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

[Bayou_Pro]

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.

Yes I agree. When I was working at a Toyota Dealership we had a rash of water in gas issues from the local Sams. It's usually not as instant kill type of problem. You would usually get a bad sputter or miss before it totally dies. Not saying it couldn't be the problem but my money is a bad relay/fuse or the pump itself.

 

[flybooey]

first.... Thanks to all of you for taking time out to offer genuine guidance.

So another 14hr day. I had a few moments so I separately pulled two plugs and cranked it grounding it off a bolt.

Zero spark....

direction change i guess

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.

 

[FrenchToasty]

first.... Thanks to all of you for taking time out to offer genuine guidance.

So another 14hr day. I had a few moments so I separately pulled two plugs and cranked it grounding it off a bolt.

Zero spark....

direction change i guess

Crank position sensor

 

[flybooey]

Its funny how one gets fixated on a path, I had fuel gauge issues about 6 months ago and have been leaning that way.

So, No spark was a surprise to me
Shouldn't I have a CEL on the dash for a crankshaft or camshaft sensor or do some Toyota codes not produce a CEL.

I also ran through all my keys to be sure the immobilizer light went off when inserted.

Crank position sensor

 

[cb1111]

Not all errors will trigger a CEL, so a scan for error codes is always advisable.

 

[flybooey]

I figured but wasn't sure.
I have a scanner coming in the mail tomorrow.

tks..

 

[Deep_palancar]

I figured but wasn't sure.
I have a scanner coming in the mail tomorrow.

tks..

There is good chance that you will find an active or pending code that will give a good vector. The service manual mentions a 10-20 second engine run time before the check light is set for some codes.

If you own a windows laptop you might consider buying a mini-vci + techstream. Amazon prime even has some now for $30ish. It will give access to a lot real-time stuff that only a high dollar multi-vehicle scanner will pull. The techstream software will be a gray-market pirate hack.

I'm curious about you will find tomorrow.

 

[Jivewalker]

I vote bad gas. Same thing happened down here a few months back at several gas stations that were part of a chain. People filled up, drove a very short distance, and had to get towed! their cars completely died like you describe.

 

[flybooey]

I had put about 18 gal in so there was a few gal still in there.
I too initially thought it was bad fuel but there wasn't even a sputter or cough and currently there is no spark. It's hard to dispel the bad fuel thought as i had only driven less than stones throw away from the pumps

I vote bad gas. Same thing happened down here a few months back at several gas stations that were part of a chain. People filled up, drove a very short distance, and had to get towed! their cars completely died like you describe.

 

[Jivewalker]

I had put about 18 gal in so there was a few gal still in there.
I too initially thought it was bad fuel but there wasn't even a sputter or cough and currently there is no spark. It's hard to dispel the bad fuel thought as i had only driven less than stones throw away from the pumps

Heres a link. If you google bad gas in charleston sc, you may get some user stories to see if symptoms match yours at all. Good luck, hope you can figure it out!

Drivers report bad gas at N. Charleston Circle K gas station with no response from company

 

[flybooey]

My scan tool arrived.. It continues to fail to connect. Schweet...

 

[Furagwa]

Maybe this is dumb, but did you check your fuses?

 

[flybooey]

So ran through all the fuses again.
Tried 3 scanners and none would communicate with my OBD port. I confirmed they work on another vehicle.
Pull the ECM and checked all the connections and visual of wiring. Pulled the ecu fuses to confirm them.
Everything still powers up, engine turns over like a champ and all electrics work.
Still no spark and no go go.

 

[Jivewalker]

I'm sure you checked these, but bad grounds and loose ground wires have been the root of some of my weird issues in the past. Just another thought to check.

 

[bamma]

FWIW, when I had water in my tank from the gas station, it got me home, but would not start at all the next day, similar to what you describe. Sounds like you called the station though, so likely not the issue. Hope it ends up being an easy fix!

 

[Tereyu]

Based on the fact you dont have spark and can not communicate with scan tools it's for sure an electrical problem. Be sure you checked all fuses, under hood and under dash panels as there are multiple fuses that feed power to ecm/pcm. Otherwise I'd have to find a schematic and see what all is included in the ignition schematic. Not sure if it has an ignitor like some Nissan systems or if the ignition coils are driven by the pcm. A little background I'm a 15 year Honda master technician, but my Toyota experience is very little.

 

[Furagwa]

Don't mean to beat a dead horse, but when you "ran through all the fuses", like the OBD and ECU ones, you put a meter on them?

 

[JeremyB]

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.

Most modern fuel systems are returnless and use a PWM pump to supply pressure. Instead of pumping 100% all the time and returning the excess fuel, the pump only pumps as hard as it has to. Modern pumps don't run as hard as they used to. Empty tanks causing bad pumps is a bit of an old wives tale now along with 'don't tow in OD'.

 

[jrandom]

Most modern fuel systems are returnless and use a PWM pump to supply pressure. Instead of pumping 100% all the time and returning the excess fuel, the pump only pumps as hard as it has to. Modern pumps don't run as hard as they used to. Empty tanks causing bad pumps is a bit of an old wives tale now along with 'don't tow in OD'.

Good to know, thanks for the explanation :thumb: Last Toyota fuel pump I changed was on an 89 hilux, both terminal corrosion and the pump wouldn't cycle, that is the extent of my "hands on" fuel pump experience.

 

[flybooey]

I'm capable to a degree but since I hit this OBD issue i'm stuck.....
I've pulled every fuse at this point for visual as well as testing with a meter and swapped relays, there are some fusible links but when I turn the key everything powers up and the starter cranks hard so those I would think would be a non issue.
I've got the manual downloaded and am sifting through it but its slow for me with work and the kids off school.
I found an ECM with the exact part number and build date for 200 bucks shipped but its not plug-n-play with the immobilizer business so a trip to the dealer would be mandatory for pairing the bits together. but who knows if that ECM is even operational. (pee into the wind)

Based on the fact you dont have spark and can not communicate with scan tools it's for sure an electrical problem. Be sure you checked all fuses, under hood and under dash panels as there are multiple fuses that feed power to ecm/pcm. Otherwise I'd have to find a schematic and see what all is included in the ignition schematic. Not sure if it has an ignitor like some Nissan systems or if the ignition coils are driven by the pcm. A little background I'm a 15 year Honda master technician, but my Toyota experience is very little.