1996 cranks, but won't start... 318,000

[daveV8]

So I'm gettting ready to sell my '96, I replaced the radiator because of a crack on the rear that was causing antifreeze to spray all over the engine. The swap went well, but I wanted to clean the engine because of the smell of antifreeze. So, I acquired some Gunk engine cleaner and followed the directions, including the water rinse cycle. The truck ran fine that night, but next day it started sputtering as I drove it down the road. I limped it home and checked the codes.

Cylinder 1 misfire. So I investigate. Figured there was moisture, etc. I ended up swapping out the plugs with some new NGK's. Now, my poor baby won't fire off. It'll crank for a few seconds and start to go, but then it just dies.

I've triple checked my vacuum lines that were disconnected. Same for any wires and so forth. I didn't find any fuses blown either.

I erased the codes from the misfire and now it just says igniter. I don't like seeing that because I looked at the price of those things!

Any thoughts or suggestions about the next path to take?

She's got almost 319,000 miles and has run great up to this point. SR5 3.4L

 

[pcleary1210]

I'd get a blower or canned air and go hunting for moisture around each and every connector you can. Inspect and blow out each connector and re-seat it. I can't imagine you'd have blown the ignitor a day or two after having sprayed things down (especially if it ran fine that night). The more likely scenario is that certain critera aren't being met and the ECU isn't firing the ignitor to protect itself.

You can also use some brake parts cleaner or carb cleaner to hunt down vacuum leaks.

The FSM has 5 pages or so of checking the ignitor curcuit. If you dont have a copy, PM me and I can send you what I have.

-PC

 

[daveV8]

Thanks PC... I'm about to go hunting again shortly. What you say makes total sense. Hard to think clearly when its late at night!

 

[Nelsonmd]

The FSM has 5 pages or so of checking the ignitor curcuit. If you dont have a copy, PM me and I can send you what I have.

-PC

The FSM is available in the tutorial and documentation sticky at the top of the 3rd gen forum. Get it there, along with oodles of other information.

 

[jakknz]

Fuel pump gone bad, camshaft position sensor, crankshaft position sensor. Not that the sensors are bad, they may just have moisture around them.

 

[Stick Figure]

I wouldn't work either if I knew someone was going to sell me.

 

[daveV8]

I told her I'd find someone nice. I even gave her a bath and a vacuum. The only good news so far is that I'm getting really good at pulling all those pieces & plugs apart and putting them back together. Still not starting though

 

[4R99JB]

:iagree:

I certainly hope you can fix it, I think it's moisture too. I remember back in the 80's belonging to "Central AZ Street Machines" , had a 73 Charger, Chrome everywhere. Often hosed down the engine compartment. Just about burned it to the ground one evening (hours later). Can't remember the specific wiring now but the water had settled into a connector. Damn that brings back memories... Good Luck.

 

[Kenjan]

I wouldn't work either if I knew someone was going to sell me.

yep esp after she was road hard n put up wet!!

show her some love and sell her to s1 that knows about 4runner or has one

ive got 308k and im not ever gonna sell my baby!!!

EVER!!!

 

[daveV8]

OMG! Ever have one of those days / nights when nothing goes right and then you finally have an "Ah-Ha!" moment? That was an hour ago for me!

So I kept looking at the igniter module thinking something must be wrong with it. I decided to start tracing the wires down. I gently started pulling the plug out and the red wire came completely out of the plug!

After I pulled the connector apart, I soldered the wire in place and completed the repair. Works like a champ again!

So in summary, water somewhere caused it to misfire, me putting in new plugs to solve that problem most likely put some tension on the red wire that was probably on it's last strand anyway, and hours of frustration later it's running again!

(maybe I shouldn't really sell it)

Thanks for all the replies and pointers!

 

[pcleary1210]

So....how much?

 

[daveV8]

Thinking about $3,180.

That's only $100 per thousand miles

 

[CraigRoberts]

Now that you fix it, you have to promise never to sell it. Until at least 500k miles.