1991 4Runner

First time posting new here. I have a 1991 4runner it started sometime ago where it would run then die but would crank again and run. Finally one day it just stopped starting. I took it to a "mechanic ". He managed to fix some things where it was able to start for a second and immediately die. To my knowledge everything has been gone over and seems to be working properly. He informed me the motor is losing compression and it needs a new motor. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you and I look forward to any direction anyone can send me.

 

Tim,
Your best friend will be a Toyota Factory Service Manual (FSM). They are by far the best in the automotive industry. The trouble shooting sections can lead you right to the problem if you have some mechanical aptitude. These are OBD-1 engines for the emissions systems and are also the earliest of the fuel injected motors that Toyota developed. You will find most ASE mechanics are useless unless they are 2nd Gen 4Runner enthusiast's. You may be able to get at some electronic copies of the FSM's on YotaTech see link here below FYI.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116/90-95-toyota-4runner-fsm-299648/

 

Take it in to a REAL mechanic and get a leak down test. Dry and Wet. The numbers will tell a lot.

Honestly 99% of the time, when something runs for a second...it's fuel related.