Today I experienced something that I haven’t seen before on my ’99 4R (V6) Limited (72Kmi).

Here is the history:

Early this morning I moved my 4R from the garage to the street (flooring guy needed the garage space for the day). It started as usual and I backed it out to the street and shut if off. It ran for maybe 30 - 45 seconds. The parking position was on a noticeable incline but not too steep, the front of the car pointing up the hill. The temperature was about 23F. It got up to about 40 and dropped down to about 30 by the time I got back to starting it up at about 5:00. Also, an important point to note is that the fuel was at about 1/8 tank. Later (after I got it started) I went immediately and fueled up. I put 12.5 gallons to full. So this means 18 – 12.5=5.5 gals remained? I have had it this low many times and have never experienced this problem before.

Here is the problem:

So I went to start my 4R after it had been sitting all day. Nothing unusual about this. What was different was that 1) it was really cold, 2) it was on a hill, 3) it was somewhat “low” on fuel, 4) It hadn’t run very long from the last time it was started.

I cranked the motor over, it acted as if it was going to “catch” and take off so I let go of the starter and it didn’t start but it did “sputter” and shook rather vigorously. I cranked it again and held it. It wouldn’t turn over. I held the starter for about 5-7 seconds…it didn’t kick over just cranked. I let it rest for about 10 seconds and hit it again. Same situation. Let it rest for about a minute and hit it again. It took off and it really rev’ed when it took off and started. The idle went up to about 1800 RPM and gradually went down to its “warmed up” idle speed after it reached normal operating temp. It seemed to idle a bit rough for the first few minuets of its warm up cycle. But it could have been this way all along, I just never noticed perhaps.

Anyway, I have never experienced that long of a need to crank the engine.

1)Could this be a case of the fuel being low that it couldn’t reach the fuel pump pick up point in the tank? BTW, where is the fuel pump located on a 4R? Towards the “rear” or the “front” of the tank?

2)Is this perhaps a bad combination of all the elements above?

3)I felt like it may have been “flooded”…does this happen to late model 4Rs/Toyotas?

4)Should I be concerned at all or just keep on truckin’ and set up a flag if it keeps it up?

Also, went back out just a bit ago and it cranked right over. It also cranked right over after getting the gas too.

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks!

Jimbo3san

it's most likely a compination of all of it... I have a 2000 4runner and mines out side all the time in cold weather and sometimes it'll be cranky on cold mornings. And with low fuel and on a hill all the gas in your tank will be at the back of the tank and your fuel pump is usually near the front soo it was probably trying to get gas. If it's working fine now you shouldn't have anything to worry about... just keep an eye on it. If it doesn't do it for a few weeks or so your golden.