power loss 2 mins after starting

Hi there this is my first Super Custom - I owned about 6 4wd Delicas before this. Thanks for having me.

Most days - power loss 1-6  minutes after starting, spend 5 minutes trying to get it started again - aways starts eventually. Never cuts out when hot.


I have a repaired ECU and a spare I bought from NZ in case. Same problem with both (i would be pretty unlucky to have 2 faulty ecus especially when 1 has been checked by 2 outfits. -caps replaced/tracks repaired).
Air/ fuel filters replaced recently. No fault codes.


I took it for a big fast accelerating mission a couple of days ago using up half a tank because it hasnt been for a decent fast drive for about 4 months - just local sub 4km trips, hopefully squirting the fuel pump filters hard out maybe cleaned them up because....

Next day - almost cut out twice but kept going (first time for months it has been this good)
Day after that  - didnt cut out at all! :-0 happy days - but will probably come back if my experience is anything to go by.


I guess I am up for a fuel pump recondition $2k+ if it comes back - which it usually does. fuel pump has yellow paint on bolts - so it is either from a wreckers or has already been reconditioned. Van has only done 160k, well if it wasnt clocked too badly/at all in Japan (previous owner in Australia had it for years and only drove it twice a week for 40km at a time.).

Any other ideas welcome.

Hi!
I had an issue of 'diesel bug', when it cuts out next time see if the primer pump handle has been sucked down. If so you have a fuel blockage in the tank pickup filter.

The ECU's temperature sensor (different from the gauge sensor) may be playing up. I've never been able to locate this sensor however so god knows where it lives.

On the outside of the pump are some 'resistors' that are supposed to be something to do with temperature too but I don't know what exactly, the 4WD forums seem to have a lot of 1kz-te experience so maybe worth a look.

I had a similar problem. Turned out to be an o ring at the top of the fuel filter housing that was letting fuel out & air into the line overnight. It's not the standard o ring that comes with the filter. From memory it's below the hand primer button.
The SCs have a different filter housing to the 4-Runners & Prados so it was an unusual thing I'd not seen in forums but I figure it must happen to many SCs of this age.

Interesting point Pete. I ended up changing my primer pump out for a new one (they are pretty cheap, it's the bit on top of the fuel filter) as the diaphram had cracked inside so it had a small fuel (and therefore air) leak.

Yes. The fuel line runs downhill to the injector pump from there so that was staying full of diesel, enough to run the engine for 5 mins or so then it'd hit air and either stutter & stumble for a few secs or cut out. Because there's no in-tank fuel pump pressurising the fuel line in these, the leak wasn't apparent until I randomly decided to try hand priming while cranking the starter. Diesel then weeped/flooded out around the primer shaft.

It seemed to be a random thing, but if it occurred it was when idling at, or pulling away from the first set of traffic lights from my house. If I didn't stop there, it never occurred - I figure it was pulling enough fuel through to drive-through any air in the line.

It got to point one day it simply wouldn't restart (after unloading a full trailer of tree branches at the tip in the rain). That's when I tried priming and diesel started coming out around the primer. Diesel spills not being that volatile, I just pumped away while cranking the starter.

Again from memory, I think it was the shaft of that primer but not sure unless I eyeball it. It was pretty obvious at the time. The o-ring was close enough size to a standard one in a large nitrile ring kit I have but it was so tight I had to really whack It back together. Given the choice again I'd def try to get the correct size o-ring from Toyota if available.

thx

hmm i see an occasional drip sometimes coming out of water sensor - going to tighten it up

i am going to work on the side prior to the fuel pump , the far cheaper side first... for air leaks that may be getting sucking into fuel pump.

I had a look for the exact same primer pump/filter housing to replace as like you say it isnt expansive really compared to a a fuel pump recondition attempt at fixing, but could only find one on a japanese website that was around $135 us dollars, where did  you find yours? thx

An update.

I pumped the primer hard. Stick a torch under it.. dripping.

Then I took off the 2 fuel pipes attached that looked fine.. but had perish cracks in ends of them and also with the clips on them they rotate easy.

So my mission was to seal all possibility of air getting sucked it which could be causing problem.

I undid the 2 primer bolts, detached 2 hoses, unplugged water sensor ( thing under it - stuck but got it unplugged eventually). Put it in bucket to drain off all the diesel as much as I could.

Then I untwisted the sensor off the filter, wiped some diesel on o ring and did it back up with help of a vice.. (1 1/2 turns it says of filter.. fairly tight!)

Then untwisted the water drain and wrapped some ptfe tape around thread closest to twisty bit.

I screwed it back up with a pair of pliers.. not stupid tight but tighter than I could manage with my hand..

Then a went to $2 shop and bought some house clamps.

I used the hose clamps instead of the spring clips and did them tight.

Dud it all back up. Primed it and it hasn't cut out for 3 days.. longest for a while. But only long term will tell as I have had a week here and there of it not happening before!

I ran a diesel fuel cleaner ( not injector cleaner) in hope if fuel pump filters were a bit blocked it may help because it is so expensive to recon the pump.

Repairing/ replacing the ecu had made no difference.

Thx for the suggestion about your leaking fuel filter!

I want to replace the sensor, primer pump and hoses next if it works out ( pretty old now) but cannot find anywhere outside of japan.

My fuel pump has painted Allen key bolts so it might have already been reconditioned or is from a breakers.

Cool!

Most big Toyota diesel primer pumps seems to be the same and there are lots of pattern parts too, just check the inlet and outlet are in the same places and you should be good to go.

I changed mine for one that looked the same and it fitted Ok.

