As always thanks for any help anybody takes the time to offer. ALMOST have gotten through my full rebuild with this forum and a couple of youtube videos.

So i have a no start condition and I know i have good spark for sure and I narrowed down this past weekend that I have fuel issue. My symptoms and situations are:

-Motor turns over fine
-will start to fire up but won't when i spray starting fluid (cause of herpes according to @scope103 haha) in it
-Have jumped the fuel pump which works just fine, sprays at a good rate. I drained the old tank of gas with it before putting 4 gallons of fuel in
-When I've jumped the fuel pump, the gas that gets to the rails gives it the same result as starter fluid= will start to fire up and quit
-I've found the white whale of fuel pressure test adapters that go to this vehicle and got no pressure at all upon turning it over approx. 6 times

So that being said I don't believe I have a bad fuel filter cause the manual jump works just fine so it shouldn't be clogged. Is it possible that despite the manual jump working that I have a bad fuel pump?

I'm also not aware of what the fuel damper does- could that be an issue? Could it be the fuel pressure regulator?...help lol

 

You can test the fuel pressure regulator by clamping the return hose coming off of it. I had a issue with my dads 94 pickup. Previous owner mounted the fuel pump to the pump braket with bailing wire..... it worked loose and the hose popped off of the pump in the tank. You could hear the pump running but no fuel.

 

Thanks Rex I did try the hose trick and got nothing. I'm more wondering now if anyone's had a bad fuel pump that could also be manually jumped cause I'm bout siked up to dropping the tank and just replace it

 

You've got a lot of stuff going on here. Let me see if I can tease it out.

The fuel pump runs with the key to STArt, then once the engine starts sucking air a switch in the VAF keeps the COR closed to keep the fuel pump running. "Starts and runs for a few seconds" is the classic sign of a VAF-COR problem. The easiest problem on a 4runner to diagnose. Jumper FP to B+ on the diagnostic connector (forces the pump to run with key-on). If it now starts, the problem is in VAF-COR.

But you have "no" fuel pressure? When? Use the jumper (turn the key to on), and test then. Still no pressure? Key to off, replace fuel return line from FPR with a 6mm (1/4") vinyl to a suitable container. Key to on. If you get fuel flow but "no" pressure, the FPR is dead.

Not likely to be the Fuel Pressure Damper (unless it's leaking - a lot).

 

If no matter what you can't get fuel pressure then the pump is most likely bad. Is this on a pickup or a 4runner?

 

I didn't realize there was such a distinction with the key position so let me clear that up.

-with the key in the on position, the fuel pump works fine by jumping FP to B+
-I know i get pressure to rails when i do this because when i went to replace the banjo bolt with the pressure test adapter it sprays at a good rate telling me there's a good build up in the rails
- when i let all the pressure out that was built up by the' key on FP to B+ jump' and try a regular start it turns over and nothing happens other than the engine burning the residual gas in the rails

I see you think it could be the VAFM-COR issue...I also don't have the MAF on yet because I didnt think it was necessary right now. Am I dead wrong on that?

BTW @superex87 its a 4Runner

 

Yes the VAFM need to be hooked up for the engine to run. This is what you need to do.
Jump Fp to B+, with everything hooked up start the engine. Does it run?
If it runs you have a core relay thats probably bad.
With the fuel pressure gauge hooked up and the fuel pump running what pressure are you seeing?

 

So two variations of this experiment( the first was done cause I hadn't read the latest post)

I did the Fp to B+ jump without the VAFM and actually tried to start it- not just run the fuel pump this time. Each time i turned the key, the engine sputters but doesn't fire up and run

The second time, I did the same thing with Fp to B+ jump with the VAFM hooked up and plugged in and this time when i tried to start it, it does nothing but crank. No sputter or semblance of a fire up

Both tests I got 39 PSI at the rails

 

Still needing suggestions if anyone's got em?

 

You're barking up the wrong tree sir, if it doesn't run on ether it's not a fuel problem.

What's your ignition timing set to? How certain are you of your valve timing?

 

I'm not familiar with ignition timing. Is it the same thing as my timing belt timing? If so I know that's spot on verified by three pair of eyes in addition my own.

And as far as the valve timing, I'm not sure on that since I had it remaned at a shop.

 

But either way I don't have fuel when I turn the key with the fuel pump jump so I do believe there's a problem there in addition to it not running at all.

Any ideas as to what could be the issue with plugging up the VAFM and get nothing at all when I turn the key?

 

I think your fuel system is fine. I'm betting you have a failed ignitor or pickup in the distributor. I have had a bad ignitor fire for a split second then nothing. What happens is the ecu is looking for data from the ignitor. It does not look for data when cranking only when running. No data means no spark or fuel injection event. Get another oem ignitor for a 3vz and try it. Test the pickup sensor in the distributor. Test injectors for firing.

 

Uh, an oem igniter will set you back $500 https://parts.lakelandtoyota.com/p/T...962035310.html (online, more if you go to your local brick-and-mortar dealer). And no, you can't return electrical parts. I'd like to be pretty sure the part is the cause before I laid out that kind of money.

If, when you used starting fluid, you had the induction plumbing (the hose to the VAF) disconnected, it shouldn't have run. Try it again with the plumbing hooked up (you can spray into the where the valve cover hose connects to the intake pipe. Use only a little.) If it doesn't fire at all, I'd examine the ignition. Hook up your timing light ($30) to any plug then crank. If the light flashes, you have spark. Put the pickup on #1, and aim it at the harmonic balancer. It's hard to set timing if the truck isn't running, but you should be able to see the timing mark near the right spot.

If it sputters with starting fluid, remove the plugs, crank it to "dry out" the cylinders, plugs back in, crank, then remove the plugs as fast as you can. Are they wet with fuel?

 

Well Im about 90% my spark is good. One, I've replaced my ignitor with a (rock auto one) and have a used ebay ignitor coil combo from when I was troubleshooting that. I also have a new coil and wires as well. The only thing in the line I haven't replaced is the distributor and I haven't replace it because before the blown crank (reason why I did the rebuild) the vehicle ran.
I've grounded the plug to block and seen white/blue consistent spark. I won't be able to get timing light until this evening like your recommending.

I'm really puzzled now why I'm getting such a bad backfire. Somethings not adding up

When I don't have the VAFM plugged in and have the fuel pump jumped its sounds like its struggling to start and after about 5 cranks of sputtering it backfires. And I can see my timing is on

(when I plug the VAFM in no fuel pressure)

So I'm entirely confused as to why my fuel pump won't run and when I manually do it it back fires like something else is wrong.

 

So I had a new development after I got somebody else to help see and listen to the truck.

When I the VAFM is unplugged the truck has spark verified with a gun. With it plugged in there's no spark.

My fuel pressure and system was fine. That mystery was solve by having my friend push in the VAFM trap door and hearing the pump running while the key was on.

Any ideas as to why my VAFM is shutting down my spark?

 

No point in wondering and guessing, run the tests from your FSM with the multimeter and it will presumably tell you what is wrong with it..

Yeah I have a few ideas and most of them are going to be expensive.

 

I'm really just guessing, but my guess is that something is shorting out and lowering the rail voltage to the ECM.

And that would be how you would find it.

 

Or out of the ECM. It's connected to the 5v reference line (VC) and B+ iirc.