Having a problem with this ranger. Its been running good since rebuilding/fixing it. My previous posts outlines a head gasket replace, and a fix/repair after a front end crash. Probably trouble free for the most part for a year, but all of a sudden now, it is running fine and the engine just dies. No warning, just quits. It will do this while running at speed or just idling. It might not do it in a 30 min drive, or it might do it 6 times in a 30 min drive. The last two times it did this was over the weekend. I had just replaced the fuel pump since I thought maybe that was the issue. It ran well for 15 min on Friday night, Then Saturday afternoon, I was driving it, and it just died. The dash lights came on as one would expect. I pulled over and stopped. I then checked (before I tried to crank it) to see if it had fuel pressure. I pressed a screwdriver onto the pressure valve on the fuel rail and got a good spray of fuel. I then got back inside, turned the key and it fired right up without any issue. I was right at home anyway so I drove it home, took less than a min, and parked it and let it idle. I checked auto transmission fluid, saw it was a little low so I added some. WHile adding the atf as the engine idled, it just died again. This time I tried to crank it right back up but the engine just spun and did not try to run. I left the key on, got out and went under the hood. I could hear a fast clicking/buzz sound at the firewall, possibly inside the dash close to the electronic distributor. It was random in nature, on and off, on again and off for different durations (no pattern).Then it stopped completely after about 10 seconds. Then I went back into the cab and tried to crank the truck and it fired right up. Any idea what this issue is? It does have check engine light for EGR insufficient flow but has had this code for the past several years. I'm more convinced that it is electrical in nature and not related to the EGR. Any thoughts?

 

Check the crank sensor and check the wire for continuity, check the connection for corrosion or loose fit.

 

thanks, i will check those tomorrow. Any other thoughts?

 

Well, if all the things check out with the crank sensor, I'd look in to the ignition switch on the steering column, that's activated by a rod from the key switch. That switch can get corroded contacts, misaligned contacts from looseness, which can cause intermittent shorts.
You should check fuel pressure with an actual gauge, the presence of fuel doesn't actually mean it's getting the correct pressure to run. Coils get finicky when the get old and/or get hairline cracks. Heat really can affect the performance. Corroded terminal at the coil pack can cause head scratching to.

 

Today I checked crankshaft sensor and it seems good. I then checked and reconnected items like the control module in the dashboard behind the radio, redid some ground points, had battery disconnected and reseated fuses and relays under the hood. Then reconnected battery and went for a test drive. About 10 minutes down the road it stalled again. Since there were no cel or error lights on the dashboard during the drive, I noticed that when it stalled, no lights came on. None. Dashboard was dark. Tried to restart while coasting in neutral but the engine would not even turn over or make any sound. No lights on the dashboard either. Pulled over and stopped. Then turned key off, then back on and this time I got the normal lights and it cranked ( cel was off during cranking), fired right up and off I went. About 5 minutes later it threw a cel. I went to a store and bought a scanner. Been wanting one anyway, the only cel code is for the egr. Drove on home without incident. So does that sound like it could be in the ignition switch since no dashboard lights came on when the engine died?

 

No dashlights with key on usually means complete power loss, as if battery were disconnected. I had a 96 Monte Carlo that when I tried to start it, I wouldn't even get a click. I get out of the car and firmly shut the door, check things out under the hood, get back in and what do you know, fired up like nothing was wrong. Did it intermittently so it was hard to narrow down. After a couple months of going nuts, I realized that when I shut the door madly, it would fire up. Apparently I was jiggling something to make it contact right?. While it was running, I got under the dash and just started touching wires at their connections After 5 minutes or so I found it. Ignition switch at bottom of the column. The part that slides back and forth that the rod from key switch hooks to was loooose. I could make the car die just tapping it with my hand. When I took it off, it actually rattled when I shook it. Not saying this is your problem but you should rule it out.
So.. when you get it running, check connections at solenoid, starter, ignition system and so on. Also check the grounds, you definitely should have one from the motor to the body, If truck isn't grounded properly, it can start causing feedback in the system.

 

So replaced the Ignition switch on the column with a new one from advanced auto. Still the same issue. I checked and cleaned all the big and small grounds in the engine compartment and for the body to frame and cab to frame. Still same issue. Last night I replaced the under hood relays for the PCM and the fuel pump. It has ran good for today. Lets see what tomorrow brings.