Truck died on me :(

[Andy D]

I will clean it out one of these weekends since it looks to be pretty simple.


Truck also has only 70,000 miles.. so I would think it cant be THAT clogged up with carbon buildup...

Only 70 K on an 11 yr old car is what your trouble is. That works out to 6500 miles a yr. If those miles were put on in short hops, that could be your trouble.Give it an "Italian tune-up". Get the engine warm, then keep it in 2nd or 3rd with the revs up and get it hot. My BMWs have always enjoyed this.Most cars do if they are just idled around town.

 

[The_Epsicle]

I will clean it out one of these weekends since it looks to be pretty simple.

However, I don't think this is my issue since I've never had idle issues driving or at startup.

And I don't know that the IAC would've caused my truck to stall out as I was driving it? But im not sure.

Truck also has only 70,000 miles.. so I would think it cant be THAT clogged up with carbon buildup...

With a stuck IAC Valve if you go from the throttle being open to being closed like when you move from the accelerator to the brake pedal it wont make the change and will choke the engine. It shouldn't cause it to stall while the throttle is open, if it's done that then it's probably something else but a good clean for the IAC is always a good thing since it's overlooked in regular maintenance.

When you gave it gas at the stoplight after restarting it if it was a fuel issue it probably would have died immediately since the air fuel mix would've gone way off, with an IAC issue it would have prolonged the stall but ultimately the engine would have died anyway. That's why I think it's your IAC. Also it doesn't have to be carbon buildup, the previous owner on my car spent a lot of time on dirt roads without replacing the air filter so my IAC was clogged with dust. He wasn't the brightest crayon in the box by most accounts though...

 

[AllBlackBimmer]

With a stuck IAC Valve if you go from the throttle being open to being closed like when you move from the accelerator to the brake pedal it wont make the change and will choke the engine. It shouldn't cause it to stall while the throttle is open, if it's done that then it's probably something else but a good clean for the IAC is always a good thing since it's overlooked in regular maintenance.

When you gave it gas at the stoplight after restarting it if it was a fuel issue it probably would have died immediately since the air fuel mix would've gone way off, with an IAC issue it would have prolonged the stall but ultimately the engine would have died anyway. That's why I think it's your IAC. Also it doesn't have to be carbon buildup, the previous owner on my car spent a lot of time on dirt roads without replacing the air filter so my IAC was clogged with dust. He wasn't the brightest crayon in the box by most accounts though...

After it died on me at the stoplight, the first time I started it, I did not give it gas, and it died.
The second time restarting the truck I did try to rev it, and it didn't do anything different.
Both times, the truck idled extremely rough, sputter, and died within 10-20 seconds or so.

Ill clean the IAC, but I don't believe that is directly related. Thanks for the input though.

I've been driving my truck the last 2 days with no issues. Shop couldn't find anything wrong with it, and did not experience any of the symptoms that I was having which is weird.

I did have them replace the fuse and relay for the fuel pump for good practice, but I don't think they were the cause.

The shop did say, if they had to guess, is that it is a fuel issue... but hard to say, since the truck ran fine for them and they checked the pressure at the fuel rail and that was good.
So it is something intermittent which goes back to either a dying fuel pump, or something electrical.

I am just praying that when/if this happens again, it doesn't cause an accident of any kind

 

[Metalcrack]

There was a post recently that had a bad TPS, it was sending PCM 4.8v all the time, that is WOT voltage, and this voltage before startup tells the PCM to turn off fuel injectors, that is called Clear Flooded Engine mode, this was a No Start, not a rough idle.
PCM sends TPS 5 volts on 1 wire, TPS sends back under 1volt if throttle is closed, and above 4.6volts if throttle is wide open on another wire, 3rd wire is a ground.
So TPS is similar to light dimmer or volume control, a variable resistor, as throttle is opened voltage going to PCM increases.
Above 4.6volts(WOT) before you start the engine causes Clear Flooded Engine routine to start, computer shuts off fuel injectors, this is true for ALL fuel injected engine computers, not just Ford, try it some time, key on, hold gas pedal to the floor, crank engine, it won't start or even fire, release gas pedal(even while still cranking) and computer will start fuel injectors.

