way to diagnose a problem and buying parts on a whim isn’t it

so, back to the issues at hand I can pretty much say the truck probably never had a NO start problem but it does have a hard to start problem, the no start was due to low voltage on the battery I’m pretty sure of that. About timing I never set timing because I was under the impression the TPS has to be functioning to set the timing properly. So if I understand you correctly I’ll jump the diagnostic port and set timing with the TPS unplugged and see if that helps her start better.

Well this is stupid as heck! I can’t buy a darn fuel pressure tester from amazon because they won’t ship it to CA. I tried the OTC brand one as well and it also “cannot be shipped to your selected location” I tried one of their pickup lockers and same thing. Must be some Law against selling this equipment in CA via mail? Who knows! The local three stooges (pep boys) has one but for 20$ more.

so that would be pins VTA to E2 on the harness connector right? That’s the two pins for the 0.00 test (throttle body closed)

It’s a 1986 4runner 22re with 5speed W56 transmission.

As far as clarification... lol (only laughing out of embarrassment). Clarification is this: I rebuilt this thing and when it didn’t start up right away I lost my marbles and my objectivity. The battery was low so that’s probably why it didn’t start at all at first it wasn’t totally dead the engine was cranking but obviously not with enough juice to get it to go. I charged the battery and then started getting a hard to start condition instead of a no start. If the engine warms up it starts every time while warm but cold it’s still not starting well.

The pump primes with the key at “start” I just wasn’t hearing it from inside the cab. When I was doing another test on the Circuit opening relay I forgot to push clutch cancel one time and then I heard the pump priming. To answer the direct question though yes the pump comes on every time I jump Fp and B+. I haven’t verified fuel pressure at the rail because I need to purchase a tester, however, I did check the cold start injector via the procedure in the FSM jumping it off the battery with Fp and B+ jumpered and it was spraying strong.

Because the issue seemed to be a cold start problem I checked the cold start time switch (cleaned it wih a dremel wire wheel before reinstalling it during rebuild) I grounded to the side of the sensor and also checked resistance between both pins as suggested and the reading to ground was okay but the resistance between the pins was 13 ohm over spec for the air temp I was testing in. Spec called for 20-40 bellow 68 defrees F and I got 53 ohm at 61 degrees ambient temp.

I checked the Circuit Opening Relay Fp had proper voltage when the engine was running but 11.79v during cranking because my battery was low again durring the test. Still all the pins tested with resistance readings within spec.

i then checked the resistance on the VAFM pins and they were all well within spec.

The testing of voltage when the VAFM door was manipulated is when it got a little foggy for me but that’s my lack of skill with electrical. I know when the VAFM door is manipulated the fuel pump kicks on and I hear the Circuit Opening Relay clicking.

My TPS is bad it wasn’t giving clean readings and didn’t reach infinite resistance at .85mm feeler gauge test. Also inspecting the mechanism it doesn’t return all the way on its own. I cleaned my throttle body with it on so that’s what I get.

Now we are at the point that ignition timing could just be way off (crank/cam timing is okay) and that’s why it’s having a hard time starting or there is a fuel pressure issue which still needs to be verified. I did confirm that the fuel filter (brand new OEM) is installed in the correct direction and as I said the cold start injector fires when jumped from the battery I’m just not sure if the cold start time switch is crapped out enough to be an issue.

So about the timing, you might be asking why I haven’t set it yet l... well I didn’t know there was a work around to trick the ECU into thinking my TPS was good and I thought it had to be working to get proper ignition timing. So tomorrow when I have some time I’ll set the timing and then next is to get my hands on a pressure gauge to test fuel pressure. Of course If timing corrects the hard start issue then I’ll move on to replacing the TPS but I think I will also install a fuel pressure gauge at the CSI as you suggest so I can keep an eye on things moving forward.

For the cold start time switch the FSM calls for two tests STA to STJ resistance test 20-40 ohm at 68 degrees or less and my reading was 53 ohm and like I said the temp was 61 when I did the test.

