Fuel Issues

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Joined
Nov 28, 2015
Threads
27
Messages
198
Location
Maryland
I've been working on an intermittent problem with fuel delivery and could use some help guiding my trouble shooting.
Background. At my first fill up after purchasing it stalled shortly afterward and wouldn't start for a good 30-45 minutes. Ran just fine after a solid startup. On subsequent fill ups it wouldn't stall out on me until a few miles down the road. After a wait or tow home it will start right up. The problems had always hovered around a fuel fill up. My symptoms pointed to the evap canister as I also had the fuel tank whoosh when I'd remove the fuel cap. I replaced the cap and fuel filter with a new Toyota and the charcoal canister with a used one off eBay. The problems didn't rise again for another year it seems when the tank whoosh returned and would stumble for a few seconds and die after a fill-up, usually able to startup again within 10-20min. Flipping the tank and purge hoses seemed to make no difference. I have since replaced the canister with the ac delco model recommended by the 80s forum and the tank whoosh is completely gone but I'm still getting the stall at fill-up. I can avoid all this by only putting 10gal or so in the tank. But even that isn't a sure bet. Sometimes it still stalls even if I don't completely fill-up.
To make this saga go on even longer I've got new developments. About a month ago I was running low on fuel but thought I could make it to the station when it cut out and died. I put two gallons in and no start. Towed it home and started trouble shooting. Jumped the fuel pump with a paper clip. Nothing. Cracked the fuel line just before filter and no pressure. Checked the in-cab fuse, good, check fusible links,good, but looking their age. Put everything back together minus tightening up the fuel line and the pump took off. Closed the fuel line and figured I have a short in that mess of Toyota's idea for fusible links.
The past two mornings I've had no fuel delivery. Yesterday no initial start and today I got about 50yards down the road when I lost fuel Stumbled and dies. Yesterday upon startup I had a low tank maybe 2-3 gal left, I put 15gal in it in the afternoon with no problems but this morning the same problem. Check the links, good. Jump the pump nothing, crack the fuel line, no pressure. Put everything back and try it one last time and she starts right up. Some while back I checked the vcv and it checked out ok, but I think that is going to be this first thing I check this afternoon. Along with my vacuum hose routing. Something about cracking open the fuel line? Or is that a red herring? Am I just mucking around and it really just needs a few minutes to clear fuel vapors. Any ideas would be super helpful. I could use new links but something tells me that really isn't my problem. Being intermittent doesn't really let me track this down. I need a fuel pressure tester I think.
1988 3fe stock 218k
 
i have been fighting similar issues. I replaced the CC and basically everything fuel related. This has been going on for me now for over a year and a half off and on. I think I finally tracked mine down to 2 things other than the CC, Fuel pressure regulator, or fuel pump. My tank started doing the whoosh even after a new CC, and I got to thinking, Ok its new so I have a possible obstruction in my line somewhere. I found that the line manifold in the rear passenger side compartment was filled with fuel and unable to vent or purge to its needed areas. Cleared that up along with a replaced TPS and shes finally running good/ better.
 
i have been fighting similar issues. I replaced the CC and basically everything fuel related. This has been going on for me now for over a year and a half off and on. I think I finally tracked mine down to 2 things other than the CC, Fuel pressure regulator, or fuel pump. My tank started doing the whoosh even after a new CC, and I got to thinking, Ok its new so I have a possible obstruction in my line somewhere. I found that the line manifold in the rear passenger side compartment was filled with fuel and unable to vent or purge to its needed areas. Cleared that up along with a replaced TPS and shes finally running good/ better.
You are talking about the vapor separator? The plastic black jobber next to the fuel filler pipe. I replaced the metal rail and all the fuel hoses leading up to this in the quarter panel and undercarriage shortly after I purchased the truck because they were crusty/leaky. They had no apparent effect on this specific problem as it was occurring before and after this fix. Where exactly was yours clogged? I replaced the hoses in the positions as I found them but maybe I should check that against a schematic?
 
Solved this a while back with a fuel pump replacement. Although the intermittent nature of the problem made this a drawn out diagnosis (2yrs) the pump replacement solved the stall at fill-up problem. Im not sure really what was happening to cause the pump to fail after a fill-up and that it only seemed to last for 10-15 minutes after. Tank pressure/wiring short/internal short? Runs and starts like a boss now.
 
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