Kinda sounds like an issue I had with my '86. Turned out to be the fule pressure regulator that sits on the back of the fuel rail (that feeds the injectors). It would run for a few seconds, because the fuel pump had built up pressure on the fuel rail. The pressure regulator may have a bad vacuum going to it or it may just have some trash in it. It's a cheap thing to replace, I think mine was about $19 for an aftermarket one. Kinda annoying to get to though, the crews are upside down and you need a small allen wrench. You'll have to remove the air filter box and the frame it sits on. Oh yeah, when you put the new one one, lightly grease the o-ring on it, it'll install worlds easier. Good luck!

 

Kinda ruled the regulator out since pressure remains at a constant 38-41 psi at the schrader valve.

What solenoid is it that is mounted horizontally on the butterfly plate (above the tps) can't find any identifying pics in the Haynes, and want to know how to test it as it starts and runs better if it is disconnected, then plugged back in after startup.

 

does this truck have an IAC valve? (idle air compensator) if so give it a couple light
whacks with a wrench, they get carbon stuck in them and act like a huge vacuum
leak. egr valve could be stuck also. At 2.22 of this video the iac can be seen on the
right side of the intake at the throttle body. just saw your last post yes that is the iac
giver a couple whacks, not hard enough to damage it though. sounds like your problem
to e.

 

Have you checked the kill switch behind the glove box

 

he wouldn't have any fuel pressure if the inertia switch was tripped.

 

Good point. I'm not very familiar with them most of my trucks didn't have one. This also makes me think of some issues I had with an 82. Run ok for a minute and then die. Ended up being the ignition control module. I also had an 80 then would act up from time to to over a bad voltage regulator

 

How are you doing with this ??

 

Still trying to trace the fuel power wires. Work, and weather have slowed me down.

 

Stalls out or turns off type shutdown?

 

Starts, and runs strong for 10-30 seconds, then will die if throttle is not constantly pumped. At which time it's running on maybe 4 cylinders, and backfiring.

My thought is that some sensor is not telling the ecm that the engine is still running, and it's shutting down the injectors.