Engine Stalling/Dieing

[Harbinger]

Ok, so a buddy of mine with a 97 tacoma and I headed out for some mud this weekend. Problems arose when:

 

A ) I was attempting a hill climb, I attempted it, then backed off, several times, and while I was doing this my engine started to die, ideling really slowly, etc. In fact it DID die before I made it up the hill. When attempting to restart It took about 30seconds of cranking to get her to start..

 

B ) I went through a smallish mud hole, and on incline on the way out of the hole it startted to stutter again, and in fact died. Then it wouldn't start, (more cranking) so we popped the hood and let it sit. Few minutes later it started right up.

 

C ) Did a few more runs through puddles and got the same results on another incline. (albeit a slight incline, but an incline nonetheless)

 

My buddy thought that it was just something under hood getting wet, but when A) happend I hadn't hit any mud yet.

 

The engine just seemed really really, unwilling to move, getting it to rev up was slow. Once I got it back onto pavement and on my way home it ran (seemingly) fine.

 

The starter cranking was unusual too, usually my pathy starts right up, faster than my VW most of the time...

 

Any ideas oh great pathy gods?

 

Ps. Pics to come

Edited March 28, 2005 by Harbinger

[88pathoffroad]

Fuel filter clogged perhaps...

[Harbinger]

Ok, Will look into that. Seeing as I'm at work with my pathy and fix it manuals at home, where is the fuel filter located?

[94extreme]

engine bay by the fire wall...

 

maybe your fuel pump is weak too... did your truck get hot?

[Harbinger]

No I didn't notice anything going on with the temp. Although I have noticed that this trucks heater warms up fairly quick, although my temp gauge hardly moves.

 

The Guy i bought it from said it was common on this truck for the thermostat to stay open??

 

My pathy does have 267000 miles on it though....

[94extreme]

 

The Guy i bought it from said it was common on this truck for the thermostat to stay open??

 

NO!

 

 

but with that many miles maybe it needs some hard core maintenance... injectors could also be pretty fouled up... i've had similar issues in other trucks and it was always something with the fuel system, not delivering enough, or overheating this assuming you didn't get anythign wet.... check pump, filter, carb (tbi or whatever)... you may want to check the fuel lines for leaks, kinks, or any other damage...

[Harbinger]

Thanks for the help, Fuel system does seem likely! Curses, guess I'm going to de-virginize my mechanic skills finally. Changing oil and running wires doesn't count torwards this stuff :-) Just hope It doesn't get to far over my head....

[jj big shoe]

How full was your gas tank?

Maybe the inclines were steep enough and the terrain rough enough to slosh the couple of gallons of fuel in your tank around so that your fuel pump pick up was sucking fumes.

A friend of mine thought something was wrong with his motorcycle when it would bog out after a few turns. Ends up he was just low on fuel.

[94extreme]

How full was your gas tank?

lol. that'd do it...

 

just read you manual and look twice etc.. and ask away....

[Harbinger]

I started the day with a full tank, still had 3/4 of a tank left for the drive home. (Left while I still knew I could get out under my own power) Pretty sure thats not it :-) Thanks for the suggestion though.