Hey guys,
i just drove my 99 runner V6 3.4 for about 50 miles on the
Hwy...... as we pulled off the interstate, truck died.
....... in front of a gas station.
1/2 the battle won!!
my truck has about 180,000 miles on it.
truck turns over but will not run.
gonna check for fuel first.
and yes ..... we filled it up
any words of wisdom?
thanks....... kenny s

 

Well what did it do when it died?

Any noises? Sputtering?

Could be lack of spark, clogged fuel filter, failed sensors, mechanical failure.

Not too familiar with those engines however they all die over the same basic principles.

NO air No fire No fuel no run.

Could be a simple thing as a fuse or something worse. Need more info to figure it out.

 

If you ran it out of fuel you could have clogged the pump and filter. Or there could have been a massive amount of water in the tank. First things first get some seafoam. Dump it in the tank and if your tank is full you need to shake the truck to get it to mix. Change out the fuel filter. That is the easiest and cheapest step first. Try getting it to fire and see what happens. Fuel filters over time get clogged with dirt and water. Also on most fuel pumps they have a strainer. If that is clogged you will not get enough fuel to do squat. So that would be the next thing to look at fuel system wise. Also if you ran it out of gas you could have clogged the pump. You may need to replace that. However try the filter first. Sometimes you get lucky. I just replaced a bunch of stuff on my buddies car because he ran it out of fuel. However after alot of new stuff and a new fuel pump that old buick runs like new.

 

no... it was not out of fuel.
checked fuses.... fine
sprayed starter fluid down the hatch .
Started up.... for a second or two.
Gotta be the fuel pump.
anyone know how much of a bitch it is to
do this? I'm a mechanic and have tools.
thanks!
kenny s

 

Shouldn't be too bad to drop it out. Just need basic tools. Probably take two hours at the most.

 

ok..... even stranger..... we let it sit for an hour and a half..... it just
started and is running!!
Talk about making things more complicated!!
kenny s

 

I am thinking vapor lock. When the engine gets to hot the fuel turns to a vapor and will not ignite. You may need to tune the old yota up a bit too. Could be a bad sensor or a weak coil.

I had an 1976 ford that did that. Drive to town shut the beast off had to stay where I was at til it cooled off to fire it up.

 

Still running?

 

we stayed in a hotel.
Gonna try for phoenix today.
we'll see...... problem 2..... we ran through
a bad fog if bugs that clogged my condenser coil.
gotta blow that out before i kill the ac unit!
kenny s

 

well.... 250 miles later and one hiccup while decelerating
on the hwy and i made it home.
The truck sputtering and stalling seems to
happen when slowing down. i slowed on the hwy and it
sputtered and almost stalled. after that smooth sailing
but leaving me with more questions than
answers. I even gave the mass airflow sensor
a tap or two while running when i got home.
no stumbling.
No check engine light ever.
Great.... now i haveca truck i dont trust!
kenny S

 

Check all the vacuum hoses and intake hose for a crack or split ends causing a vacuum leak when the vacuum changes on decel. A small vacuum leak can really mess with the computer and timing.

 

So now it sputters from time to time while deccelerating with no cel. Check your vacuum lines. Check for loose wires. Might be a bad fuel pressure regulator. I would say clogged cats however that is normally under acceleration. I would get a can of seafoam and pour it in the tank and clean your fuel system. Go from there. Check your throttle position sensor. That could be an issue especially when starting and driving. It could be shorting out and causing you to not get enough fuel or too much fuel. O2 sensor could be going bad. Watch your temp to it could be overheating slightly and causing this issue. Just tear into it. Clean your throttle body and do some maintenance.

 

check your MAF Its what tells your COR to run the fuel pump.

 

The first incident was while slowing to a stop sign..... Died and would not start.
I sprayed starter fluid in the TB and it started and stumbled.... Never ran
Hour later.... Started right up....ran like a top.
Then on the way home i slowed in traffic below 1500 rpm's and it stumbled but i got on the gas and recovered...... Otherwise, its running fine.
Never a hiccup while driving on the hwy
Did a good job killing gas on the trip but had 2 guys, gear and AC going ......thats usually a
MPG death sentence for a 99 runner.
I'll check for the obvious bad vac hose and give the MAS more attention.
Kenny s