I wrecked my mustang a few weeks ago so, I needed a car. My brother being the great guy he is loans me his 88 4runner. Mustangs I know like the back of my hand but 3.0 liter OHC toyotas seem to confuse me.

Truck runs like a champ normally, but when it rains hard (like today) it dosen't want to start, or just plain won't. Its getting fuel cause you can smell it out of the tail pipe. It seems to be getting spark. Is this a common prob? Is there a problem with the MAF sensor? Any suggestions would really help. It's not supposed to stop raining for days.....

 

Check the distributor cap. It could have a leak in it. If that's the case, get some silicone sealent and seal it up.

 

I had this problem before or similar. When it would rain my truck would start to act like it was miss firing, i checked the cap it was dry, etc. it was all good. Some how i ended up at the ECU i was damp, i opened it up and it was wet some of the circits were being brigged by the water i dryed it up sealed the best i could with silicon and wraped it in a walmart bag and havent had trouble with it since. Oh this would also prevent it from starting sometimes. Hope im able to help u out. Laterz

 

Thats a great idea, it would have taken me for ever to think to look there. I don't want to sound stoopid, but where is the ECU mounted? Under the passenger side of the dash? or kickpanel?

 

Passenger side kick panel. May also want to check the grounds as well... when they don't make contact it can do a number on you!

 

I have seen water travel down wires into boots at the spark plugs grounding the electricity to the engine before it ever has a chance to jump the spark plug gap. Might check there also.

 

Mine does the same thing. Also when doing any kind of water crossings offroad, it dies out sometimes, or just stutters really bad.


How would I go about checking the grounds?

 

That things junk!! An 88, c'mon. You need to ditch that thing and buy a newer one.

But since you are a YotaTech member, I'll take it off your hands for only $200.00

Seriously though: It does sound like a ground problem.

Doug M.

 

thanks again for the suggestions, I ran a bead of silicone around the case of the ECU, and a bead around the dis. cap. Also put some Di-grease one the plug wires.

hard to bielive.... IT HASN'T RAINED SINCE!

oh well, no news is good news I guess.

 

Dont forget to cover the holes ontop of the ECU.