Hey guys, a friend of mine bought a 2001 4runner with 149k miles and it seems pretty nice for the money. The seller was a real scum bag so I guess it's no surprise there are a few issues. Truck runs and drives great. But over the course of the last 2-3 months it's done this twice. It will just crank and crank but won't start. It'll take about 5 minutes then will eventually start and run perfectly. It's had a CEL for p0440 and p0442 the whole time (small evap leak). Occasionally there's a very slight gas smell outside towards the drivers rear. Otherwise the truck runs fantastic. The first time it happened we switched trucks for the day hoping I could get it to happen again but it ran flawlessly all day. Any insight? Thanks!

I've read about similar situations on the forum but I personally haven't had that problem yet with the Codes but here are some search results to help get you in the right direction. Should make for some good reading.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/gsearc...4107j945421j23

Thank you! I'll start reading on those. I have read a few of those but not thoroughly. I have the same codes on one of my 4runners so I ran across some but I don't have any starting issues or gas smell. In your best guess, is the starting issue related to the evap leak?

I'm not the one to ask concerning the Evap system. It's not something I've experienced or had to troubleshoot. Read your codes and go the direction I always go which is the process of elimination. Try and eliminate what it can't possibly be first and move on from there. From what I've read throughout the forum, the fuel smell on the drivers side and the p0440 and p0442 mostly leads to the Evap system. Hopefully someone with these codes can chime in for you and get you moving in the right direction.

I doubt the no start issue is related to the check engine lights. Those codes will not cause the truck to not run. I'd look elsewhere. Try to see if there is a pattern to the circumstances surrounding the no start when it happens. I'd start with checking grounds if you have no where else to look first.

I'm gonna agree with what was said and say it most likely isn't the small evap leak cauisng the prolonged cranking. Now a small leak would make it take a few seconds longer to start, but not a few minutes as you are saying. Does it sound like it sputters as it starts or no spark?

I'd start by looking at all your major ground points first.

It finally did it again and she sent me a video. It doesn't really seem to sputter or 'try' to start but just sounds normal cranking without starting. Normal speed and she tried applying a little throttle with not really any change. After 6-7 long cranks like this it fired right up as normal and ran great with no rough idle or anything. She isn't too worried about it as it only rarely does it and always starts but I'm quite curious as to whawt it could be. Only codes are EVAP leak and as mentioned, there is a faint fuel smell which leads me to believe it's the check valves on top of the tank.