No Electric fan.
The smaller resistors haven’t worked out so far. I am presently using an 860 OHM resistor. I just finished installing a convenience disconnect switch in the cabin for easier starting just in case the 850 OHM resistor doesn’t work next summer. The climate is a little cooler currently so it was a lot easier to do the work.
I replaced the spark plugs (They may have caused the additional heat build up - won’t know until next summer). The 850 OHM RESISTOR and the new plugs increased my MPG FROM 20,25 MPG to 25.42675 MPG. The driving was 50% surface streets and the rest freeway driving at 65 to 75 MPH. If I slowed down the MPG would surely increase. By slowing down around here I will probably get run over.
Wow, have had this problem for over 5 years on my 96’ Tacoma 2.4 and it’s makes me feel better (misery loves company) that this is a wide spread problem. I’ve switched out many sensors and even cleaned the MAF sensor which only made my check engine light shut off and was able to get it smogged.
I too have resorted to parking on a slight grade so I can roll start it when it gets hot, don’t know why it’s starts right away when that happens but it does. I smell a lot of fuel when it cranks and doesn’t start when hot…so it’s got to be a sensor of sort that I’m not getting. The mechanics I talk to don’t seem to have a solution other that throwing money at it changing sensors. Are there any new updates out there??
Thanks.
As a trouble shooting technique, those cans of compressed air actually blast out pretty cold. Since it appears to be a heat soaked condition hitting one component at a time might provide an answer, if it does not flood!
I have heard about things like this happening due to leaky fuel injectors. You made mention of smelling a strong gas odor when cranking. Put a fuel pressure gage on the truck, start it, and leave it sit overnight or simply for the time period it takes for this hard start condition to occur. If the pressure drops significantly, you have a leaky fuel injector.
We had an '89 Camry which had the same problem for several years. We tried numerous fixes proposed by mechanics, and none of them worked. It was finally fixed by replacing the “brushes” which I don’t know what they were. But if I remember correctly they cost $10 in 1996. Hope this helps.
Just as an FYI, the cans Barky referred to are available at any Radio Shack as “component cooler”. They’re used in electronics to diagnose temperature related malfunctions.
I too have experienced the starting problem for years. My Tacoma would not restart in around 80 degrees or above weather. This is the first year that it is starting every time now, and it is 115 degrees outside! I too replaced the maf sensor and tried numerous other things like opening the gas cap before starting. That worked many times though but never fixed it. I finally resorted to unplugging the maf sensor during those days, and months, and endured the check engine light for all of those years. Even lost money by forgetting to re-connect it before smogging year after year. UGGH! Not any more…Big O Tires wanted to charge me $450.00 for a tune up one day so I decided to do it myself of course. I bought the best plugs I could at Auto Zone and the best spark plug wires that they had. They were the silicone ones for about $79.00 or $99.00 bucks I 'm not sure which. But I was able to refund the crappy lifetime guaranteed ones that I had purchased from them for $40.00 So it wasn’t as bad a price. I also replaced the cap and rotor on the distributor. That was in the winter when it was nice and cool out, so I didn’t know what was to happen in the heat. So now that my problem is fixed I’m sure it was the bad spark plug wires that I was getting from Auto Zone that caused the starting problem for all of those years. I’m so happy to report this!
Try getting your valves adjusted. I had the same problem and got my valves adjusted and the problem went away!!! The Toyota dealer was like pulling teeth to get them to do it. Problem solved!!
When this occurs and it is a mechanical problem… A valve adjustment is certainly within the realm of sound advice.
Valves…after millions of opening and closings…try to literally hammer their way thru the head, so in essence they tighten up the clearance on the top of the stem. When hot and the engine is “heat soaked”…they can be actually “hanging” slightly throwing valuable compression out the window due to the stem growing…which doubles down on the actual problem. This is a real phenomenon.
Valve adjustment is a service item that many if not ALL ignore… the reason for the adjustment is to counter act the scenario I just described. There are ways to test to see if you need the adjustment if say if the mileage was unknown, I could still find out the valves state and functionality.
If valve adjustment is the issue… you will chase you Ar$e trying to solve it with electronic sensors and superstition.
If after you verify it is not the need for mechanical adjustment of the valves…then you can move to sensors n other items. Cleaning the MAF sensor is usually helpful with this condition also.
But do NOT ignore vale adjustment. Its serious business.
As the original poster, I am still around. Initially used 47ohm resister, then increased to 100 ohm and currently at 147 ohms of extra resistance in series with the air temperature sensor. This continues to work well. Smog check is in December so I just remove the resistors. I haven’t found any of these other potential solutions to work. I will try the valve adjustment, even though I am having a real hard time believing that this will make any difference. Currently at 370K miles and the valves have not been checked or adjusted since I purchased the vehicle with 40K miles 2 decades ago. So even if the valve adjustment doesn’t solve the issue, it is long over due for an adjustment.