Sputtered, died, and won’t start again...

[vonD1025]

Oh man.. Back at it again...

So I fueled up and took her up a dirt road to check something on my suspension. On the way back to drop it off at a shop it started to kind of sputtered and drop a few hundred rpms and then fixed itself. I pulled into the parking lot to park and it died twice getting into a spot. I started it again and pushed the clutch in and was going to shift and pull up and it died again. Got a really bad rotten egg smell inside right after too and now it won’t start. Turns over and has new fuel system/filters plus spark plugs, new starter and stater solenoid, new battery. Not sure what’s going on...

 

[JerryC]

I think rotten egg smell is usually too much fuel.
Pull the spark plugs and see if they are wet with gas.
Have you checked your air filter? Also look at the entire air path to the filter. Years ago our mustang had sucked a paper bag into the air box.

 

[vonD1025]

Alright I’ll give it a look. I was able to start it and get home this morning but then it did the same thing and died in the parking spot.

 

[JerryC]

Your symptoms sound like when I had a loose wire on my fuel pump, the high pressure pump on the frame rail. Except I didn't have the rotten egg smell.

 

[vonD1025]

Your symptoms sound like when I had a loose wire on my fuel pump, the high pressure pump on the frame rail. Except I didn't have the rotten egg smell.

It’s definitely getting gas. I pressed the release valve up on the engine and I have fuel.

 

[vonD1025]

I haven’t pulled the plugs yet but I’m thinking it may be my ignition module.. possibly a plugged catalytic converter as well for cleaning the fuel system and then running a lubricant/clear through the intake? I pulled the o2 and tried to start it but no go.. so just waiting on a new ignition module.

 

[gaz]

If you know that your fuel is good and it will not start with starter fluid, then I would look at the spark components; starting with the battery and it's cables, primary power relay, coil, distributor, wires and plugs.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Rotten egg smell is your cat converter is bad. Clogged or burnt up or both. Get a new one.

 

[vonD1025]

I replaced the ignition module and it ended up starting up perfectly. Also figured out my o2 sensor was barely on and causing a bit louder exhaust sound. No white smoke coming from the tail pipe for head gasket symptoms and no rotten egg smell for a bad catalytic converter. Just happened the one day when it died so not sure.