I'll add some fuel.
Also going to run this troubleshooting procedure from the manual thru.
Also going to run this troubleshooting procedure from the manual thru.
LC not starting month 2 :-( Saga continues. EFI fuse?
- Thread starter jcmiro
- Start date
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Yeah like others said I'd put some extra fuel in it. I would not be shocked if your sending unit was sticking and you actually have less fuel than you think.
I ran my 3rd gen 4Runner out of fuel on the highway once - gauge was above empty (about 1/8 tank) and the light never came on. Granted I was pulling a uHaul so I wasn't level, but there wasn't *that* much squat in the rear and in my case I had stopped to fill up 2-3 times and each prior time the light had come on first with the gauge at a lower point. At the time I thought it was the fuel pump since it was above empty and no gas light, but simply added 1 gallon of gas and it started right up.
I ran my 3rd gen 4Runner out of fuel on the highway once - gauge was above empty (about 1/8 tank) and the light never came on. Granted I was pulling a uHaul so I wasn't level, but there wasn't *that* much squat in the rear and in my case I had stopped to fill up 2-3 times and each prior time the light had come on first with the gauge at a lower point. At the time I thought it was the fuel pump since it was above empty and no gas light, but simply added 1 gallon of gas and it started right up.
Runs on starting fluid.
Stuck a fish tape in the tank, it doesn't come back wet, but does smell of gas. Not sure I got all the way in there.
I have a gas rotopax on order, don't have any other gas containers around; guess I'll go buy one.
Stuck a fish tape in the tank, it doesn't come back wet, but does smell of gas. Not sure I got all the way in there.
I have a gas rotopax on order, don't have any other gas containers around; guess I'll go buy one.
1 gallon of gas later start and run. I guess I'm unusually lucky in that it ran out of gas in my driveway. Or unusually unlucky because that is so unlikely it made it seem a much worse gremlin must be at work.
I say you’re lucky. TBH if it were me and gas fixed it, I would’ve made up some other fix like the flux capacitor needed to be replaced. But glad it worked out for ya.
So is the sending unit bad? After running the fuel pump partially dry over and over I would probably just replace the entire pump rather than the sending unit. Sorry you had to troubleshoot that much for a no gas situation. I have had similar troubleshooting snafus (took my 4runner dash apart checking harnesses b/c rear window wouldnt roll up. Turned out window lock was on). I believe the fuel pump can be removed through the access hole under the rear seats (not 100% sure).
Congratulations!
Reminds me of the time I replaced the sending unit on my 86 Odyssey Toyota 4X4 21' RV. The original unit had been rewired so many times there was ~ 1/4" of wire for + & - to splice into; so I ebayed a used sending unit. Both units had sufficient oxidation to => @ Ali Fj80 bad sending unit diagnosis. So I cleaned the ebay unit up & installed; not knowing a previous repair had reversed polarity.
Memory failed me when the gauge now showed a full tank. So when it wouldn't run long enough to back out of the drive, I went thru all the tests @ grinchy has, other than CEL codes. The RV moved slightly, permitting enough gas in the bottom of the 40 gal tank to reach the pickup & VOILA ! She runs . . . . directly to my mechanic to find the gremlin. He took it out on the road the next day & got about 10 miles before running out of gas, with gauge on FULL.
There was some embarassment @ the mechanic's the next day . . .
Reminds me of the time I replaced the sending unit on my 86 Odyssey Toyota 4X4 21' RV. The original unit had been rewired so many times there was ~ 1/4" of wire for + & - to splice into; so I ebayed a used sending unit. Both units had sufficient oxidation to => @ Ali Fj80 bad sending unit diagnosis. So I cleaned the ebay unit up & installed; not knowing a previous repair had reversed polarity.
Memory failed me when the gauge now showed a full tank. So when it wouldn't run long enough to back out of the drive, I went thru all the tests @ grinchy has, other than CEL codes. The RV moved slightly, permitting enough gas in the bottom of the 40 gal tank to reach the pickup & VOILA ! She runs . . . . directly to my mechanic to find the gremlin. He took it out on the road the next day & got about 10 miles before running out of gas, with gauge on FULL.
There was some embarassment @ the mechanic's the next day . . .
Congrats sometimes easy fixes are welcome.
Took 22.1 gallons + 1 gallon in the portable, so my capacity must be 23ish. I didn't try to max it out or anything on the refill, just stopped at the click (I respect my charcoal canister 
It immediately showed a low gas light and set my range to 10 miles (about right for 1 gallon). Not sure why it was showing no low gas light when I parked.
I'll keep a hand tally for a while, and hopefully chalk it up to nothing if there doesn't seem to be a recurring issue.
Thanks again all for the help.
It immediately showed a low gas light and set my range to 10 miles (about right for 1 gallon). Not sure why it was showing no low gas light when I parked.
I'll keep a hand tally for a while, and hopefully chalk it up to nothing if there doesn't seem to be a recurring issue.
Thanks again all for the help.
Took 22.1 gallons + 1 gallon in the portable, so my capacity must be 23ish. I didn't try to max it out or anything on the refill, just stopped at the click (I respect my charcoal canister
It immediately showed a low gas light and set my range to 10 miles (about right for 1 gallon). Not sure why it was showing no low gas light when I parked.
I'll keep a hand tally for a while, and hopefully chalk it up to nothing if there doesn't seem to be a recurring issue.
Thanks again all for the help.
A few 200 owners have had their sending units fail. That is the likely culprit. Keep your eyes on miles traveled for a while just in case and make your fill up intervals often.
It happens...
I once intervened after the IT department’s failed attempt to “fix a lost internet connection.”
They tinkered in settings endlessly...yada yada. Nothin.
I came in...crawled under the desk to check the cable:
Culprit:
A USB cable was jammed into the Ethernet port...and the Ethernet was sitting there plugged into nothing!
Funny.
IT guys were both SMART/competent!!!...but both forgot to check basics...and went straight toward higher level stuff.
Oops!
It happens.
I once intervened after the IT department’s failed attempt to “fix a lost internet connection.”
They tinkered in settings endlessly...yada yada. Nothin.
I came in...crawled under the desk to check the cable:
Culprit:
A USB cable was jammed into the Ethernet port...and the Ethernet was sitting there plugged into nothing!
Funny.
IT guys were both SMART/competent!!!...but both forgot to check basics...and went straight toward higher level stuff.
Oops!
It happens.
