Help! Broken Cruiser. Engine issues

colsoncj · 06-14-09, 12:53 PM

Alright, so I gave my 94 FZJ a bath a few days ago and while i was at it, i gave it a light spray under the hood. now i let it sit for a few days thinking that if water may had got into anything it would dry out. Went to start the cruiser today, and now it wont run worth a crap...

It has a light stumble or miss with no load, put it into gear and you cant keep it running. no CEL (kinda wishin it was on to help point me in the right direction), and the oddest thing: when you hit just a hair over 2100 RPMs it cuts out completely, almost like you've hit a fuel shutoff.

Hopefully someone can help!

colsoncj · 06-14-09, 01:06 PM

Good news... started with what made sense, pulled the dist. cap off... had moisture in it...

I just cant believe after a few days of sitting it still had some moisture...

not sure thats the only problem, but its looking better... next question, how in the heck did that water get in there?

retrofive · 06-14-09, 01:08 PM

I was just going to post water in the dizzy, closed hood and dist cap, easy to hold some moisture in there. Been there don that lol.

Glad all is good

Joe Egolf · 06-14-09, 02:21 PM

Water every where under hood ,then CONDENSATION any where it can get too.Some guys mask off ,cover up ,saran wrap , plastic bag and such when washin engine compartment.Some seal it with rtv and so on

lndcruz · 06-14-09, 03:02 PM

I thought you were always supposed to wash the engine when it was warm so it would dry up most water issues. I always wash mine when its warm and have not had a issue.

colsoncj · 06-14-09, 03:07 PM

it was warm when i washed it...

it looks like i just need to silicone the connector to the housing on the top, then get a new o-ring for the cap to seal and i'll be alright.

it also appears that water in the MAF sensor wiring can cause the same issues... i'm waiting for a new cap and rotor right now (its about due) and then I'll try to start it... hopefully it was just the moisture in the cap and not something else.

the thing i dont get is how some moisture in the distributor cap would cause it to cut out exactly like a fuel shutoff right at 2100 rpms...

colsoncj · 06-16-09, 03:48 PM

Good news and bad news... new cap and rotor installed today, took out any hesitation or stumbling.

Rev it up to 2300 RPMs and it acts like it cuts fuel. Exactly like what it was doing before... i managed to pinpoint what RPM and according to the tach it looks to be almost exactly 2300 RPMs.

I'm kinda at a loss... it feels like a fuel shut-off but it could be an ignition cut out. Does anyone have any experience?

Right now I'm letting it idle to see if it will dry out whatever could be wet causing the issue, but you'd think after a week it'd be dry....

CreeperSleeper · 06-16-09, 03:52 PM

Any chance that your intake tube is cracked? The one and only time I washed my engine it was warm and apparently the warm tube with cold water caused it to crack. That is exactly how mine was acting and the crack was on the bottom. I couldn't see it until I took it off.

colsoncj · 06-16-09, 03:53 PM

nope... it shouldnt be cracked, its only a year or two old and i just checked it a month ago... will check though.. but still lookin for other ideas.

retrofive · 06-16-09, 03:56 PM

Ok, one more place to check. My buddy had a similar thing (hence my post about the water in the dizzy), but I forgot after doing that it still didn't run right. Ended up that the spark plug boot on cyl1 wasn't seat properly and water got in there as well causing havoc. We just pulled each of the plugs and and used a air compressor to blow it all out.

Possibility at least.

colsoncj · 06-16-09, 04:07 PM

ok.. ran it for 30 minutes... still does it.

getting ready to blow out the TPS, IAC and MAF connectors with contact cleaner (will also dry them out).

I'll then check the Air intake hose with some ether.

Retro, on the plug wire are you taking the spark plug end or dist end?

retrofive · 06-16-09, 04:09 PM

Spark end. His boot wasn't all the way around sealed and playing the ponds water got in there. Same type thing.

CreeperSleeper · 06-16-09, 04:22 PM

And the "WD" in WD-40 means "water displacement... Always carry a can of that to blow out electrical connectors after a water crossing.

retrofive · 06-16-09, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CreeperSleeper

And the "WD" in WD-40 means "water displacement... Always carry a can of that to blow out electrical connectors after a water crossing.

I was lied to! "works doesn't it-40"

CreeperSleeper · 06-16-09, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retrofive

I was lied to! "works doesn't it-40"

Kick em in the nuts!

colsoncj · 06-16-09, 06:13 PM

ok... cleaned out and dried out all the connectors... no luck. i guess its pull off the spark plug cover and see whats up.

