FJ80 hardd to start (1 Viewer)

[hans747]

While my friend's fiancee is out of town, I offered to help him fix her 1991 FJ80. From what I've been told, it has had trouble starting lately. When the problem presents itself, the engine will turn over but can take 4-7 turns of the key to get it to fire. It also seems to have a rough idle (might occaisionally stall). Assuming that it is getting a good spark, my first suspicion will be the cheapest one: Clogged fuel filter. Where is the fuel filter located on these trucks?

What other components on a 6-cyl engine would cause this symptom?

Is there any way to check the pressure of a fuel pump?

While we're under the hood, I might suggest doing some other maintenance like a distributor cap/rotor, PCV valve, air filter, plugs, throttlebbody cleanout, etc. You know, the cheap stuff that makes an engine run happier.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[landtoy80]

You need a service manual and yes do all of your PM stuff; plugs, wires etc. Use Toyota parts all the way. Click on the right hand corner banner for American Toyota for all your parts needs.

The fuel filter is under the intake manifold. Fun to get to

 

[hans747]

Thanks for the info. Do you have to pull the intake to get to that filter? Or is it just a matter of reaching around and under it?

The fuel filter on my Nissan is the same way. Boy, i hope this filter is located right between a radiator hose and the exhaust manifold!

Can the MAF sensor on these trucks be cleaned, too?

Eric

 

[landtoy80]

You reach under around and feel your way to get it off.
MAF, I don't know.

 

[cruiserdan]

The 3FE fuel filter is mounted on the RH frame rail, not under the intake manifold.

 

[hans747]

please excuse me for my inexperience of all things Cruiser, but what does 3FE stand for?

Are there any other reason why you think this engine might be producing a hard start symptom like this?

thanks

 

[Rookie2]

please excuse me for my inexperience of all things Cruiser, but what does 3FE stand for?

Are there any other reason why you think this engine might be producing a hard start symptom like this?

thanks

3FE is the motor in a 91. Before you ask, it is also why you can't get it over 70 mph on the interstate,

Starter contacts ruitinely wear out every 80 to 90k.


Rookie2

 

[hans747]

3FE is the motor in a 91. Before you ask, it is also why you can't get it over 70 mph on the interstate,

Starter contacts ruitinely wear out every 80 to 90k.


Rookie2

Do you mean the brushes int he starter itself? will that cause it to stop turning altogether, or just make it turn slowly?

Thanks,
Eric

 

[landtoy80]

Dan is right I was thinking of the 1FZ not the 2F with FI Just kidding.
I will keep quiet now ,while I blowing my nose till it falls off as I sit here sick, trying to get all of you guys sick when I breathe into the mic of the laptop.

 

[hans747]

BTW,

What spark plugs do you recomend with this tune up?

Eric

 

[landtoy80]

I think I can answer that one
ND or NGK.

 

[Rookie2]

Do you mean the brushes int he starter itself? will that cause it to stop turning altogether, or just make it turn slowly?

Thanks,
Eric

Run a search on "starter contacts" for some more info. This is one of those subjects that has been discussed quite a bit, and you may get some more insite into whether the symptoms match up with what you've got going on.


Rookie2

 

[landtank]

All bad advice . Through in an EFI relay and start pounding beer

 

[hans747]

I thought about that, too. Is there any way to diagnos the EFI if not Check engine ligts are coming on? Basically, if the tune up and filter don't help, i need a way to figgure out of I'm dealing with a fuel pump relay, EFI relay, or fuel pump. I gguess that's where the Haynes manual comes into play.

 

[landtank]

Just change out the EFI relay. This is probably the most notorious problem with these trucks as every one of them have the wiring problem from the factory. Skip the rest of the stuff, believe me!

Unless of course if the tune up is due!

 

[cruiserdan]

All bad advice . Through in an EFI relay and start pounding beer

You could also soak a new relay in beer and pound it in..........

 

[hans747]

UPDATE:

You were all right!

Turns out that the FJ80 in question had both the EFI relay problem and the starter brush problem. Sometimes it wouldn't crank at all, and sometimes it would crank and then do nothing. So we got the new EFI relay in there and solved that problem. We also changed the plugs. they were pretty old and cruddy.

Next time we will do the distributor cap, rotor, and brushes.

Eric

 

[landtank]

Well I'm going to say that I WAS MORE RIGHT than the rest, as you never mentioned that it would not turn over sometimes in your original post, only that it WOULD turn over but not start.

Glad it's working and your her hero

And to the rest of you

 

[Twiggles]

Does anyone know if this issues is the same for a 1994? I figure since this thread has been dead for 4 years, no one would mind the hijack

I cant tell if this is coincidence or not, but after my PHH fix, my truck began to intermittently have issues when starting. Most of the time it starts fine, but occasionally, there is a hesitation or a popping sound coming from the motor before it starts...any idea what is going on? The first time it happened it was very loud, and I was afraid I maybe blew a HG, but if so, would this symptom still exist? I dont have any smoke coming out of the tailpipe, and dont think Im loosing coolant...

Today for the first time after the popping start, it took the motor about 10 seconds to smooth out and not idle roughly. (the truck sat for a couple of days prior to me starting it this morning)

Any help is appreciated, I want to narrow down the field before I start throwing $$ at it to get to the problem, i.e. plugs, wires, dist cap, etc...

 

[FrankTorres]

Twiggles- check for cracks in your intake hose between your Air Filter and throttle body.

good luck