Update. Lol it started cutting out again

Seems improved overall tho.

The slightest diesel sheen showing on water sensor wire.. no drip, could be path for air in.

Might be enough to suck in some air.

Thinking it is an air problem as it only happens
During first few minutes, then goes away.

Trying to find a primer and sensor that will fit.. the original supercustom one from JP is very expensive.

I bought this one for £35:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181905690784

For TOYOTA LUCIDA HIACE 4RUNNER LANDCRUISER DIESEL LIFT PRIMER PUMP & FILTER

Fits Ok and seems to work fine!

Sounds to me your pick up pipe is blocked as was mine also check for air in return pipe by fitting a clear tube into a clear bottle run the engine if there is air you will see it, the return flow on the 1kzte is quite high as the IP sucks fuel all the way from the tank, to allow for any air ingress I suppose. I run mine on WVO and the only way to solve fuel starvation was to fit an electric lift pump near the tank .

Duplicate

Thx, not what sure a pick up pipe is and how to check it.

Fitted an aftermarket primer that came with a new filter and a water sensor ( wrong connector for supercustom.. but best I could do.) Only just fits as spigots came way more angled than in product image but did get it to fit. 2 we efi rated fuel hoses and 4 specialised fuel hose clips.




Easy job.

Let's see what happens.
It cut out for the last 4 days after not cutting out for ages. Didnt cut out with new primer etc today but did a few " jumps and kept going.

The next few weeks will tell me if there is any improvement.

Have never had such a random problem where it comes and goes.

Fingers crossed.

What i bought.. thought steering fluid tank was going to be in way but ended up fitting.. by mms

https://www.onlineautoparts.com.au/products/ZPN-15130__?noseo=true

Interesting, I think the old pump had the inlet on the opposite side!

Any air leak between the tank pickup and the injector pump will cause issues as it's vacuum lift only - no pump at the tank end!

Some people will fit a pump too, that's always an option if you get desparate!

Well 3 days in it is still cutting out after about 4km.
Always starts up again. May do it once or a few times within a 5 mins... then it is is good for rest of day.

Today I put in my $500 kiwi ECU I bought as a spare and to test.

Last time it cut out with this ecu.. this time didnt cut out at all lol!!

Still the most random problem I have ever encountered!

Next ì am going to start unplugging the old ecu when I test it again to see if it is remembering something.

This problem is starting to make me paranoid!

Been unplugging the ECU overnight.

No problem for a couple of days. Now back to happening every day.

Cuts out after 7 mins - nearly always, a period of cutting out fro about 2 -3 mins then good for teh rest of the day.

Got a Japanese Toyota guy to look at it, he said the power to the spill valve went to zero for one second when it cut out (had multimeter on it).

The spill valve blocks up the 'spill' to force more fuel into the engine, controlled by a PWM current to close it by varying amounts.

So I would check and clean the plug/socket nearby.
The 7min pattern is trying to tell us something. Is the tank breather filter clear?
Is the van battery and alternator Ok?
Is a temperature sensor faulty so the ECU shuts off an engine it thinks is faulty?

thx for your suggestions, appreciated


Great idea I will do a wiggle test and clean connector that goes to spill valve.

Tank breather filter - -Would voltage of spill valve drop to 0 if it was a fuel blockage/air in fuel problem? not sure.. maybe i should try running run fuel directly into fuel pump from a fuel can.

I seem to have a water temperature sensor below water filler cap and a fule temperture sensor screwed into fule pump... i see 4wd places sell after market fuel temnp sensors for hiluxes .. hmmm

Bought New battery
Alternator - same old one.

I dont know if there is an overall ECD (electronically controll diesel Relay.

There is a 1KZ-te Workshop Manual I found for a surf/hilux online which is helping me work things out a bit.

Can you post a to the 1kz-te manual please? We are all looking for that!

0V for the spill valve is unexpected, I'd say 60% chance a contact problem, 40% the ECU trying to shut it down. It depends how the ECU responds to shutdown events:

but you could test this perhaps by unplugging the engine temperature sensor when it's idling, and see if it shuts the engine down. The only drawback to the idea is that I've never managed to find it, only the one for the gauge.

https://toyota-ace.ru has some good resources.

Cool.

I unplugged it. Engine warning light on but still running.

I'll see if it cuts out without it plugged in after 6 minutes, which is normally when it cuts out.

Great find for the resource!!

Interesting about the temperature sensor.

Can you see with a multimeter when the resistance of the sensor is when cold, and when warm.
It may be that you can use a resistor to simulate too hot, if we have those, some sensors reduce resistance with heat (carbon based ones), some increase (metal based ones).

So currently the odds are edging toward a dodgy connection for the spill valve PWM, but still uncertain.

I got fuel pump reconditioned.

started! but the fuel pump spindle got pushed back into fuel pump by the timing pulley somehow.

very experienced diesel mechanic, said "couldnt put their finger on it" why this happened and wasnt even sure how this was possible.


close to taking it to wreckers but maybe 1 final try.

any ideas...? thx

i also need another fuel pump.. 2100-67070 as person that worked on it offered no charge if he keeps pump.

still cannot find another fuel pump.. not many around right now it seems

Update!

Diesel injection" specialists said there was next to no chance it was my fuel pump.

A few weeks later they changed their mind

They Reconditioned my fuel pump - it self imploded after install

they had another one (same one) that they said would not fit and would not risk putting it in

so after months i got it towed somewhere else and bought the same pump from a wreckers.

They installed it and it works.

4 - 5 months off the road. My spare ECU is now also missing from the vehicle.

You couldnt make this stuff up!