86 b2 starting problem

[ratchetboy78]

Sometimes when im driving my 86 b2 will just randomly die on me, and when i try to start it back up it will turn over then just stop turning over like the engine is jammed it doesn't matter what gear i'm in it is a 5 speed and sometimes i will start it up and let the engine warm up a few min it will just shut down then it won't start up again for several minutes other times it will start right back up with no problems. I'm thinking it might be my starter. I have swapped the starter once already but i'm thinking that its a weak starter does anyone have any idea what could be going on? the computer has been changed, i've changed all the sensors on the engine, unhooked all the sensors off the transmission, and yet it still keeps doing it? The motor has been rebuilt and the truck was converted from automatic to a manual transmission. The transmission has been gone thru and same with the transfer case but still it keeps doing it. I don't want to be outside any longer than i have to due to the weather here in North Dakota because i don't have a heated garage. I did read one fourm on here about possibly the ignition switch could that be my entire problem? Any help on this would be great because this has been frustrating me now for a few weeks thank you.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Is it running crappy, rich or smelling of fuel? I have seen fuel regulators do that basically hydrolocking mostly the rear two cylinders. Usually by that point you have fuel in or dripping out the cat. muffler. If it does it pull the rear plugs, if they are wet bingo. Also you can pull the vacuum line off the regulator and if you see or smell fuel its bad, same for bigger line going to your brake booster.

 

[ratchetboy78]

i do have new spark plugs and injectors in it. I just got done "rigging" another ignition switch in it and it started up just fine no problems so i took it for a spin and it was trying to buck and die on me then it started to snap out of it. I would have taken it for a longer spin and let it warm up good but since we are currently in a blizzard its kind of hard to even see the road i will swap out the fuel regulator from my other b2 that i gutted out 3 years ago and kept all the parts from it but not until the weather is better first.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

i do have new spark plugs and injectors in it. I just got done "rigging" another ignition switch in it and it started up just fine no problems so i took it for a spin and it was trying to buck and die on me then it started to snap out of it. I would have taken it for a longer spin and let it warm up good but since we are currently in a blizzard its kind of hard to even see the road i will swap out the fuel regulator from my other b2 that i gutted out 3 years ago and kept all the parts from it but not until the weather is better first.

Well the reg is just one possibility I imagine you checked all your electrical connection REAL GOOD. If you have a spare though why not it only takes a few min to swap out the reg. I hear ya on the snow, we get some of that stuff too up here in AK. stay warm.

 

[4.0B2]

What's your fuel pressure at different times?

 

[wildbill23c]

So are you saying when it dies it won't turn over, or does it turn over and just not start?

Sounds to me like if its running and driving just fine then all of a sudden just shuts off its more of an electronics problem. Check every one of your connections to include the fuses sometimes if they jiggle loose you can get unpredictable results.

I've never been around the 2.9L Fuel injection engines so I wouldn't know what to check for the fuel injected systems, but it sounds like your problem is electronics and electrical related.

 

[ratchetboy78]

ok i changed the regulator and now it runs even worse. i have to hold the gas pedal halfway down AND ride the clutch just to get it to quit bucking and dying on me plus i have to keep the rpms over 3,000 so changing the regulator didn't work and now it is starting to smell of something burning probably its the clutch. I know its not the fuel pumps those are brand new along with the fuel lines and the fuel filter. And wildbill it does both.

 

[wildbill23c]

ok i changed the regulator and now it runs even worse. i have to hold the gas pedal halfway down AND ride the clutch just to get it to quit bucking and dying on me plus i have to keep the rpms over 3,000 so changing the regulator didn't work and now it is starting to smell of something burning probably its the clutch. I know its not the fuel pumps those are brand new along with the fuel lines and the fuel filter. And wildbill it does both.

If you are riding the clutch you are definitely not doing that any good at all.

I'd start looking into the electrical side of things, sounds like there's a sensor that's bad somewhere causing that issue, maybe a bad O2 sensor or something along those lines. Regardless though, I'd not drive it until you get it fixed or you'll end up needing a clutch on top of whatever else is wrong.

 

[ratchetboy78]

Now the stupid thing runs perfect when i start it up cold and if I take it around the block there is no bucking no nothing while its cold but once it warms up thats when it decideds to be stupid. I had thought it was the ignition module so I took that off and had it tested and theres nothing wrong with that I even tried another ignition module just to be on the safe side but its not that either. A freind of mine suggested to me this evening to disconnect the cats off it and see if theres any change I'm thinking that might be a better start due to its only 3 bolts to cut off since the bolts are all rusted up (typical exhaust system). If theres no improvement then I'll start dealing with the electrical. If its not the exhaust then at least I'll have new bolts on it so when I put a new exhaust on it it will be easier to deal with.

 

[wildbill23c]

Could be computer related, something is getting hot and shutting down the spark to your engine I'm guessing. Could be a bad coil as well may test ok on a tester because its cold, when it gets hot the bad spot in the coil is probably presenting itself and separating causing the loss of spark and the vehicle shutting down. However if you did try a new one then there's gotta be something possibly even the coil wire may be bad. Hard to pinpoint not having the vehicle to test.

 

[sjr53]

Since you mentioned the tranny being swapped, did you get the Orange wire connected back to ground on the back side of the passenger side head or bellhousing. It will run very rich if it is not grounded to the engine.
And the starter not turning over sometimes, I have had a starter short out on me before which makes it turn over slow or not at all.