80 Series starts and then dies 7 seconds later (1 Viewer)

[CRlandcruiser]

I read a few threads on this but have a quick question. 95 cruiser here in Costa Rica. Starts, runs 5-7 seconds then dies. The ECU was taken to the USA and refurbished. Fuel pump and relay seem to be fine, according to my local mechanic. But what I found yesterday was that it was running fine. Then I filled it with gas at the local station. They like to top it off as much as they can. Then when I went to start it it died after 5 seconds. did this 3 times then I got it going. drove a 1/4 mile. stopped at a store then it happened again. Got it going after 3 attempts and the third time I just put it in drive right when it started. made it home about. 10 KM's drive. Today it seems fine? so just wondering if it has something to do with topping off (overfilling) the gas tank. Any help is appreciated.
Pura Vida

 

[Kernal]

Bad gas (?water) in the tank??

Find a different gas station and/or try a couple bottles of gasoline treatment (Isopropyl alcohol)??

 

[Stylo07]

How do you know the fuel pump and relay are good? Those would’ve been my first two guesses. Good luck.

 

[CRlandcruiser]

Never had an issue with gas down here in Costa Rica. I am in a small town so only two gas stations to choose from. Water could be an issue, but not from the gas station perhaps a leak somewhere near my tank? it rains a lot here . I am not sure about the relay/pump being good. I trusted my local mechanic (no real good ones here). and he said that everything was fine, he tested them. He was stumped too as this happened prior and he determined it had to be the ECU which we had refurbished. this was after testing MAF, Fuel Relay, Pump, etc. It was working fine until I filled the tank. worked fine on a 1/4 tank. so my thoughts were that too much gas in the tank as they tend to top it off to an overflow level here when you say fill my tank.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

@CRlandcruiser


Check the intake tube for cracks. They are known to crack and let unmetered air into the intake.

This will cause rough idle or the truck will even die.

Also check your wiring harness where it sits next to the EGR. They are known to melt and cause all sorts of weird problems.

 

[alia176]

No CEL when the engine dies?

 

[QuackAxel]

Could also be fuel pressure. Regulators can be finicky...

 

[alia176]

Could also be fuel pressure. Regulators can be finicky...

He's mentioning that the problem occurs when he tops off the fuel tank so I'm trying to figure out if there is a correlation with the FPR.

 

[QuackAxel]

Not sure how you would test the FPR? He said it wasn't doing it anymore... if it were me I would buy one and throw it in my spares. Pretty easy to change out if it happens again!

 

[CRlandcruiser]

No CEL when the engine dies?

no CEL when engine dies. Here is the sequence. starts - runs 5 seconds- stops, next try the same thing. 3rd attempt it doesn't start. wait a little bit then try again. got it to go and then it works fine. the 3rd attempt when it was running I threw it into gear right away. kept running. made it home.

 

[GeoRoss]

This may be a bit of a Hail Mary, but check your fusible links. I had very similar symptoms. While the links had continuity, there was a 0.6V voltage drop on the ignition circuit. Put in a new set and started right up.

 

[REDrum]

Never had an issue with gas down here in Costa Rica.

There you have not been here long enough.... I run fuel cleaner every other tank. And the past 5 months have been uniquely wet. Your symptoms align well with water in the fuel.
Other things to consider: When was last time fuel filter changed (I do mine here every 10,000 miles). When was last time fuel pump filter/sock was changed (the one in the tank)? When was last time you checked and or replaced fuseable link off hot side of battery. (for some reason these tend to go more often in CR than on my US 80
Where in CR are you, I'm in Zuma. One of the best 80s shops is out here in Cobano

 

[CRlandcruiser]

There you have not been here long enough.... I run fuel cleaner every other tank. And the past 5 months have been uniquely wet. Your symptoms align well with water in the fuel.
Other things to consider: When was last time fuel filter changed (I do mine here every 10,000 miles). When was last time fuel pump filter/sock was changed (the one in the tank)? When was last time you checked and or replaced fuseable link off hot side of battery. (for some reason these tend to go more often in CR than on my US 80
Where in CR are you, I'm in Zuma. One of the best 80s shops is out here in Cobano

thanks for the advice. I am actually in Playa Hermosa/Santa Teresa. have had a place here for 20 years. this is my second Toyota down here, my first Cruiser. which I love and hate at the same time. Never had a gas issue with either of the two stations in Cobano that I know of. But I am not ruling that out. which fuel cleaner to you buy down here? I have been thru every mechanic in Cobano. thought I finally had a good one but he can't figure this problem out. thought it was my ECU so I had it brought to the states and rebuilt. was working fine until I filled the tank with gas which makes me think its fuel related. Which 80's shop are you referring too?

