I bought the truck in 1996 4x4 base model. I've taken very good care of her over the years changing the oil every 3k used the same oil in her 5w 30 Amsoil synth. She just flipped 215k miles and she needed some work done on the fuel injection system, had 2 injectors replaced and the others cleaned, had the valve cover gasket seals replaced, and the PVC replaced.

Its been about 4800 miles but have been noticing that when she is left sitting for 6 or more hours she doesn't start on the first crank, and after the second crank it will stutter and rough idle but, start (happens every time I start her up). There will be a puff of blue smoke that shoots out the tail pipe and a heavy gasoline smell.

I was searching in the forums here and found that it seems to be happening on newer Tundras as well. What to do next I've no idea.

blue smoke = coolant
gray smoke = oil

probably a wrinkle in the valve cover gasket allowing coolant go where it shouldn't. Give your cooling system a hard once over and inspect for any slow drips underneath. That should give you a better idea of where it's coming from.

Sounds like a leaky (stuck open) injector, pooling gas in one (or more) of the cylinders, and it takes a few cycles to burn it off.

Connect a scantool and check the coolant temp at startup. A faulty coolant temp reading will cause the ECU to open the injectors for a "cold start" condition. I have seen coolant temp readings in the negative triple digits. This can cause severe flooding and hard starts. This is the very first thing I would check.

If the coolant temp checks out ok, connect a fuel pressure gauge and check for leakdown of fuel pressure. If the injectors are leaking fuel into the engine after shutoff, replace the faulty injectors. You can remove the spark plugs and look for fuel dripping into the cylinders with a borescope. Otherwise, you have to pull the fuel rail/injectors and watch them for leaks after shutting the engine off.

Fuel pressure regulators can leak fuel into the intake through the vacuum hose if the diaphragm is leaking. This causes a constant rich condition...not just start up...so if it only shows up on starts, it's probably not a bad regulator.

Sounds like it could also be a faulty ring allowing oil into combustion chamber.

Sounds like it could also be a faulty ring allowing oil into combustion chamber.
Wouldn't explain the gas smell. Bad rings typically smoke 24/7. Bad valve stem seals typically cause smoke on start up. Neither accounts for gas smell out the tailpipe. Coolant burning has a distinct odor, but is usually not mistaken for a rich condition gas smell.

Lots of interesting avenues here, TYVM for the responses and I've got a new direction now. I appreciate you guys.

Rich fuel smell after its cranks over, not noticing it at all when I get to my destination, or during the trip.


Sounds like a leaky (stuck open) injector, pooling gas in one (or more) of the cylinders, and it takes a few cycles to burn it off.

You know my Mother said the same thing. :)

You know my Mother said the same thing. :)

Mom is always right. ;) At least I hope so...easy fix to replace an injector. :tu:

Wouldn't explain the gas smell. Bad rings typically smoke 24/7. Bad valve stem seals typically cause smoke on start up. Neither accounts for gas smell out the tailpipe. Coolant burning has a distinct odor, but is usually not mistaken for a rich condition gas smell.

This makes the most sense to me. As a former mechanic I learned that blue smoke is oil burning and blue smoke at startup means a valve stem seal is leaking oil into the cylinder while the engine is not running. The gas smell may be a seperate problem. I think a cylinder leakdown test is in order.

Delete Pls Double POST

Just a follow up - I replaced ALL the fuel injectors, whether they were bad or not - 2 were failing apart from being cleaned and put back in there from the Gladstone Toyota dealership. Needless to say, I don't go there for repairs anymore.

It doesn't shoot out the big blue rich smelling gas cloud anymore, but still having problems starting it, it sputters on start and the second time I try it will seem like it dies but gain composure and start gradually.

Ive got a feeling it might be related the the starter or bad gas? I went from just putting regular unleaded 87 to putting Power Plus 89 from Texaco into it, seem to work on 1 tank full and didn't get any coughing or sputtering, but after this 2nd tank its just as bad as it was when I was getting the blue smoke cloud. :confused:


This makes the most sense to me. As a former mechanic I learned that blue smoke is oil burning and blue smoke at startup means a valve stem seal is leaking oil into the cylinder while the engine is not running. The gas smell may be a separate problem. I think a cylinder leakdown test is in order.

Totally missed this, Will get on it and see what comes of it.

1996 Toyota T100 V6 4x4
Mileage: 221,523 and still Truckin

Another thing is that you could have a bad vacuum hose to the fuel pressure regulator...or a bad fuel pressure regulator. ;)

UPDATE!! Spent all this money trying to fix a problem that really didn't have anything to do with all my answers. I've got an Exhaust Leak LoL!! Its fixed now, but gee whiz, 1500.00 later to find that out... meh, She works great and no more Rich gas smell coming into the Cab killing off my brain cells :D

UPDATE!! Spent all this money trying to fix a problem that really didn't have anything to do with all my answers. I've got an Exhaust Leak LoL!! Its fixed now, but gee whiz, 1500.00 later to find that out... meh, She works great and no more Rich gas smell coming into the Cab killing off my brain cells :D
Exhaust leak shouls not have caused blue smoke out exhaust pipe?

I appreciate you guys helping me, the Blue smoke was caused by residual oil leaking down into the cylinder.. caused from a previous overdue gasket replacement. That is fixed.

Had faulty and bad Fuel Injectors in chambers 3 & 6, I had them all replaced.

I had an Exhaust leak, that cost me around 550.00 - I had an extra Crossover / Y-pipe that I found at a U-Pull it. This is the 2nd Exhaust leak I have had in this truck in 225k miles.

Just thinking to myself that with all this money I'm putting into her - I could have just invested in a New truck, But, I'm stubborn and I canny see why I would do that considering that she has given me the best ride of my life. She deserves better for giving me that unwavering reliability when I needed it the most.