QuestionI recently purchased a 1992 toyota pickup 4x4 3.0 v6 5speed 200,000 miles. the truck has about a 4" suspension lift and is on 32" tires.
When attempting to start the truck, if you don't give it gas it will fire then sputter out as if it has run out of gas, even on a full tank. putting the pedal to the floor after the ignition has been turned does not make a difference until it decides it wants to start. The most consistent way that i have gotten it going is pressing the gas for a second or two and then firing her up and she starts almost every time. Another thing i have been doing is revving the engine to about 2000 rpms before i shut it off.
The toughest time to get her to start is after she has been running for a while, especially after driving on sand. Usually I leave the gas pedal down for 20 seconds (which would typically flood the engine) wait a bit then press the pedal down and fire it up. If it doesn't start first try then letting it sit for five to ten minutes before trying again is the only way, and it will usually start and sputter at really low rpms for up to thirty seconds (pedal on the floor the whole time) before it starts and can be a little hesitant even then until it revs then idles normally.
I have noticed once started it runs perfect while the engine is cold it is much more forgiving about which gear i am in i.e. if i am in a higher gear and not giving it enough gas it will shudder like when coming to a stop without using the clutch, however when i give it more it accelerates smoothly. The temp gauge has not gone over half way to indicate overheating and the oil looks normal (not milky to indicate a blown head gasket).
I have also noticed when cruising at a constant speed for a bit a surge of acceleration without me pressing the gas pedal any further.
Some of this may be me getting used to a bigger truck as i have only owned 5spd 4cyl 2wd stock vehicles before and the engine is working harder to turn the bigger tires. I have gotten accustomed to driving with theses quirks but my main concern is being able to start the truck.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
AnswerHello, whenever a question starts with "I recently purchased" a red flag pops up because in most cases you purcheased some problems along with the vehicle. I can't give step by step instructions on how to diagnose this, it would get way too involved, but I can make some suggestions as to what the problem may be.
It does sound it's a fuel related issue which could be caused by:
a malfunctioning cold start injector,it's located on the intake on the right side upper plenum chamber
A bad fuel pressure regulator, assuming the fuel pump is ok (it sounds like it is)
an air intake leak, especially the intake hoses between the throttle body and the air filter, these can crack and cause intermittent problems
a bad airflow meter
a bad ECM (engine control module)
By the way does the check engine light ever turn on?
Does the check engine light turn on when the key is turned on and then go off when the engine runs?
