K so I bought a 1988 Toyota V6 4WD pickup that has got 33's and a six inch lift on it (i believe). bought it pretty blind as to the history of it.. (oops) but i wanted a truck with four wheel drive and this fit my budget. anways i do know that at one point in its history that rig sat for 4 years or so.. (hence the low 155k miles). so i went to checker auto parts to buy a fuse for the blinkers thaty had quit on me.. fixed em up and got my battery tested just for kicks.. then turned the key to leave.. (batt tested perfect btw) and the engine cranked and cranked (very strong) but refused to start.. bought some starter fluid and sprayed it into the throttle body via intake and it didnt start but tried harder and almost did. so i got a tow home and got busy droppin the tank figurin it was fuel (i know noob right?) PITA droppin the tank n all but my fuel filter strainer was broken and sendin raw fuel/rust/w.e. to the filter and so i replaced both.. (PITA!) and then filled the tank back up n turned the key.. no dice.. still crankin.. so i was wondering where i ought to go from here.. i did check all the fuses both visually and with a tester and all checked out ok.. what should i try next? PLZ help a NOOB thats already in love with the Yota regardless of the small issue of not starting

 

all the rust and whatever else it sucked up off the bottom of the tank could have killed your fuel pump. the fuel pump in my 3.0 went all at once like that so it could be the same deal

 

yea.. but i replaced it... along with the fuel filter(which i poured out some red "gas" on the inlet side(where the gas goes in via line) and still no start...

 

do you have power to the fuel pump? if so maybe clogged injectors?

 

im not sure if i got power to pump.. or if the injectors are clogged.. however if they were clogged could it have all of the sudden just decided not to start? i mean it wasn't running rough or anything prior to parking briefly.

 

i would think if it clogged injectors it would have shown some warning signs. and i know for a fact they will run on less than all 6 cylinders......makes me think its a power issue. might also try making sure that you have pressure at the fuel rail

 

could it be the timing belt? is that worth tearing off the whole front of the engine to get at it?

 

unless it broke when you shut the truck off i wouldnt think so. id be checkin fuel pressure, power to the fuel pump, power to the coil, etc. pretty much everything external before i tore into the motor. the 3.0 isn't exactly a joy to work on

 

just read you post again.....on second thought.....of it was strictly a fuel issue it should have started and ran on the starting fluid and since the truck has been sitting who knows what little gremlins may be hiding. trust me on that one my rig sat in a barn for 3 years before i got it you will have hidden issues

 

yea.. well the craziest thing just happened.. i didnt mention in previous posts and i dont know if its relevant but i replaced the ign. coil last night in my desperate bid to get the thing running.. SO ten minutes ago i decided to head out to my rig and turn the key for kicks.. to see what happens.. and IT STARTED!! hahaha i have no idea how this happened (last night after replacing ign coil and pump/filter it didnt want to start.. but now it does!! so loose connection? anything to do with the distributor? I am stumped and thrilled its running.. but i dont want it to happen again.. any ideas?

 

could be either of the above that you mentioned i'd think but yeah i would check it just to be sure so you dont end up stranded

 

Some one correct me if I am wrong but I believe that the older trucks work the same as the new ones where the ignition will not get power with fuel and vise versa,

In all reality the reason it may not have started last night is that you could have flooded it really good and this is why it wouldn't start then but would this morning...

Now see if it happens again!!