88 toyota truck,dead

[Weatherby]

Hi all,I have a 1988 toyota 4x4,short box,single cab.I was driving home one night,and the truck just died.I got it going again by putting a different battery in it,and drove it home and parked it.

For weeks before this happend,the truck was running very bad....it had no power....and was sputtering,I had to rev it up to 4,500 or so rpm's just to get going...and I couldnt get the truck over a 100 km on the freeway.I was having to dissconect the battery everytime I shut the truck off...because the battery was draining.

So today,I go to start the truck with a good battery,and everytime I turned the key...everything in the truck would just shut off.

Anyone have any idea of what I shold be looking at to try and fix this problem?

[hotrodpc]

I am going to guess bad cables. Are you referring to Key On, no crankiing? Or while cranking the motor? Just a shot in the wind, on the sputtering and rev up 4500 just to get it going, I am going to guess a timing belt. It is possible it could all be electrical related though. If you are not getting proper voltage to the coil and ignition system. Starting back at the top, are you sure you have the battery terminals good and tight on the good battery? Check that first. Then make sure your cables are connected good, not rotted or frayed and tight at the other end. Then test the alternator. If all that is good and the running part does not improve, I would look at timing belt.