Earlier i was driving down the road and when i started slowing down for a red light my idle went so far down my truck died. right there, in the middle of the intersection. WHY!!!

then, not only did it die so abruptly, i couldnt get it to start back up. so here i find myself sitting in the middle of the intersection with a truck that wont start. it would crank and crank but never fire up. starter? but i never had a problem with it not starting, EVER. so why wouldnt it start back up?

BEST THING - guy in a FORD pickup pulls up in front of me (in the 4 lane road, and in the intersection) throws a chain on the ground in between my truck and his and we each hooked up our own side and he pulled me to a gas station. Now, i sat there for about 30 seconds trying to start it and then jumped out to push it, but that guy showed up. how fortunate was it that a guy just happened to be there.

that was just a GUESS WHAT about a FORD guy lol but what about the not starting and dying ?s ???

thanks guys, and i apologize for the long post

 

either you have a vaccum leak, stopped up fuel filter, or your IAC needs cleaned.... i may be completely forgetting something, but i'm sure someone else will correct me.... if your truck was cranking, then i'd say that the starter and solenoid is fine....

 

i have heard many times the IAC needs cleaned. so i take it off, spray it down with water? wipe with a rag? to whaqt extent do i clean it? and its right above the two air hoses connecting to the throttle right?

how do i find out if i have a vacuum leak? just look around?

 

Check for spark, fuel pressure at the rail. Run a KOEO error code scan.

 

yeah its too oprn for possible causes you need to see for spark and fuel before you worry about vaccume or iac cause those are problems where the idle is to high for it to cut out like it did sounds like no fuel if you have dual tanks make sure its fuctioning corectly now possibly the computter is telling the fuel pump to shut off and not pump for a reason so check the codes see whatr you get now just check those 2 thing spark and fuel and if you have both it should run it may run bad but then theres where there could be other things but you stated it wont start up again

Tom

 

also check to see if you hear the pumps priming when you turn the key to the start position if they dont prime than it could be your fuel pump relays.

 

when i turn my key just to on, i hear a loud buzzing for a few seconds. thats the fuel pumps right? thats the sound when they are priming. is there a way to test the relays without just replacing them?

 

Now look for spark, then a KOEO (key on engine off) error code scan!!! This tests many things related to starting/ not starting, like relays.

 

where do i look for spark at? and i haven't managed to figure out what to use to do the code scan with? like what kind of wires and stuff.

 

You can clean the IAC with carb cleaner, that's what I did.

Good luck!