Getting my butt kicked here!

I have a 1991 Toyota 4 cylinder Pickup. I let it sit for a couple months and went to start it and it turned over great but never fired. Today I changed the spark plugs and wire set, distributor cap and rotor, still didn't start.

Then I suspected that it was a fuel problem. Troubleshooting this took a long time and I found a few clues which hopefully someone here can help me determine the problem.

I started at the top of the gas tank and followed (2) metal tubes coming from the top of the gas tank and went forward until there was a place to disconnect them. With the lines unhooked I got my wife to turn the engine over. There was no gas coming through the lines when she cranked it. The tank is half full. What does this mean???

Is the fuel pump inside the gas tank?

If you think it could be the fuel pump, how does one troubleshoot the pump?

Isn't it true that when you turn the keyswitch to on but not crank the engine, you should hear a whine noise which is the fuel pump? I am not sure. But I don't hear anything like that.

To further complicate my problem, I bought a fuel filter at Wal Mart which was the wrong one, I bought the one their electronic pad told me was for my vehicle and then I looked all over the truck for a fuel filter that looked like the one I bought (Fram G4191 for $5.00) which is plastic and couldn't find it. Then I called Pep Boys and they told me that it should be a "metal" filter, cost $21.99 and had a different part number.

I would greatly appreciate any help received because I really need this vehicle now.

Thank You!!!

*If* the fuel pump is in the tank, the easiest way to reach it is to get some deep sockets for the 14mm (I think) nuts holding the bed on. Undo the screws holding the fuel filling stem. Then get a friend to help you raise/tilt the bed up, prop a couple 2x4's to keep the bed out of your way. You now have the fuel tank, in place, at mid-thigh height and the fuel pump right on top.
I hope that's correct. It's been awhile. A fuel pump will co$t you. You might check for blockages in the lines first.

I put in a test jumper on terminals B+ & Fp. The truck did not start but I noticed a few things.

1) With the jumper in place and the ignition switch turned on, but not to the start position I measured the voltage on the jumper with reference to the negative post on the battery.
Results: 10.58 Volts

2) With the jumper out and the ignition switch turned on I measured the voltage on the B+ Terminal with respect to the negative post on the battery.
Results: 12.5 Volts (The same as the battery of course)

Is this normal?

Should the fuel pump pull down the voltage by 2 VDC when the jumper is in?

I am wondering if that is enough voltage to energize the fuel pump.

Do you think the fuel pump is bad?

Thanks ALOT!!!

your fuel filter is metal, it's right above your starter, it's black i think, you can find it o the passenger side, best to look from the side of the vehicle, if you have a lift. when you connect the fp and the +b you turn your fuel pump on, so connect those and turn the ignition ON, but dont start it, go to the right side of your truck (gas tank) do you hear a hump, or purr?? If not, time for a new pump, if so and no gas comes of of the lines, follow the hose that connects to the front end of the fuel filter, squeeze it, squeeze both just to make sure. Do you feel any pressure? Did it make a noise back at the fuel tank, if so that is gas going back to the tank, but I think your fuel pump is dead, and yes it is in the tank.

Turns out the fuel pump had 12V going to it and wouldn't run. So I am in the process of changing it. The fuel lines coming out the top of the fuel pump bracket flange were very rusted and broke when trying to loosen the nut on them to get the pump assembly out of the tank. This caused some delays but was able to unsolder these lines from the bracket and put new gas lines in the old bracket. The fuel pump cost $104 at Advance.

I will probably change the fuel filter also before starting the truck. Thanks for all the help!!!

I just wanted to THANK everybody involved in helping me get this truck running again. Connecting all the hoses and wiring and securing the tank was a "pain" but I got through it. It started right up and I am very happy to have her back!

THANK YOU!!!

gpwhite7
Did you lower the tank or tilt the box?

I dropped the tank, although looking back I wished I'd pulled the bed off. If I'd done that I probably wouldn't have broken the gas lines which were corroded. But then they probably would've sprung a leak later anyway! As of now I still havn't changed the fuel filter. Trucks got 168,000 miles on it. Just looking where the filter is located, I don't know if I should do it now since it's running good!

Thanks!!!