1988 toyota pickup SR5 2" lift.

3VZE 3.0 V6 engine
Automatic trans.

One morning the truck just wont start.
I can turn the key and the engine turns over from the starter like a champ.
Lights, Radio, Fans all work.

Just randomly wont start.
Worked and ran fine the night before.

The only thing I noticed different when i went to turn it on is the check engine light that usually illuminates with the key in the on position, does not come on. All other lights do.

Ive done the tests on the MAF but didnt like the readings so im doing it again later today. Same thing with the ECU.
The ignighter in the truck was replaced about 1 year ago.
TPS was replaced 6 months ago.

Goin to run more tests (double check for spark, try some starter fluid in the intake, etc.) to try to pinpoint the problem.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. First time this has happend to me. Could it be the ECU?

 

Battery checks out 12 Volts on the dot

 

checked all fuses, ALL are fine.
none wer burnt out.

Main relay, according to my continuity tester, is not shorted out.

 

check the cable from the gas tank. there is a connector under the passenger seat. could have gotton unplugged

 

Do you have gas?

 

On the dot eh? This may come as a suprise to you, but that's not a good sign. A fully charged battery in good condition should be quite a bit higher than that. More like 12.8V or better.

Clean the battery terminals and cable connectors thoroughly. That could be why it's having a hard time starting and why the charge is so low. 12.0V = 25% charged to give you a better idea what you're dealing with.

11.7V or less = 0%
12.0V = 25%
12.2V = 50%
12.4V = 75%
12.6V-12.9V or more = 100%.

 

If it's turning over, spray some starter fluid on the air filter and then try. If it starts and runs briefly, you have a fuel problem. If not, you have an ignition problem.

 

Oh really? I got news for ya. It's not very likely going to start at all with a 75% dead battery! Fuel or no fuel.

That's DEFINITELY the problem. Ignition? Um...yeah, that all starts at the battery you know?

 

if it's cranking over fine i hardly think it's the battery...........

 

Think again.

12.0V = NO GOOD

That's basis for battery or alternator replacement. Plain and simple!

 

ROFL if it has enough power to over come 120-200PSI of compression on a V6 Motor then it has enough to deliver the spark.

would be different if it was having trouble turnin the motor over...

spray some starting fluid into the throttle body and see if it does anything then?

 

I had the exact same problem, I would say replace the battery. I had a hole in mine once when i didnt put the bracket back on. Filled it up with water and patched the hole. It still wouldnt start, it would crank over all day but not start. For some reason i got the idea to put some jumper cables on it and it started right up, drove over to Oreilly's and bought a new battery. No problems since!!

 

i had a fully dead cell in mine (slid into the PS pulley..wore a hole in it......no bracket here lol) and it still started my truck lmao

 

yeah thats what mine did. I just cleaned it up and put some epoxy on it,filled it up with water but still had no luck. I would imagine that if it can crank it should start, but i wouldnt.

 

i patched mine with plastic from a old fuse box lid....melted it onto the battery..

Don't judge me, it's ALL i had and i HAD to get to work

 

^^^^ Well you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

Yep, been there done that. Truck still started too(most of the time).

HOWEVER it did not have 12.0V when it did. As a matter of FACT it wouldn't start sometimes with ~12.25V even. Did it still crank over? YES, just like it always does. Would it start with that low amount of voltage, even though it cranked over just fine? NO. Did I run it for 6-8 months like that anyways before I bought a new one? YES. Did it cause me to have to push start it or get a jump more times than I could possibly count during that time? YES.

http://www.type2.com/library/electrip/batfaq.htm

 

I'm pretty sure the main clue is the CEL not illuminating when you turn the key on.
See if you can borrow a VAFM for a substitute check.
I fought the exact same problem on my 95 3VZE Runner.
I took the sealed cover off of the VAFM and was cleaning the circuit glass with a Q tip and alcohol and saw the broken circuit wire.
That whole sealed business in there is extremely fragile and prone to break with rough handling. (don't ask how I know).
Some solder, and a low wattage iron and I was fixed.
The runner ran.
As far as the battery is concerned, I left my lights on for about 5 hours once, and it barely cranked, but it did fire and run.
The battery would be low on the list of causes.
ECU would be low on the list also. They are pretty sturdy.

Art