This was my truck. Been driving it like the dickens lately. Running pretty good! I found it using Forscan and and a USB to OBDII cable to check and monitor voltages. I wasn't getting a CEL as that would have been easy. 2 weeks old intermittent start to find that guy.

Maybe a cracked hose on the fuel pump regulator cause intermittent problems?

Best purchase (IMHO)for a DIY mechanic is a fuel pressure tester at harbor freight for $20.00 and a noid plug for $9.00. You need fuel and spark so that covers most bases. Throw in a can of starting fluid and you can pinpoint most issues.

I don't think spark is an issue here. So as RonD suggested, test the fuel pressure, and hope you get it running rough with the tester on there.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[AllBlackBimmer]

This was my truck. Been driving it like the dickens lately. Running pretty good! I found it using Forscan and and a USB to OBDII cable to check and monitor voltages. I wasn't getting a CEL as that would have been easy. 2 weeks old intermittent start to find that guy.

Maybe a cracked hose on the fuel pump regulator cause intermittent problems?

Best purchase (IMHO)for a DIY mechanic is a fuel pressure tester at harbor freight for $20.00 and a noid plug for $9.00. You need fuel and spark so that covers most bases. Throw in a can of starting fluid and you can pinpoint most issues.

I don't think spark is an issue here. So as RonD suggested, test the fuel pressure, and hope you get it running rough with the tester on there.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

Already had the fuel pressure checked, and it is good.
Shop said, if they had to bet money, it is possibly a fuel issue, but at the time it was at the shop, it was getting good pressure at the rail.

I have been driving it the last few days without any issues...

However, I am just holding my breathe and waiting for it to happen again...

 

[snake]

One thing you need to check on an '04 is the inertia switch. Yes, it is supposed to trip if you hit a bad enough bump or wreck the truck and stay tripped until you reset it- but- on some trucks it will have some hot/burned wiring at the inertia switch and make it intermittent. Its on the right side of the floorboard passenger side and has a reset button you push to reset it. It will NOT be tripped since the truck still runs but unbolt it and check the wiring that goes to and from the switch. A friend of mine has this problem for months until he figured it out, it was interrupting power to the fuel pump. You can bypass the switch to see if the issue goes away but get it fixed properly if it is the culprit.

 

[1996xlt]

I didn't read through the whole thread, but my truck randomly died on me one day on my way to work, no warning, no sputtering, just died. I too though it was the fuel pump, beat on the tank a couple times hoping to nurse it to my brother's shop. After finally getting it started I was able to get it closer and then it died again and 4 more times Each time it died it wouldn't turn-over, cycle the fuel pump or even "click" the starter solenoid. After test-driving it and leaving it running at his shop for a bit and it died on him he narrowed it down to the PCM relay; swapped it out and hasn't been a problem since (knocks on wood.)

 

[AllBlackBimmer]

I didn't read through the whole thread, but my truck randomly died on me one day on my way to work, no warning, no sputtering, just died. I too though it was the fuel pump, beat on the tank a couple times hoping to nurse it to my brother's shop. After finally getting it started I was able to get it closer and then it died again and 4 more times Each time it died it wouldn't turn-over, cycle the fuel pump or even "click" the starter solenoid. After test-driving it and leaving it running at his shop for a bit and it died on him he narrowed it down to the PCM relay; swapped it out and hasn't been a problem since (knocks on wood.)

After the first time my truck died while driving, it turned over each time after that (3-4) times... but had really rough idle and sputtered out within 10-20 seconds...

Then got it towed to the garage where they didn't have any issues with it starting, idling or driving... for good measure Had them change fuel pump fuse and relay - enough though I highly doubt they were bad - got it back last week and have driven it everyday since and its been fine... so far...