Hello,

Here's what happened:

1998 4Runner. Up in the woods. Water did not seem to affect the vehicle, as I was driving through snow and deep puddles.

When I drove over a significant sized pine-tree branch, it kicked up and slapped the bottom of the vehicle in the gas tank/diff area, and got stuck underneath. The car died. Turns over, does not fire up. If I let it sit and start it again, it will catch like it's going to start and then die.

I couldn't see anything (no flashlight). Know there are wires, connectors, etc in that area. No leaks. Drivetrain fine, as far as I know (towed 4-5 miles in neutral)

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Kris

 

sounds like it disconnected the fuel pump. Or broke a wire. not sure if the fuel pump is in the tank or if it is out. but I would say it has something to do with the fuel pump.

 

Fuel pump or fuel lines, maybe?

 

Check your fuel pump fues. It could have moved some wires around and blown a fuse. Its has to be somthing with the fuel dilivery.

 

Check all your fuses and look at the wires/connectors in the area real well. Thats the first place I would start.

 

Its the muffler bearings. Shot for sure.



Without looking, its anyones guess. Get a light, and look under there. If ya got time to post on YT, you got time to look.

 

Most likely fuel pump. Double check the muffler bearings just to be sure.

 

my muffler bearing went out after driving in deep water and wouldnt start i put some fairy dust on it and it started right up and was able to get it home.

 

Hah!

Thanks! I figured I whapped something under there...

It was too dark to look last night--on my way up to the woods now! (with my favorite flashlight). Will let you guys know.

Kris

 

The fuel pump is inside the tank, wires and fuel lines enter on top. Might check the side of the frame rail for a bent or pinched fuel line or something like that. IIRC you 4runner guys have an access panel for the top of the gas tank from inside the truck.

 

Yeah im guessing you might have a short in your wires on the fuel pump from that water.

 

LMAO!! Yeah..this happened to me before too, in my case the tank got dented slightly, enough to render the fuel pump useless.

 

Not to be off topic, but where do you find that "muffler bearing" i've never seen that before.

 

http://www.kalecoauto.com/

 

i thought the fuel pump is under the hood.

 

I'm thinking the best way to diagnose the problem might be to crawl under the truck and see what the branch hit....sounds crazy, I know........

 

OMG and get, like, dirty

 

Nope.


....

 

Yes, it is. Right next to the blinker fluid reservoir.

 

Same thing happened to me about two years ago. In my case the branch bent my fuel line enough that it would fire once in awhile and then stop, or not fire at all. A little bend in the line makes for a huge difference in fuel flow.