Truck dies while idling or driving won't start for about 10 minutes or so then fires!
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Truck dies while idling or driving won't start for about 10 minutes or so then fires!
Ok, here's the problem: ugh I am sooooooooo frustrated!
About a month or so ago I would drive over to my sisters house which is about a 2 mile drive. Takes no more than 5 minutes to get there. I would turn off my truck for about 30-45 minutes while visiting and then when I go to leave the truck turns over but won't start. After about 10 or so minutes of trying it fires up and acts like nothing was wrong. Suddenly one day, I smell antifreeze and the window fogs up! There is water on the floor board passenger side. Obviously heater core! Replaced that which was a breeze on this truck thank goodness!
I drive into town which is about a 10 minute drive, shut her off and go into the store for anywhere from 10-30 minutes and she fires right up!
It only seemed to not want to start when I drove to my sisters! So after telling her she was cursed I refused to turn my truck off when I would go over there. (My son rides the bus over there so I have to go over there daily to drop him off at the bus stop and then pick him up in the afternoon.) Never had any problems in the morning with it not starting. I would shut it off while awaiting the bus and then start her up and drive home. But in the afternoon I started keeping her running while waiting. Then the truck started dying while idling. I was sitting at the bus stop one cool morning with the heater on and as soon as the bus pulled up, the truck died. No warning, no jumping or coughing or nothing. It was as if someone turned off the key. But it wouldn't start. I put it in nuetral and let it roll down to my sisters driveway and after sitting for about 15 minutes, she fired up and we drove home.
I started looking online to find a solution. I changed the plugs, wires, rotor and cap. Took the IAC valve thing off and cleaned it real good and put it back on. Found a little green hose coming off the egr valve that was broke in half so I fixed that. I took the control module thing off the fender wall and cleaned the white chalky stuff off of the metal part and reapplied dielectric grease to it and replaced it. I've checked the wire harness going to the catalytic converter and it seems to be ok. I have a small radiator leak on the drivers side of the radiator.
Again just to test it out I drove to my sisters on a cold evening using the heater and went inside for about 10 minutes. Told them I had to check my blow n go (ignition interlock) to make sure I didn't miss the beep because I left the truck running. As soon as I walked outside and down 2 steps the truck shut off! She was not starting for anything. After 20-25 minutes I called my father and asked him to bring over some starter fluid and he sprayed it in the air thing while I started the truck! It made all kinds of horrible noises and jerked and jumped and coughed and gagged and then started and ran like a champ! Had no problems for the next couple of days. Drove all over town and the next town. And then today everything was wonderful at the bus stop in the am until I was leaving. I had her idling at the bus stop but kept my foot slightly on the gas because I was paranoid that she was gonna quit. And as soon as I drove around the corner and was shifting into second she died. I let her roll until I could get off the main road which was a block and tried popping her. Then I let her sit for about 10 minutes and she fired right up and made it home as if nothing happened! I am so frustrated I cannot even tell you! Autozone and O'reillys both pulled code PO141.
Please help before I order my pink straight jacket!
About a month or so ago I would drive over to my sisters house which is about a 2 mile drive. Takes no more than 5 minutes to get there. I would turn off my truck for about 30-45 minutes while visiting and then when I go to leave the truck turns over but won't start. After about 10 or so minutes of trying it fires up and acts like nothing was wrong. Suddenly one day, I smell antifreeze and the window fogs up! There is water on the floor board passenger side. Obviously heater core! Replaced that which was a breeze on this truck thank goodness!
I drive into town which is about a 10 minute drive, shut her off and go into the store for anywhere from 10-30 minutes and she fires right up!
It only seemed to not want to start when I drove to my sisters! So after telling her she was cursed I refused to turn my truck off when I would go over there. (My son rides the bus over there so I have to go over there daily to drop him off at the bus stop and then pick him up in the afternoon.) Never had any problems in the morning with it not starting. I would shut it off while awaiting the bus and then start her up and drive home. But in the afternoon I started keeping her running while waiting. Then the truck started dying while idling. I was sitting at the bus stop one cool morning with the heater on and as soon as the bus pulled up, the truck died. No warning, no jumping or coughing or nothing. It was as if someone turned off the key. But it wouldn't start. I put it in nuetral and let it roll down to my sisters driveway and after sitting for about 15 minutes, she fired up and we drove home.
I started looking online to find a solution. I changed the plugs, wires, rotor and cap. Took the IAC valve thing off and cleaned it real good and put it back on. Found a little green hose coming off the egr valve that was broke in half so I fixed that. I took the control module thing off the fender wall and cleaned the white chalky stuff off of the metal part and reapplied dielectric grease to it and replaced it. I've checked the wire harness going to the catalytic converter and it seems to be ok. I have a small radiator leak on the drivers side of the radiator.
Again just to test it out I drove to my sisters on a cold evening using the heater and went inside for about 10 minutes. Told them I had to check my blow n go (ignition interlock) to make sure I didn't miss the beep because I left the truck running. As soon as I walked outside and down 2 steps the truck shut off! She was not starting for anything. After 20-25 minutes I called my father and asked him to bring over some starter fluid and he sprayed it in the air thing while I started the truck! It made all kinds of horrible noises and jerked and jumped and coughed and gagged and then started and ran like a champ! Had no problems for the next couple of days. Drove all over town and the next town. And then today everything was wonderful at the bus stop in the am until I was leaving. I had her idling at the bus stop but kept my foot slightly on the gas because I was paranoid that she was gonna quit. And as soon as I drove around the corner and was shifting into second she died. I let her roll until I could get off the main road which was a block and tried popping her. Then I let her sit for about 10 minutes and she fired right up and made it home as if nothing happened! I am so frustrated I cannot even tell you! Autozone and O'reillys both pulled code PO141.
Please help before I order my pink straight jacket!
#2
It's a Canadian thing eh!
P0141 is the downstream oxygen sensor is malfunctioning, meaning the last sensor before the catalytic converter. But you're problem could possibly be fuel related. Have the fuel pressure checked when the truck is running, and when the truck dies see if there is still fuel pressure.
Speaking of which, what year and engine do you have?
Speaking of which, what year and engine do you have?
#4
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Near Bristol, Tn
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take out the inertia switch and crimp the wires together. i have seen the plastic connectors melt many times and they will just die and start back in like 15 min or so. the o2 sensor is probably unrelated
#5
Senior Member
I have a 96 with 4.9 auto, my truck died as if someone turned of a switch. At first, it happened every two weeks and after I stopped somewhere, then as I drove. Eventually I couldn't go 10 miles without it shutting down. Eventually it would start again and seem fine. It was the distributor. The sensors in the system (TFI) go bad. You can replace them but I bought a new one at O'Rielly's for $100. Took a picture with my phone of the distributor position, switched it out, and have not had a problem in over 900 miles. This is my second distributor. A mechanic switched it originally with a used one and that went bad too. Its an easy fix and solves a frustrating problem.