 

[REDrum]

thanks for the advice. I am actually in Playa Hermosa/Santa Teresa. have had a place here for 20 years. Which 80's shop are you referring too?

Monge 4x4, few in CR know the j80 platform better than Ronald, he has been wrenching on my mine for 12 years. Where did you get 80? I may know it

thanks for the advice. I am actually in Playa Hermosa/Santa Teresa. have had a place here for 20 years. this is my second Toyota down here, my first Cruiser. which I love and hate at the same time. Never had a gas issue with either of the two stations in Cobano that I know of. But I am not ruling that out. which fuel cleaner to you buy down here? I have been thru every mechanic in Cobano. thought I finally had a good one but he can't figure this problem out. thought it was my ECU so I had it brought to the states and rebuilt. was working fine until I filled the tank with gas which makes me think its fuel related. Which 80's shop are you referring too?

the old gas station at the top of the hill was famous for water in the gas, IIRC it was why it closed. Every 3rd tank I use 44max cleaner, they stock at the new station in Cobano, in the store not at islands. Ronald and his son Armando have been wrenching on my white 94 FZJ80 since I drove it down in 2011, they are from a family of Toyota mechanics and are the most knowledgeable of 80s in CR. What truck do you own? Did buy in CR or import? If from Nicoya peninsula who did you buy from? I know a lot of the 80s around here. Do you have factory wiring diagram, to check replace all fuel system electrical devices from? My CR 80 below.

 

[CRlandcruiser]

Nice Cruiser. I actually saw you pass by when I was in Cobano the other day. Same day I had issues with the gas. I bought the car from a friend who was selling it for a guy named Chis. Chris owned a surf shop here in ST but left town quickly. The car had been in ST for a while. I know it was bought originally from a dealer in San Jose , I am sure it originally was imported from the US but who knows because the ECU is from the UK. Ironically I saw the car at my then mechanics shop, Ricardo next to the Cemetery, when I took my 4 runner in for a timing belt issue. They told me that the Landcruiser had been at Ronald's shop prior and he couldn't figure out the problem (different one that what I am having now). So long story short I always wanted a cruiser, and I sold my 4 runner (that I drove down here from the States) and bought this one. It has been running fine for years but with normal issues down here. however my wife is usually the one who has problems when driving it. She wants me to sell it, I don't want to. I have been using the former mechanic of Ricardo's (Ariel) on my Cruiser but I think his time has come. he is good but this issue has him stumped. Ronald worked on my 4 runner in the past. I know he is knowledgable but he also told me that my 4 runner was totaled. Jippy fixed it and it is still driving around Cobano in fact I drove it the other day in Cobano when I saw you go past. I don't have any wiring diagrams. I would love to take it by Ronald and see what he thinks. Could you send me his contact info or location? I know he used to be by the soccer field in los mangos right?

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Cruiser Geneology

 

[QuackAxel]

no CEL when engine dies. Here is the sequence. starts - runs 5 seconds- stops, next try the same thing. 3rd attempt it doesn't start. wait a little bit then try again. got it to go and then it works fine. the 3rd attempt when it was running I threw it into gear right away. kept running. made it home.

I have literally had this exact same thing happen... I changed my fuel pressure regulator, and never had a problem since. 25k miles later.

 

[CRlandcruiser]

I have literally had this exact same thing happen... I changed my fuel pressure regulator, and never had a problem since. 25k miles later.

Thanks going to look into that.

 

[REDrum]

Monge 4x4 WhatsApp: 506-8635-3763. I’ll let Danny know you many stop in. Tell him the coffee guy sent you! Very sad story behind that truck. Previous owner had to emergency move back to US, IIRC secondary effects from dengue caused some other bad viral infection. Let’s hope the problem with your truck is not dengue, lol...

 

[alia176]

The vac hose to the FPR can be pulled off and capped. This is a very quick troubleshooting step in order to see if your issue changes, might be worth a shot. What this does is it puts the fuel on your fuel rail at maximum PSI regardless of what the engine vacuum is at the moment. Quite a few of us run like this just to get as much fuel as possible, so try it and see what happens!