95 Tacoma hard to start when hot

[mattmaxon]

Hi all
I know this was asked before but.....

I too have trouble starting "sometimes" when the engine is hot and the weather is hot.

It just cranks and cranks but nothing, turn it off, try it again, over and over, eventually it will start right up like nothing ever happened.

It must be electrical, EFI relay? Fuel pump relay?

I brought it to the dealer who couldn't reproduce it and wouldn't offer any solutions other than "what until it does it all the time" (Bob Smith Toyota La Cresenta, Ca), but it wasn't from a lack of trying as they used up a 1/4 tank of gas.

This isn't an option for me as I go to many remote areas way off any paved road, towing would be a bloody fortune way more than a few crummy relays, not to mention just getting out to call for a tow.

Has anyone solved this problem?

[bigwoody1]

I had the exact same problem with my 1996 Tacoma, and took it to the dealer three times. Spent a lot of money before I took it to a friend who had a sensor troubleshooting device. The troubleshooting code did nothing to help our search. Finally...we found a sensor, just past the air filter intake. This "sensor", whatever it is, had two small wires and was covered in "junk". The problem was that I had installed a K&N air filter a few months before, and the oil used on the air filter had gotten past and allowed these two sensor wires to pick up all sorts of debris. Cleaned the sensor off with a little contact cleaner in my garage, and I have never had the problem since (over two years). Try to find and clean this sensor first. Just past the air filter intake. Good Luck

[mattmaxon]

Originally Posted by bigwoody1

I had the exact same problem with my 1996 Tacoma, and took it to the dealer three times. Spent a lot of money before I took it to a friend who had a sensor troubleshooting device. The troubleshooting code did nothing to help our search. Finally...we found a sensor, just past the air filter intake. This "sensor", whatever it is, had two small wires and was covered in "junk". The problem was that I had installed a K&N air filter a few months before, and the oil used on the air filter had gotten past and allowed these two sensor wires to pick up all sorts of debris. Cleaned the sensor off with a little contact cleaner in my garage, and I have never had the problem since (over two years). Try to find and clean this sensor first. Just past the air filter intake. Good Luck

Yeah
I had trouble with the very same sensor a while back but I had a check engine light, I will check the connection though and endevor to find out what it's name is.
Cheers
Matt

[mattmaxon]

Originally Posted by bigwoody1

I had the exact same problem with my 1996 Tacoma, and took it to the dealer three times. Spent a lot of money before I took it to a friend who had a sensor troubleshooting device. The troubleshooting code did nothing to help our search. Finally...we found a sensor, just past the air filter intake. This "sensor", whatever it is, had two small wires and was covered in "junk". The problem was that I had installed a K&N air filter a few months before, and the oil used on the air filter had gotten past and allowed these two sensor wires to pick up all sorts of debris. Cleaned the sensor off with a little contact cleaner in my garage, and I have never had the problem since (over two years). Try to find and clean this sensor first. Just past the air filter intake. Good Luck

I looked in my chiltons there are 2 sensors shown, 1 directly on the air filter housing and one on the tube leading out. The one on the filter is the IAT (Intake Air Temp) 2 wires, and the other is the MAF (Mass Air Flow) 3 wires, I assume if either of these were even briefly disconnected or malfunctioning in some way I'd have a stored code. The dealer says there is no stored codes.

I did go out and check anyway, the connections are clean and tight.

I ordered an IEQUUS Professional Fuel Injection Pressure Tester, and a OBD Automotive Diagnostics, OBDII interface w/software

http://obddiagnostics.com/


This should help put this problem to rest once and for all, right now I'm leaning toward a bad fuel pressure regulator or bad fuel injector(s)