*** SOLVED***!!!Filled up to the "click" drove 80ft and it died. No Spark!

[flybooey]

2012 SR5 60k on the clock.

I drove around all day with my kids, in and out of it 3-4 times without a hiccup.
I fueled up until it clicked off, popped the cap on and drove onto the street and it died. Hard.

Not a spit or sputter or chug or anything, just like you flipped a switch and it was off. No CEL, nothing flashing, no smoke, odors or anything.

It cranks like a demon with my new Odyssey battery but makes no attempt to start or even sound like it wants to. My wife and I towed it home and ran it into the garage. Tried odd things like standing on my sliders and rocking the hell out of it and sloshing things around in there and pounding on the tank where the pump is.

I went through every fuse under the hood and by the kick panel. I was however stumped on locating a fuel pump relay, unless they are designated as EFI . I tapped on each relay while cranking without success. Even switched out keys.

However.... I no longer hear the pump (i assume thats what it was in the past) pressurize when the key is switched on just before starting position.

So folks....is there a relay somewhere or am I looking at dropping my now 170lb tank and replacing the pump assembly?

Tks
Dave :moping:

 

[jrandom]

2012 SR5 60k on the clock.

However.... I no longer hear the pump (i assume thats what it was in the past) pressurize when the key is switched on just before starting position.

So folks....is there a relay somewhere or am I looking at dropping my now 170lb tank and replacing the pump assembly?

Tks
Dave :moping:

Pump could be shot if it were driven near empty most of its years, although that is not a lot of miles.It is a submersed pump, the fuel in the tank keeps it cool when running. Siphon the tank old school to lose some of that weight, then drop it.

Check for corrosion/rodent damage at the pump leads too.

 

[flybooey]

that's my plan at this point unless this scenario can be attributed to a relay that controls the pump or something else i could look at...(please say yes......)

 

[TOYO74]

Don't be offended by this suggestion: Had a neighbor who grabbed the wrong spout and filled up with diesel instead of gasoline. Engine did not like it.
I know this is unlikely, but it can happen.

 

[bamma]

Rain lately? I had my tank filled with gas when the tank vent filled during a storm and it filled with water instead of gas.

 

[wcjeep]

Have you checked fuel pressure? Any chance the fuel station has a bad load of fuel? How is the fuel filter? It could be clogged.

Fuel pressure after you bypass the relay? Ask the gas station about any other recent complaints.

 

[flybooey]

That station doesn't have diesel and my wife's car is a diesel so we are very aware of that error. Watched it happen before....

Don't be offended by this suggestion: Had a neighbor who grabbed the wrong spout and filled up with diesel instead of gasoline. Engine did not like it.
I know this is unlikely, but it can happen.

 

[flybooey]

Been raining lots here but i park inside.
I suppose that rain could have leaked into the underground tanks.

Rain lately? I had my tank filled with gas when the tank vent filled during a storm and it filled with water instead of gas.

 

[IASTATE01]

Call the gas station and see if they are getting complaints of bad gas??

 

[kcp1158]

Have someone pull a sample of fuel from your tank. It's possible you got a tank of water,dirt or mixed product in your tank from the station. When fuel is delivered tanker drivers do make mistakes and can put the wrong fuel in the tanks. Check where you bought the fuel and see if they had issues, if not make a report with them. Make sure you keep your receipt because if it is something to do with the fuel, the gasoline company will pay for the repairs.

 

[jrandom]

that's my plan at this point unless this scenario can be attributed to a relay that controls the pump or something else i could look at...(please say yes......)

You could check the leads to and from the relay with a meter to see if it is getting the voltage it is supposed to receive.

Some ideas, you aren't the only one, there are a few more results here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=5th+gen+4runner+fuel+pump+relay+site:www.toyota-4runner.org&safe=off

Sent you a PM

 

[bamma]

Been raining lots here but i park inside.
I suppose that rain could have leaked into the underground tanks.

Yes, that is what happened to me. The ground vent at the gas station failed and filled the underground tanks with water. So i filled up with water instead of gas. Same symptoms. Gas station paid to fix a lot of cars.

 

[Deep_palancar]

What diagnostic steps have you taken that point to this being a fuel problem?

