1995 4runner crank no start

The car was running fine, tho I have had a check engine light on for 2-3 years. I went to start it a couple weeks ago, and it would crank fine, but would not start. And there was no check engine light. Other panels lights yes (oil, batt, etc.). The rpm gauge doesn't budge when cranking. That was the beginning of hours of watching youtube videos on the subject. I was determined to not be a parts guesser/changer. But that was then and this is the frustrating now. i have already changed out two parts, and still no start.

Tools I have : usual hand tools, DMM, light probe, spark indicator. I have had a terrible time finding a good wiring diagram. The only one I could find was from autozone, but I don't think it is necessarily for my particular engine.

1995 Toyota 4runner V6 3.0 EFI 2WD Fuel injected Gas.
I thought my engine was a 22-RE, but I now think it is a 3VZ-E.

No Check engine light either in the on position or when it is cranking.
No RPM activity when it is cranking.
No spark from the coil.
I took the distributor cap off, and the rotor spins while cranking.
All fuses good (under the hood and by the brake pedal).
Disconnected the o2 sensor.
Disconnected the throttle body sensor.

I loosened the bolt at the fuel rail and gas squirted out.
I squirted starter fluid into the air intake, a few times. mostly nothing, but a couple of times it kind of started. It was the weakest most pathetic engine ever heard. It coughed and bucked and died. This is where my logic began to fail. How can an engine with no spark run at all ? A very weak spark ? All of a sudden a timing problem ? Anyway, I put that confusion aside and settled on a no spark issue.

Following a couple of dozen videos, I decided to check the coil. I disconnected the two prong electric connector (which leads I don't know where), and found which lead had 12v on it. I then put 12v from the battery onto the corresponding prong on the coil itself, and tapped the other prong to ground. Each time I did, I got a nice spark from the coil on my spark detector. I concluded that the coil is fine. It's just not getting the pulsing ground connection it needs.
But I talked to my friend and he was sure it was a coil problem. So I bought one. Still no spark when connected to the two wire harness, but a spark when I do the manual check.

This car has an igniter which is fastened to the coil, but I don't know if it is electrically connected to it. I tried to check it with the only video I could find, and it seemed to be bad. So I bought a new one. Still no run. Same spark scenario.

From videos I decided it must be a crankshaft sensor. But from what I can gather, this engine does not have a crankshaft sensor down by the crankshaft (and I don't see one at least at the front end), it has a sensor in the distributor. I don't know how to check it, even if it is there.

It seems that I am not getting my pulsing ground to the coil.

I write this before I slide into full parts guesser/replacer mode. My next guess is the distributor. Then the computer.

I should mention that, with no check engine light, I can't get any codes. It just seems suspicious to me that the check engine light would choose now to burn out, at the exact same time the car won't start.

Can anyone make suggestions about what my next tests might be ?

If you spray enough (/too much) start fluid the engine will run (badly) like a diesel which is probably why it ran rough for a while.
You need to check your pulses from the distributor - the "cam and crank" signal are most likely built into the distributor. usually it would be two signals out, one with a lot of pulses and another with a pulse or two for each cylinder. The pulses go to the ECU which decides when to trigger the coil. Usually an led test light will show you the pulses coming out of the distributor.

The check engine light gets power from a common fuse ( at the drivers kick panel) to the gauges and its ground side is controlled by the pcm.
First step is to verify the powers and grounds of the pcm. I attached the engine performance wiring diagramms for your engine . Check them all but do it preferably with a sufficient load. That means with a lightbulb or something similar that will draw some 4amps,a testlight might not be enough to stress the circuit.

I'm glad to hear about the diesel possibility. That is what it sounded like.

I found a connector on the outside of the distributor with a green, red, black, and white wire. If the white wire is the signal wire, can I disconnect the connector and put a resistor protected LED from the corresponding prong on the distributor to ground to see pulses ? Or will I have to supply voltage and ground also ?

I think a part of the diagram is missing. I found the 'Malf. Ind. Lamp', with what appears to be power from above and a violet line going down. It splits into two : one going to the datalink connector, and the other going off the page. I don't see where it connects to the ECM.
Also, I don't see where the signals come out of the distributor to the ECM.

I found this excellent wiring diagram. Now I am trying to relate the numbers on the ECM to the actual pin locations, and in what bundle.

The fact there is no spark is making you go down the ignition coil/module/ecm path to early.
You need to check if there is a control pulse on the injectors --- if there isn't you are probably looking at the crank/cam sensor which is inside the distributor.

But if there is given that you have changed most of the ignition already it is going to be wiring or connector or power or ground or the ECM. Although we don't see many V6 gasoline Toyota here in Europe but I have changed a couple of distributors on 4 cylinder Toyota for similar issues.

Ok. I will try my homemade noid light on a couple of injector connectors.

I don't know if you have checked your fuses yet but in the last six month I have worked on two different Toyota trucks with a no start condition and both of them had a blown fuse that were caused from the o2 sensor wiring contacting the hot exhaust and melting the wire and shorting it to ground

Yep, as I mentioned, I checked all the fuses.

Andy -

I took a connector harness off an injector, turned the key to on, and checked both wires in the connector. I get 12v on BOTH.

I next checked the 4 wires out of (or maybe into, I don't know which) the distributor. Key on, no volts on any wire.

Checked the resistance of the injector. 14 ohms.

I am plenty baffled. I am attaching what I believe to be the correct wiring diagram for this engine. All of the wire colors and number of wires in connectors (that I could see) are in agreement with this diagram.

Unplug all the injectors before checking both wires at the plug, just to be sure you're not getting feedback from the others.(just looked at that wiring diagram, they share a common positive but 3 joined together at a time for triggering so there will be feedback of 12v on the trigger wire
of the one you unplugged)
Also: You state that there is no check engine light since the problem started - does it not even come on for a second when ignition is
turned on? This could be one of those rare cases where the ecu has failed. You need to check all your ecu feeds to make sure.

I think the lack of voltage to the distributor is interesting --- I will have look over the wiring diagram
But to clear up the 12v on both pins at the fuel injectors
Engines produced before the mid 1990s usually bank fired the injectors in groups, so when only one injector is disconnected 12v on both pins on a injector plug is normal key on engine off. You need to crank the engine with the test light connected to a test light and watch for the test light blinking.
My preference in this case would be to back pin test light.

Bank firing fuel injectors was a hangover from early electronic gasoline injection systems and goes back even earlier to 1950s 1960s mechanical fuel injection. In bank firing depending on the number of cylinders 2, 3 or 4 injectors are fired at the same time. The fuel hanging as a cloud in the inlet manifold runner until the inlet valve opens. It is a bit like a wasted spark iginion system but for fuel injectors.

A search revealed these distributor use two magneto-ressistive variable reluctance sensors --- they generate their electrical signal so no 12v supply is normal.. Toyota used a number of variations of the system What is the wire color and connector shape at the distributor ?

Pratto, I know by this time you probably resolved your problem. I have a 4Runner 95 with same engine and a few spare parts in case you need. I am in Round Rock Texas and just purchased a PicoScope 2205A since my baby is driving me crazy too.
Had tp use the scope, I wish there was someone close enough that I could ask some questions.
I purchased the full manual if you need help.
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