Check Engine light illuminated. Blink code 78.

[Budgey Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Budgey]

Hi guys!

I have recently encountered a few problems with my 2004 Land Cruiser 120 LC4 3.0 D4D.
The vehicle has covered 95,000 miles, and has been with me for the last 5 years and 20,000 miles.
Recently the car took a little longer to start than usual. I didn't read too much into it, as it was the first night she had spent outside in minus temps for 2 years. However, the next day, after driving for about 5 mins, I noticed that the check engine light was illuminated. I pulled over, switched off, re-started, and all was fine. 2 days later, I started the car, and the check engine light was illuminated again. When I left my parking area, I found the car would not accelerate past about 15-20mph. (perhaps this is some sort of limp home mode?) Anyway, I crawled along for around five minutes, when after a few very slight surges, she started running fine. I pulled over, switched off, started again and the check engine light was gone.
As I don't have a code reader, I checked the blink codes and retrieved error code 78. These appear to be:

P0093 (78) - Fuel system leak (Large leak)
P0627 (78) - Fuel pump control circuit (open/short/failure)
P1229 (78) - Fuel pump fail.

There are no visible fuel leaks, and I don't have any smoke on start-up, or during driving. The problem seems to go away when the car is warm, and on occasional days it doesn't occur at all. The vehicle is parked in a basement, and never really experiences temperatures less that +10 degrees centigrade. I recently filled up with standard diesel for the first time (the fill-up before last), after normally only ever using a 'super' or 'premium' product. The car and I are from the UK, but currently live in Bulgaria, so fuel quality could be an issue. She is regularly serviced in terms of oils and filters every 5000 miles, and I fitted a new timing belt at 90,000 miles (5000 miles ago).

Obviously, I'm dreading the cost of replacing the injector pump, but if that is the case, I want to be certain that is indeed the issue. I just wondered if you guys could suggest a way to troublshoot the problem a little more in terms of things to check. I have a Toyota main dealer about 3 hours drive from me, and I'm a little worried about risking the drive - plus, I'd really like to try and fix the problem myself if possible as I do love working on the old girl.

Thanks in advance for any advice you guys can offer.

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Check the battery first. Battery failure can create all sorts of error codes and poor performance even though the vehicle starts.

[Budgey Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Budgey]

Hi Bushbasher! Thanks for the reply. Sadly, I have 2 new batteries, so I can rule that out for sure.

[Guest Close Guest]

A secondary fuel filter would be a good idea seeing as you might think it is suspect fuel.

[Budgey Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Budgey]

Hi amts!

Yeah, I agree with you - especially after reading the Catarpillar Water Separator thread. It's definitely something I will do as soon as I resolve this issue.
In the meantime, I fitted a new fuel filter, as I had a spare one knocking around. The old one, when drained, didn't appear to contain any water or contaminants, and from what I could see the inside was really clean too.
Now, after 3 days with the new filter fitted, I haven't had the check engine light displayed once. I guess that maybe there was some kind of air leak in the diesel supply pipes which could have been resolved when I removed and refitted the whole filter assembly.
Initial start in the morning is still poor though compared to what it used to be. My last diesel fill up was with Shell V Power, and I added a bottle of STP fuel system and injector cleaner. I have to say - other than the initial starting - the performance of the vehicle seems great. It's very responsive, and I took her up to 100mph (160km/h) several times with no problems at all the other day. I have no detectable loss of power and zero smoke on start-up, when running, or under load.
All I can do is monitor it now, I suppose.

[Pragueprado Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pragueprado]

Budgey - just wondering if this problem ever resurfaced or if changing that filter really seems to have been an end to it - I've got exactly (I mean, exactly) the same symptoms.