TTORA Forum banner

Starting Problems

3872 Views 19 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  ecar95
Okay guys...I need your help.
My 2001 w/50k has a had time starting....
It cranks and starts for half a second and dies...
Every noow and then it starts up completely but I say that's 1 in 30 tries or so.
Anyone experience this problem? any clues?
TIA.
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
When was the last time you changed the spark plugs?
ChargedTaco said:
Okay guys...I need your help.
My 2001 w/50k has a had time starting....
It cranks and starts for half a second and dies...
Every noow and then it starts up completely but I say that's 1 in 30 tries or so.
Anyone experience this problem? any clues?
TIA.
plugs, fuel and air. check for spark. have you reset the ecu??? or looked for engine codes???

for that 1/2 second of running are you giving it gas??? what happens??
tbrown said:
When was the last time you changed the spark plugs?
the plugs were changed at 25k....
grumpy said:
plugs, fuel and air. check for spark. have you reset the ecu??? or looked for engine codes???

for that 1/2 second of running are you giving it gas??? what happens??
The spark is there...
I have disconnected the battery to reset the ecu.
Do you know if any engine codes would be present even if it doesn't throw a check engine light?

What happens is that when I crank it, it sounds like it is started, then when I release the key...it dies.

Oh BTW...I started happening after I changed the fuel filter.(coincedence?)
ChargedTaco said:
The spark is there...
I have disconnected the battery to reset the ecu.
Do you know if any engine codes would be present even if it doesn't throw a check engine light?

What happens is that when I crank it, it sounds like it is started, then when I release the key...it dies.

Oh BTW...I started happening after I changed the fuel filter.(coincedence?)
The filter is probably it. Did you put it on backwards or pich the fuel line or anything? Sounds like it's not getting any fuel.
well..it ran right before the filter change? is there a bleed relief to let air out of the fuel lines on tacos?
ive seen tacos have similar probs when the air intake tube aint on like it should.:rolleyes:
SteveO said:
The filter is probably it. Did you put it on backwards or pich the fuel line or anything? Sounds like it's not getting any fuel.
The filter is on correctly....When it does start, it runs good....getting it started is the hard part.
KRYPTO(dale) said:
well..it ran right before the filter change? is there a bleed relief to let air out of the fuel lines on tacos?
ive seen tacos have similar probs when the air intake tube aint on like it should.:rolleyes:
I don't think there is one of those bleed relief things.
And yes, it ran great before the filter change.
akshunj said:
What other mods do you have?
Engine wise....headers and an exhaust, stock paper filter.
Not supercharged...although the name can be misleading.
Well you could check the fuel pressure by either using a gauge or pull one of the fuel rails, disconnect spark and have someone crank it while you see if the injectors are spraying. (into a catch pan)

Do you get a strong odor of fuel vapors when it won't start?
ChargedTaco said:
Okay guys...I need your help.
My 2001 w/50k has a had time starting....
It cranks and starts for half a second and dies...
Every noow and then it starts up completely but I say that's 1 in 30 tries or so.
Anyone experience this problem? any clues?
TIA.
I had starting problems on my '01, but it would start after the second try. It turned out the MAF and the idle control valve were dirty. The oil from the TRD filter coated the MAF and gummed up the idle control valve. After cleaning both parts with electronic parts cleaner for the MAF sensor and intake cleaner for the idle control valve, the truck started perfectly every time. And it ran better, got better gas milage, and idled smoother.
akshunj said:
Well you could check the fuel pressure by either using a gauge or pull one of the fuel rails, disconnect spark and have someone crank it while you see if the injectors are spraying. (into a catch pan)

Do you get a strong odor of fuel vapors when it won't start?
I checked the fuel pressure...released the pressure at the rail, cranked it and checked to see if the pressure built up again...looked good.

The vapors don't seem excessive although it is present. :confused:
SP Jon M3 said:
I had starting problems on my '01, but it would start after the second try. It turned out the MAF and the idle control valve were dirty. The oil from the TRD filter coated the MAF and gummed up the idle control valve. After cleaning both parts with electronic parts cleaner for the MAF sensor and intake cleaner for the idle control valve, the truck started perfectly every time. And it ran better, got better gas milage, and idled smoother.
I'm gonna check on that. Thanks.
The idle control valve....that's the part under screwed under the throttle body right?
Do you have a K&N Air Filter, or any oild treated one? They cover the MAF with a oily film. What brand of plugs did you replace with?
ChargedTaco said:
I'm gonna check on that. Thanks.
The idle control valve....that's the part under screwed under the throttle body right?
Yeah.. small, greenish (hard to tell, I'm color blind) plastic gismo just below the throttle body. Has two phillips screws holding it in.

To clean it you remove the greenish plastic housing, you can rotate the actual valve. It should rotate very smoothly, if not it's dirty. There should be a hose right below the valve, remove this. Then spray intake cleaner through the top of the valve (seen through the opening the the throttle body) while rotating the valve. You will see the cleaner come out of the tube that you pulled the hose off of. You might want to put a towel to soak up the cleaner. After a while you should feel the valve rotate very easily.

Reassemble and you should be good to go...

Good luck and hope this helps.
Before you do anything else, take a good look under the hood. Make sure the MAF sensor is securely plugged in, the throttle position sensor is plugged in, all the injectors are plugged in. Make sure all the injectors are plugged in too. Have you scanned the ECU for codes?

You can rule out the Idle Air Control Valve by stepping on the gas a little bit while starting it. The idle air control valve only affects idle when the throttle plate is closed.

Some other sensors that will cause the truck not to run are the crank and cam position sensors.



Have you hooked up a diagnostic tester to see if there are any stored codes? If it is a problem with a sensor then there might be a code.

Did you disconnect anything under the hood to get at the fuel filter?
See less See more
SteveO said:
The filter is probably it. Did you put it on backwards or pich the fuel line or anything? Sounds like it's not getting any fuel.
Interesting.
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top