• - Pull a spark plug coil and verify that you have a spark.
• -- Test with a meter or test light that there is power supplied to the fuel pump.
• --- Direct power the fuel pump and listen .
• ---- Pull the fuel line at the fuel pump attach a section of hose. Does it pump? What does the fuel look and smell like?

You could spitball this for weeks and never fix it or maybe get lucky and cure it with an early guess.
What test equipment do you have? How deep are willing and able to go?

Me and others here can provide you with wiring diagrams, relevant pages from the service manual and guidance on how to do a lot of the testing.
You can even find links on this site to get a complete set of your own.

I'm not doing detailed help in the blind any more without a sincere interest by the person with problem.

I've seen too many threads where someone posts a problem and others spend a lot of time replying only to have the original poster just drop out with no results ever discussed..........

 

[cb1111]

Did you run a scan for codes?

Based on your scenarion, however, it clearly sounds like a fuel issue and not an electrical or mechanical failure. What did the gas station say?

 

[flybooey]

Gas station said no reports and that all systems to prevent are operating normally.

Did you run a scan for codes?

Based on your scenarion, however, it clearly sounds like a fuel issue and not an electrical or mechanical failure. What did the gas station say?

 

[flybooey]

So no CEL on the dash at the time or now.
I have the VagCom software for Audi/VW and it has a generic OBD II option but it was unable to read. That was frustrating.
I may just buy a cheap one on amazon to see what if anything it says

Did you run a scan for codes?

Based on your scenarion, however, it clearly sounds like a fuel issue and not an electrical or mechanical failure. What did the gas station say?

 

[flybooey]

I agree, I've had similar experiences helping folks with my VW.Audi software and where I become invested and poof....disappeared with no follow through from them.

This only happened late yesterday, working 12hr shifts blows. Thursday I'll get into it. I only cant do a pressure test.
spark, fuel pump volts and direct power are my plan. I just had a member send me wiring diagrams that I'll do my best with.
The dealer told me today that there is no fuel pump relay.... I don't really buy that, but the wiring diagrams should prove that.
I just need to check off some boxes as I go.

What diagnostic steps have you taken that point to this being a fuel problem?

• - Pull a spark plug coil and verify that you have a spark.
• -- Test with a meter or test light that there is power supplied to the fuel pump.
• --- Direct power the fuel pump and listen .
• ---- Pull the fuel line at the fuel pump attach a section of hose. Does it pump? What does the fuel look and smell like?

You could spitball this for weeks and never fix it or maybe get lucky and cure it with an early guess.
What test equipment do you have? How deep are willing and able to go?

Me and others here can provide you with wiring diagrams, relevant pages from the service manual and guidance on how to do a lot of the testing.
You can even find links on this site to get a complete set of your own.

I'm not doing detailed help in the blind any more without a sincere interest by the person with problem.

I've seen too many threads where someone posts a problem and others spend a lot of time replying only to have the original poster just drop out with no results ever discussed..........

 

[cb1111]

So no CEL on the dash at the time or now.
I have the VagCom software for Audi/VW and it has a generic OBD II option but it was unable to read. That was frustrating.
I may just buy a cheap one on amazon to see what if anything it says

VagCom (VCDS) doesn't like being a generic OBDII reader. If you have an Autozone/Advance Auto local, then you can borrow one of their scanners. You may have to leave a deposit.

I suspect that you have spark (and that the fuel pump is OK), but I think that you got some really bad gas. How low were you?

 

[cb1111]

A zillion years ago I had a Yukon that had an intermittent similar issue - it was running fine and the next time you tried to start it - nothing. Sometime it cranked, sometime it didn't.

Garage number 1 diagnosed a bad fuel pump. Swapped it out and all was well. A week later, the same thing. Towed to the GM dealer at midnight from my office parking garage (that was fun) after a 18 hour day (I was working some hurricane or some other disaster). The next day the dealer called and said "not sure what you're complaining about, it started right up this morning". A week later it died in front of the grocery store and it went back to the dealer. This time it didn't start in the morning. They finally tracked it down to a bad distributor cap wire.

Moral of the story - it could be something simple - like bag gas.

 

[Sparman]

I think if it were bad gas there would be some sign of life - rough idle, sputtering, etc.

Sounds like pump or spark to me.