Topic: EFI bulb relay problems.......HELP

[rmoore]

I have an 88 4runner with the 22re. It runs like a champ most of the time, but the efi bulb check relay is hot as . Then out of the blue the rig will die or not start and the check engine light will not come on. Then I mess around with the relay, or its just happen stance the check engine light comes back on and it will start. Its totally random and I really dont think wiggling the relay does anything, because I cant get it to stop running by messing with it. But it seems weird that it gets really really hot to the touch. Could I just jumper this relay and say screw it, Because Im sure this has something to do with the problem.  Ive found this problem on the web but no-one says what the problem was.  To take this problem to the simplest form... what would cause the relay to get really hot to the touch? any help would be great!!!

[1985CRAWLER]

mine in my 87 runner does the same and has the same symptoms.

i thought it was the fuel pump at first but 

would like to hear more thoughts on this as this is out of my league of 22re expertise.

[rmoore [OP]]

So I have done some more research on this and its seems like a somewhat common problem. The early 90s Land-cruisers suffer from it a lot and there isn't a real tried and true cure from what Ive read. I seen that some of them would use a jumper wire when the relay went bad and that if you left it on you would run the battery dead and maybe kill some other , but I don't know. I also read that it (the relay) gets hot because its  on and off with the ecu telling the fuel pump relay to open and close. I'm not sure of any of this, I do know the problem is pissing me off so I'm going to jumper it hooked to a toggle switch with an in line fuse.This is just in case it is grounding out or something  that way it will blow the fuse and not smoke a bunch of . The wire I'm jumping it from only gives voltage when the key is on so I don't think the battery will drain from it. The other thing I'm not sure of is what turns the check engine light off when the rig starts. I hope that's not the problem. I will check back tomorrow after I hook it up and go for a good long drive. If anyone can help please chime in cause I'm just going at it redneck style.

[rmoore [OP]]

I put in the jumper with a toggle switch and it worked fine. I jumped between the upper left and lower right if I remember correctly. One of the tops only has power with the key on(use that one) and the other one on the bottom is a ground(obviously you cant use that one). This also works as a theft deterrent. Cured the hot relay issue and the check engine light from going out ( sparatically )and the truck dying or not starting.