Need help with wierd stall out problems

[Jarhead504]

Greetings: This is my first post here. I have found this website extremely informative, helpful and enjoyable. I love my 1995 3.OL Ranger. It has about 130K miles (the odometer broke at 67K). It has been leaking water from the water pump or there about. My commute is only around 20 miles one-way and I rarely go over 55 on the way as 55 is the speed limit on Hwy 61 (Airline Hwy) and is loaded with cops with radar.

I was only a mile from work Wednesday when it died on me. I pulled over and notified my boss. It was raining at the time. I sat for about an hour, waited for the rain to slack up and put about a half gallon of water in it. It started up and I went on to work. On the way home it killed on me twice. Both times I just waited for about 20 minutes then it would start. It had been running hot the last 2 weeks with the needle moving to about the "2 o'clock" position on the dial. Usually it stays at "4 o'clock".

I wanted to do the "Blown Head Gasket Test" yesterday but I couldn't get it to start. Yesterday I started to replace the water pump, thermostat and radiator as I thought the radiator was showing signs of leaking at the seams on the passenger side. It is the original radiator but the water pump was changed in 2008. Since I had it off, I brought the alternator to Advanced Auto to have it checked and they said it was bad so I replaced it. This will be the third alternator.

What should I suspect for being the culprit to causing it to die while driving? Also, should I use RTV on the thermostat gasket? The Chilton book does not mention any RTV but it says to use it on the water pump.

All help is truly appreciated.

Jarhead504

 

[Rearanger]

This will be the third alternator.

Rebuilt aftermarket alternators are notoriously poor quality, especially through the big box parts chains like Advance.

You're better off buying new.

 

[RonD]

yes, you can use RTV on almost any gasket.
Gaskets are there to seal parts that may have slight defects or that expand and contract at different rates when heated and cooled, adding RTV holds gasket in place during assembly and can help sealing.

Running hotter than normal can effect electronic devices and connections.
Heat changes resistance in circuits.
Your report of cooling off for 20min. and then getting a good restart points to this.

I would get the cooling system working first and then see if the stalling out reoccurs.

A blown head gasket won't cause the engine to die, overheat yes, but not die.
A bad alternator won't either, engine would start to run rough then die when battery did, there would be no restarting without a jump.

During the water pump rad replacement I would check all electrical connections, just unplug each connector look inside it for corrosion or dirt then reconnect.
A corroded, loose or dirty connection would be more sensitive to heat.
I think the 1995 had a CKP sensor located next to and behind the crankshaft pulley, right where coolant from a leaking water pump would leak, check that connector as well.
The CKP(crank position) sensor tells the computer that engine is rotating so give it spark and fuel, if that signal stops so would spark and fuel, so engine would just die, the CKP sensor rarely fails but water in the connection could short it until it dried out.


Also read this about the CPS
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/camshaft_position_sensor.html

Don't see this as your problem, just a heads up since you are over 100k on the engine.