normal condition means the ECU is not detecting anything abnormal and everything should be working fine....

now to figure out why you can reset the ECU and get it to start, but it dies after a few seconds and won't restart...
I'm leaning towards either the air flow meter or circuit opening relay myself...
but I can't be sure if you haven't done the fuel pump bypass jumper thing 874runnersr5 mentioned way up in the thread: manually activating the fuel pump so it is running continuously.
the connector circled in red in the pic I posted earlier is what you would have to jumper.

 

on the the 86 4runners they have i believe 3 main fuses but out of the 2 they are both efi fuses theres one in the drivers interior fuse box for efi and 1 main fuse in the engine compartment for the efi have you check both and get a can of starting fluid see if she will run it could it could possibly half of the computer not working for some reason not turning on your fuel

 

Well, I'm gonna go out and try to jump the fuel pump bypass. I'll be back in in a few and post results. God I hope this works. Haha.

 

Ok, did that fuel pump bypass trick, and it fired right up and it stayed running a little longer than it had been doing. But it was only running for maybe 3 or 4 seconds and then it died. But, as soon as it cut off, I tried starting it again, and it fired up for like a second or two, and then died again. And then I tried to start it again, and it just sat there cranking and cranking and nothing happened. That did help a little bit, but what does this mean? You guys have been freakin life savers! Thanks again!

 

gonna sound wierd now, but check your trouble codes like you did before.

 

Oh, and something I thought was weird...when i went out to do the fuel pump bypass trick, that plug wasn't connected to anything. There is just one end of that connector, just hanging there. I don't know if that is supposed to be like that, but I thought I'd unclude that bit of info.

 

Ok, did that fuel pump bypass thing again, and immediately tried pulling a code, and it had the same code come up.

Code 1: Normal Condition

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

 

To The Top

 

Pull one of the spark plugs to make sure you're getting spark.


Also when you're jumping the fuel pump do you hear it running? You should hear a buzzing noise continuously from the fuel tank area.

If you're getting spark and fuel it's something to do with the AFM.

 

I'm getting spark, I do know that. About the fuel pump....should I be able to hear it running even though it's under the seat like that? I can't hear it from inside. I have taken the seat out and pulled out the access panel, and I can hear it running then, but it's pretty quiet. But then again, all I drive is GM products, and the fuel pump screams on those things. and I know I'm getting fuel all the way up to at least the fuel filter, cause when I changed the filter, I tested it then. You said it probably has something to do with the AFM...what could I check? It wouldn't be the TSP would it? Air flow meter? How would I check?

 

the air flow meter has a set of contacts that energize the fuel pump through the circuit opening relay (COR) once the engine has started and is sucking air through the filter... before that happens the ignition key turns the fuel pump on through the COR.
but considering you've jumpered the fuel pump on earlier and the engine still died, the afm operation isn't a consideration- it would have to start and keep running with the fuel pump jumpered on for the AFM to be the culprit.

so you said you jumpered the fuel pump on and it started then died, then started again and died, then wouldn't start.
I'm at a total loss here.

 

... unless the fuel pressure regulator is a problem...
... letting the fuel system build up enough pressure to run momentarily, but bleeding off too much pressure to keep it running.\
but I digress a bit... it's just a brain squirt.

do you know where the FPR is on your truck? if you do, try disconnecting and plugging the vacuum hose that leads to it and starting the engine.

 

Right off the top off my head I don't know where the FPR is...but I'll be doing some searching on the internet now and trying to find a picture or something. So, there's a vacuum hose that connects to the FPR that I need to disconnect and somehow plug off, and then try to start the truck? And if plugging off that vacuum line works, then the FPR is bad? Man, I can't thank ya'll enough for the help you've given me so far! I had tried everything I knew to try before I got on this site, and eventhough I still haven't found the problem...I've def. learned a lot in these few short days. Thanks again everyone and hopefully we'll figure this thing out.

 

Ok, I tried that idea about blocking off the vacuum line that runs to the FPR, and have the same results...it runs for a second and then dies. I don't know if this was safe or smart, but I took that same vacuum hose, and bypassed the ?VSV? switch swith that it normally runs to, and hooked it directly to the 3 was connector on the manifold. It didn't do anything, so I know it wasn't dangerous. Haha. Since I couldn't hear the fuel pump when I jumped it a few days ago, I lifted the seat and took off the access panel, and then I could hear it pumping while I was jumping it and trying to start it. I've been reading anything and everything about this crap...and was wondering if it could possibly be the air temperature sensor in the airflow meter, or if it could be the whole airflow meter? How safe would it be to disconnect the fuel line that runs to the fuel rail to see if I'm getting fuel to the injectors? I'm just throwing anything out there to try.

 

I'm wondering if your injectors are firing properly and you're starting on the cold start injector.... maybe try unplugging the cold start injector and see what the engine does. If it won't start then it's probably something with the injectors- either they're bad or there's a wiring issue.

 

Well, when the shop had it, they unplugged it, they also replaced the EFI fuse, and the truck started and ran for about a week. I've tried starting it with the cold start injector unplugged and it still doesn't start. How do I check to see if the injectors are actually working properly? One more thing, when my older bro. had it, before selling it to my younger bro., he ran some injector cleaner thru it, and ever since then, the truck idled worse than normal. It's been several months since he did this, but I didn't know if this could play into effect? I'm pretty sure the injectors aren't leaking fuel when trying to start...I don't smell any or see any leaking. So, how would I go about checking the injectors for proper operation?

 

It's been a while since I lasted worked on the 4Runner...but today on my way home from work, I stopped and picked up a can of starting fluid. I got my little brother to get inside and start the truck...and I sprayed starting fluid in the throttle body and it kept running while I was spraying starter fluid in it. But, as soon as I quit spraying the starter fluid in the throttle body...it would die out. I know for sure that I'm getting fuel up to the FPR...but I don't know if there's any fuel after it. How do I check to see if it's the FPR or the injectors that's causing the truck to not run? It's gotta be one of the two...I'm just not sure how to check to see which one it is. Any help????

 

First thing, don't run your truck off the starting fluid. It's very bad for the engine.

It sounds like you're not getting fuel at all. When you jumped the fuel pump does it run all the time even when the engine isn't running? ie with the key on?

 

Yeah, I had to take that access panel off to hear it running, but it is running when I jump the pump. Also, when my older brother had the truck...we disconnected the fuel line running to the fuel filter, and cranked the engine, and fuel came out of the line, so that's why I know I'm at least getting fuel that far up the line. I just didn't know how to determine if the FPR is clogged or something or if it's the actual injectors. Any ideas?

 

Anybody, got any ideas? I'm trying to get this thing narrowed down to either the FRP or the injectors. Anybody?