I have a 96 4Runner with almost 100K miles on it.
If I stop for a few minutes, say and run into the post office an need to start my engine again after only a few minutes I sometimes have a hard time getting the car started. It whirrs, then putters out. I have to stop and try this sometimes 4-5 times, occasionally waiting a few minutes between tries before it starts and stays running.

Is this a starter or alternator problem?

help!

 

probably starter, the contacts get worn down, if your handy with the tools you can fix this yourself, better directions online through a search

 

if it's starting and then stalling out it's not the starter on alternator. i look into the mass airflow meter or the idle air control motor.

 

x2. Start with mass airflow sensor.

Mine has done the same thing, cleaned the sensor and it helped. Actually its time to do it again...

 

Any writeups on how to do this?
Thanks!

 

From what you had described, it is not starter or alternator: I think the problem you have is related to IAC (idle air control) valve.
I would start by cleaning it.

 

anyway to clean it without tearing everything apart?? the way i clean mine is just take the plastic intake tube off the intake manifold and spray liberally on the butterfly valve wipe it fast and clean then spray into the "hole" below it and all in the intake manifold and put everything back on and crank it up and run it..

 

Doesn't sound like your's is quite as bad as my buddy's, but his ended up being the fuel pump...long detailed painful troubleshooting to finally come to that conclusion.

Some threads about it:

http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=99905

http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=102573 (<--most helpful, shows the resolution, etc)

Good Luck...

 

HI everyone,
Finally got around to cleaning the mass airflow sensor.
Still has the issue.

If I stop the car, run to the post office for 3 minutes, then try to start up again, the engine dies. If I try to start it a few more times, it works.

Hmnnn
Looks Like I may have same issue as:
http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=102573

Does anyone have a write up to change the fuel pump?
Is this hard to do?
Thanks!