Sunrader won't start

[canadasunrader]

Hello. It's been too long.
We have a 1986 Sunrader 21'. 4 cyl 4 speed EFI 22RE motor with 100k miles.
We encountered a construction zone backing up traffic on a steep hill this weekend. I was too far into it to bail and ended up having to cold start a few times as the traffic moved one car at a time. We finally made the top of the hill, but it took a lot of high revs, parking brake and clutch work to get there. There was a funny smell, but nothing 'burning' or on fire, no smoke.
Once up top we stalled and could not get it to start again. It cranks but obviously not getting fuel.
Tank is topped up.

New/used fuel pump installed last summer. Has worked fine since.
Any suggestions are much appreciated.
I have been diving deep into threads, and it seems like the various fuses are a good place to start.
The EFI fuses are notoriously convoluted.
Thanks in advance. RIck

Edited May 27, 2024 by canadasunrader
added more basic info

[extech]

it's not obvious that there is no fuel.  same could be said for spark.  

 pulling a sparkplug and laying it on a good ground is an easy way to check.

  is it a 4 or 6 cyl

[canadasunrader]

Thanks. Four cyl four speed.

[fred heath]

You could be vapor locked. The conditions you described, hill, stop and go, frequent on/off are all contributing factors.

 

Google “vapor lock” for suggestions to clear the line.

[extech]

 vapor lock does not happen to injected vehicles

[extech]

experience any backfire before this problem?

[canadasunrader]

No backfire ever. Was running pretty good.

[fred heath]

16 minutes ago, extech said:

 vapor lock does not happen to injected vehicles

MOTORTREND disagrees with you.

 

[canadasunrader]

Thanks Fred. Appreciate you!

[extech]

so was your tank low on fuel? otherwise you were not experiencing vapor lock since your fuel pump is in the fuel tank submerged in fuel

[canadasunrader]

Fuel was half full.

I am not a mechanic.
But will do a bunch of checking today before I have it towed to a shop.
It sounds like fuses and fusable links are the first thing to check.
Also.... the last time we got stuck on the road we towed to a shop and they put in a new/used fuel pump.
I will check to see that this pump is still working.

[linda s]

You don't need to be a mechanic to check the trouble codes. Might give you a clue what the problem is.

Here are really good instructions

Toyota Tech - Diagnostic Trouble Codes (4crawler.com)

Linda S

[canadasunrader]

Thanks Linda!
To follow up:
On inspection I noticed that the 80a fuse link in the box near the battery was in rough shape.
So I replaced it, and the motor fired right up. So at least I know it's not the fuel pump. Good news.
Bad news: as soon as I try to move it instantly quits.
I am assuming this is electrical of some sort. A short somewhere?
I will continue on, now checking all fuses and wires that I can.

[canadasunrader]

Solved.
Replacing the 80a fuse link I'm sure was the main culprit, but once I checked all the fuses and wires and put everything back together it fired right up and is now working normally. Oh the life we live driving these 40 year old fragile little birds.