Choke 1990 Toyota Pick-em-up

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

4 cyl, rear drive
It's not your old school cable.
And there's more going on it seems than a choke.
At any rate mine's busted. I gotta pour gas in the carburetor to start the thing.
Any one know what to look for?

[Joe Pelonio]

Fuel injected electric pump, right?

In those years as I recall there was a small door inside the air cleaner, operated by vacuum and a temperature sensor that closed when cold
to keep air from getting in (choke). Those could get stuck and be cleaned with WD40 so that they could open and close freely. Normally it would be the other way, though, sticking closed and causing problems including a trouble light on the dash when it warmed up.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Cleaned with WD 40? I'll try anything easy as that.

I wouldn't say it's injected. It's got a carburetor.

[David G Baker]

Cliff,
You didn't say how many miles you have on your Toyota. If you don't have too many miles on it, it is well worth sinking some bucks into it if the fix isn't a simple one. Friends of mine have put over 300,000 miles on their Toys and they still keep on ticking with out spending much expensive time at the doctor's office.

[Lee Schierer]

Fuel injected electric pump, right?

In those years as I recall there was a small door inside the air cleaner, operated by vacuum and a temperature sensor that closed when cold
to keep air from getting in (choke). Those could get stuck and be cleaned with WD40 so that they could open and close freely. Normally it would be the other way, though, sticking closed and causing problems including a trouble light on the dash when it warmed up.

That little door was for warming up the engine and opened a vent pipe that went to the exhaust manifold where air was pulled over the manifold to the carb. All it did was help the engine warm up quicker.

Inside the carb there is a butterfly that is supposed to close when the choke is set by pressing the gas pedal all the way down when the engine is cold and not running. The shaft on this butterfly was coated with green colored teflon, but small bits of dirt would get in the pivots and lock the butterfly in the open position where it goes when the engine is warm. Spray some carb cleaner on the ends of the shaft where they enter the housing and work the butterfly back and forth until it is released. Once it will freely close all the way your engine should start normally.

[Joe Pelonio]

If it looks like a carburetor it may be throttle body fuel injection, you can tell if there's a sprayer-like device with wires and a tube above the butterfly when you remove the air cleaner. I didn't think anyone still used a real carb in 1990.

[Lance Norris]

I didn't think anyone still used a real carb in 1990.

My 87 Dakota was the last year that Chrysler used a carb. Ill bet the Toyota has a throttle body.

[Steve Clardy]

Possibly the accelerator pump if it has a carburetor.

Pump gives it the initial shot of gas

[bill kiss]

Toyota still made a few carbureted trucks in 1990 although most were FI. Before you try to start it in the morning, step on gas pedal to the floor and let off. this should set the choke. Take off the air cleaner & make sure the choke is most of the way closed. If it is, the choke is probably ok. Next have someone pump the gas pedal while you are looking down the carb and see if you have a 'pump shot' of gas from the accelerator pump. either of these is likely to be your problem.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Take off the air cleaner & make sure the choke is most of the way closed. If it is, the choke is probably ok. OK.


Next have someone pump the gas pedal while you are looking down the carb and see if you have a 'pump shot' of gas from the accelerator pump. either of these is likely to be your problem.

OK
I try that.

There are two units that look like vacuum units one large one is on the back of the carburetor and the other is mounted on a bracket to it's left.

[Joe Pelonio]

A picture or two would help.

[Chris Padilla]

I drove this very year/model for over 15 years before I got a new one. Now I'm not sure of the difference between a throttle body and carburetor but I'd say it most definately looked like a carburetor to me. It was NOT fuel-injected for sure.

Pick up a Chilton's repair guide. I worked on my truck quite a bit but never had a problem like you're describing.

I'd remove the air-cleaner housing and start fiddling with where the accelerator cable hooks into the carburetor. Pull it back and see if it squirts gas--I'm guessing it doesn't.

I still see my truck (sold it to my nanny's son) so I could look at it. Post some pics as well.

[Joe Pelonio]

Now I'm not sure of the difference between a throttle body and carburetor but I'd say it most definately looked like a carburetor to me.
It basically a carburetor with 1-4 injection devices on top that shoots the fuel in.

http://www.wedgeparts.com/tr8tbi07.jpg

that was used early on, before the more modern F.I systems with one injector for each cylinder located on the sides of the heads.
http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/attachments/5-0l-tech/38230d1200551143-1988-mustang-gt-fuel-injection-wire-harness-picture-019.jpg

[Chris Padilla]

Yeah, the 2.4L 4-banger in the 1990 Toyota was most certainly a good old carburator but it did have an option to upgrade to higher-performance FI if I recall correctly.

That truck is a great truck...still running well for our nanny's son. I gave it to him with about 110k on odometer...I think it has 160-170k on it now. I never had any issues with it.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

It basically a carburetor with 1-4 injection devices on top that shoots the fuel in.

http://www.wedgeparts.com/tr8tbi07.jpg



That ain't what I got. I don't have those eeletrikkal vulcan mind link doohickies on top o' my carb I got two butterfly's that let air in.

[Lee Schierer]

I got two butterfly's that let air in.

Check the butterflys to see if they close when you mash dah pedal to dah floor and let it up. If they don't your car won't start.

[John Downey]

Hey Cliff, I'm a bit late here but why not?

I put a Weber carb on my wife's 87 Toyota. Those Hitachi carbs are a nightmare once they stop working right. Weber's a nice simple carb, though the kit sets you back a couple hundred. Might not be the solution for you, but it could be a good step if you want to keep the truck going (we're at about 230K now, I think the body will fall off in pieces before that motor quits).

[Jason Roehl]

Hey, Joe, fuel injectors typically don't "sit on top of the heads"--they typically inject into the intake manifold, which is attached to the cylinder heads, so they don't have to be very high pressure. There are a few manufacturers who have messed around with "direct injection" over the years, and I think Ford's new 5.0L Coyote engine will be a pushrod DI engine. Diesel is another story--the Big & Bankrupt 3 have all been using DI for years, which means injection pressure measured in the tens of thousands of PSI (generally anywhere from 20,000 - 40,000 PSI).

My ex-BIL worked for Cummins for many years--I got to learn quite a bit about diesels in particular, but engines in general.

Throttle body injection must have been a bad idea--nobody stuck with it for very long.

[Paul Ryan]

I've owned 1 japanese car my life an 03 camry. That was 1 to many. Never again will a buy a japanese piece of junk. Motor only lasted 120K I was the 2nd owner. I worked as a mechanic for 17 years and that was the 1st expensive car I ever bought. I always bought $100 cars before that one.

Anyway. Have you got the truck fixed yet? If not as others have said a couple of pictures would help.

How cold is it when it wont start? Will it start when the truck is warm, meaning you have driven a few miles? These few questions will answer a lot. Does it run nomally once started? It is hard to diagnosis something through internet.