Lka1988 · 06-16-09, 06:20 PM

Check the fuel pump relay. It sits in the driver's quarter panel and switches the fuel pump from low speed (0-2300 RPM) to high speed (2300-up).

At least that's what I remember after reading through a bunch of stuff about it.

retrofive · 06-16-09, 06:22 PM

:( Im out of ideas sorry.

colsoncj · 06-17-09, 12:23 AM

welll i'm off to vac for a week... i'll get back to it when i get back!

first up will be the plugs and wires... if that doesnt work, then i'll look into the relay.

also checked the air intake hose, and checked for any loose vacuum connections with ether... all is good.

thanks thus far for everyone's help, i'll post up what i find!

colsoncj · 06-30-09, 03:17 PM

Ok... checked all the spark plug boots, and wires, all good... air intake hose is definately good, checked it again. also still not getting any check engine light.

Where exactly is the fuel pump relay? underhood or in interior?

Also, is it possible that I have some other ignition issue like a bad pickup in the dist or something else?

It really acts like its an ignition or fuel cut-out. I'm going to grab an induction timing light later this week and see if its killing the spark or killing the fuel.

ANY ideas would really help! I'd like to get my 4x4 labs bumper built for it, but I need to get it running first!

colsoncj · 06-30-09, 04:04 PM

ok.. well in the course of taping the videos, it finally went above 2100RPMs, but it stumbles at that point, then either falls or revs up... the first video shows what it was doing, the second one shows its new state of not working...

YouTube - FZJ80 Landcruiser 2300rpm Engine Cut-out
YouTube - FZJ80 Land Cruiser Engine Cut-out

Now I'm leaning towards a bad TPS due to weird throttle response, but I'm still not getting a CEL... and its improving... maybe it got water in it?

colsoncj · 06-30-09, 04:05 PM

Just went out and tried it again... its getting better, and the idle is starting to return to normal after it screws up... maybe it just needs to be driven... i'm betting it got water in something, and i'm thinking the TPS....

colsoncj · 07-01-09, 04:10 PM

good news and bad news...

it fixed itself.

firetruck41 · 07-01-09, 04:27 PM

Could be spark plug wires. If they are original, replace them for sure (they need it anyway). If they are OEM, they will have the year of mfg on them. They may appear to be good, and all send a spark when tested, but I have seen them be the culprit many times. Go OEM with the plug wires. Cdan can have 'em to you in a couple days.

colsoncj · 07-01-09, 05:19 PM

plugs and wires are in the near future.....

corvette and dodge need an oil change first... 20 quarts of synthetic, two oil filters, and a fuel filter doesnt appear to be cheap. after that, cruiser will get the goods.

firetruck41 · 07-01-09, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colsoncj

plugs and wires are in the near future.....

corvette and dodge need an oil change first... 20 quarts of synthetic, two oil filters, and a fuel filter doesnt appear to be cheap. after that, cruiser will get the goods.

FYI, I just saw (at walmart, maybe?) Delo synthetic for the first time. It was relatively cheap, less than $20 for a gallon jug, IIRC.

colsoncj · 07-01-09, 06:38 PM

thanks!

unfortunately, the vette only gets mobil 1 0-20 and the dodge will probably get either rotella or mobil one 5-40 syn.

firetruck41 · 07-01-09, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colsoncj

thanks!

unfortunately, the vette only gets mobil 1 0-20 and the dodge will probably get either rotella or mobil one 5-40 syn.

Rotella Syn is about the same price as the delo synthetic at walmart. Why wouldn't you go with the delo synthetic, heard anything about it? I know the Delo (regular/dino) has a good rep for diesels, I would assume that the Delo synth would be even better...

colsoncj · 07-02-09, 07:33 AM

delo has a great rep... so does rotella.

I didnt realize they made a syn... actually when I read your post i assumed it was dino... 20 isnt bad at all... rotella runs me about 21 a gal. do you remember what weight the delo syn was? I'll have to go to wally world and check it out.

reraub · 07-02-09, 08:20 AM

My fj 80 did that exact thing after i washed it out, I replaced the plugs and wires and it was perfect. They were orig. and water got in all sorts of places on the wires. Also at the same time I replaced the fuel pump relay like someone above mentioned so it could have been either one.