The second test STA to Ground was within spec and I did ground it to the side of the sensor as shown in the FSM. I can’t find the notes I skribbled but I think it was around 38 ohm and spec is 20-80 ohm regardless of temp.

Well, gentlemen... I just wanted to say THANK YOU! I’ve got her running I replaced the TPS got it calibrated properly and wasn’t able to get the diagnostic port jumped and set proper ignition timing. Timing was regarded about 5-6degrees once I set it to 5 degrees BTDC and pulled the jumper it was sitting at 12 degrees and into fires right up now. Waiting an hour or so and checked it and it started again without a problem. Took it for a spin and it drives like a new truck ... the engine is strong and since I replaced the clutch, throwout bearing, pilot bearing, and the hydraulics as well it shifts like new as well. Before, the slave cylinder was on the fritz and the pilot bearing was siezed so it was a Botch getting it to shift to certain gears ... probably the marlin crawler shift seat bushing I put in helped too. So stoked she’s running like she should!

Cheers to all of you who put up with my hysterics

EDIT: oh and the only diagnostic code Light I get is one pulse for all good.

Well this morning when it was time for a real cold start I had the same damn problem hard starting but now that the timing is set I noticed a symptom that may explain why I’m having a hard start condition. I’m getting an intermittent miss that’s particularly noticeable around the 2500-3k rpm range. I pulled the plugs (using OEM Denso gapped at .032 and all of them loooked good but the plug from cylinder 2 smelled like gas. Coincidentally this is the cylinder with the injector that got dropped by accident after I cleaned them and confirmed they held pressure (doh). I made a pressure fitting out of a tire valve stem and epoxied the tube from a can of carb clean to the valve stem cap then connected it around the injectors and shot carb clean into the injector then hit them with 12v and watched them all hold pressure and spray a clean even spread but when I was installing the fuel rail one dropped, I didn’t notice damage but there could be damage. I’m speculating but I’m willing to bet it’s not holding pressure and that’s causing my misfire and the hard start condition. I’ve got a fuel pressure tester on order to confirm whether it’s a fuel pressure issue or not. I put a stethoscope on all the injectors and to listen for any intermittent firing but they are all firing diligently and without miss so it’s not looking like an electrical issue ... damn those things are loud! Like little jack hammers!

CO_94_PU you said it “could be a leaky injector” I didn’t think of the “it’s not holding pressure” angle I thought you meant at the rail but if this injector is leaking it would pretty much explain both issues I’m seeing right now right? Misfire and Hard starting?

So I verified fuel pressure loss at the fuel rail tapped in with the Aisin fitting where the regulator screws on so it’s probably not the regulator since I was losing pressure without it. Pressure was considerably higher than spec but as far as my research tells me that’s normal without the regulator. Pressure was slowly dropping a psi at a time. I’m pretty sure that injector on cylinder 2 must have gotten damage to the needle and is leaking and causing a miss as well as hard starting. I pulled some OEM Nippon Denso injectors off an 85 Camry over the weekend that were in great shape and they all ohm’ed at 2.5ohm. I test fired them with carb clean and my homemade pressure fitting and confirmed they squirt well and don’t leak. Then I removed the old micro screens and flushed each injector with carb clean and ordered a rebuild kit with new micro screens, pintle caps, rail spacers, intake grommets, and I opted to order an OEM set of o’rings. and just finished rebuilt them and they go in this weekend.

The same car I got the injectors from had a good Cold Start Time Switch sensor that I also pulled. All tests of this sensor were on the low end of the spec where my CSTS was out of spec or reading high end resistance.

Since it was labor day weekend Pick n pullwas running a 50% off sale all weekend and I ended up spending 22$ on the sensor and the 4 injectors. Not a bad haul.

While I’ve been messing with this problem I also took the liberty of deleting the VSV for the Fuel Pressure Regulator and have just gone straight vacuum from the upper intake to the fuel regulator. It seems to run a little better like that so I may have had issues with the VSV as well. Speaking of vacuum I bought all new vacuum hose and I’m replacing all vacuum hoses this weekend while the chamber is off.