Please read to the end before replying
The truck is an 1987 '1 ton' pickup with an EFI 22RE. Yesterday it was running fine, I was driving it the rain. Last night there was more rain (I mention this incase it may be a factor).
Today it will not continue to run after starting. The first couple of tries it barely started before dying. The pattern changed to where it would start, with the normal slight rise in engine speed, then within five seconds slow down, start missing, shudder then die - often with a a couple of hard shudders at the end. While it was running, for the first three or four seconds it felt and sounded fine.
Stepping on the gas pedal after starting caused the engine to die immediately, after dying after stepping on the gas it would start readily. This suggests fuel starvation to me. The fuel guage shows 1/2 tank.
Last week it did very well on an emissions level test (HC: 57 PPM, CO:
0.054%).The first thing that comes to mind is a fuel or fuel pump problem. I can see the top of the gas tank and observe two wires and three hoses attached to a round plate. Is this likely to have an electric fuel pump or are the wires for a fuel level sensor. I assume that one of the hoses is a fuel supply line and that one of the others is a return line.
The manual that I have is 'Chilton's Pick-ups/Land Cruiser/4Runner
1970-88 Repair Manual'. It states that 1985-88 pickups have electric fuel pumps located inside the fuel tank.I would guess that to test the fuel pump I should test that the pump is getting electric power and once this is done to see that it pumps fuel when it gets power. Any ideas (especially borne of experience) on how best to do this? I expect that pressure of fuel output is important.
This vehicle has about 240,000 kms, is it advisable to inspect, drain, or clean the gas tank? (thinking that 'grunge' in tha tank might hurt or kill a pump)
One of my rules of thumb is to check the things that are easy to check (and/or repair) first.
Would a faulty sensor or emission control component display any of these symptoms?
How do I test for power to the pump - does the engine have to be running or just ignition switch in the 'ON' position?
Where is it best to disconnect the fuel line to test for flow?
What is a reasonable way to determine if the pressure is adequate?
Does this sound like it migh be an electrical (moisture?) problem?
Is the pump a 'user servicable' item, and what is a reasonable life expectancy?
Is it advisable to remove the tank to remove the pump?
Is it possible (or likely) that the filter is the problem? How can I test this, and how often should they be changed?
********************************************************************************************************************************************I got to this point before finding the fuel pump test procedure in 'Chilton's' ...
turn the ignition to the 'ON' position jumper the +B and FP terminals on the diagnostic terminal block (Chilton's presents the two operations in this order - it may be to reverse the order as I think that +B is 12V) Chilton's says check for pressure in the cold start injector or listen for noise in the fuel return pressure regulator - what I could sense was noise - I think fuel going through the cold start injector
This suggest that fuel was in the air intake gallery - likely true as the truck started and ran beyond the usual die point, after maybe 20 seconds it started to stumble but then recovered and ran for another couple of minutes until I shut it off.
I include this material incase someone else is in this position at some time.
This still leaves me with some kind of problem - I think moisture related.
I would still like to hear if some reply about changing fuel filters and servicing the gas tank.
If you suspect your Oxygen sensor of misbehaving clean the outside (without removing it) with steel wool. Please reply if it helps.
Thanks very much for any assistance,
Rob in Calgary