Broke down on side of road...any help appreciated

[Bigredwelder]

Okay, here's the situation...driving along at about 55mph, and truck suddenly dies...no stumble, hiccup anything...just dead. I get pulled over and try to re-start, no luck. Engine turns over but not getting fuel. I noticed the WTS light is flickering and when it is, the engine wont start. A few times, it turned on solid, and when it does, the engine starts and runs/revs fine. When it is running, it shows no symptoms of dying...it just eventually dies. When the WTS light is flickering, I can hear clicking coming from the drivers side under the hood near the air box. Any thoughts?

[NoRalPh]

First, you've left out the MOST IMPORTANT information

What year is your truck?

[Bigredwelder]

Wow...I'm a dumbass. 1995 7.3 Auto Tranny

[dannanw]

alt? cps? how old batts.? still need more info

[Bigredwelder]

Alternator is working fine, batteries are only a few years old and it cranks just fine. Not sure about Crank Position Sensor. I was told it had been replaced less than a year ago. What other info can I give to be helpful?

It runs great when its running, just suddenly dies....it seems to me like it might be the IDM due to how sudden it is...not rough idle or anything. Just suddenly dies. Its like the injectors are suddenly not getting a signal to fire. When cranking, I get no white smoke while the WTS light is on ( I know the light does not have a direct impact on the truck not starting, but may be an indicator of the component that is bad?).

[700xxmaniac]

Can u hear the injectors When ur cranking, ya need to be by the hood to hear them


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app

[NoRalPh]

When you say, "It runs great when its running, just suddenly dies...." do you mean this has happened before? Do you just come back and it will start again but does this to you again sometime later? If so - Replace the CPS.

A good test of a working CPS (on a pre-'01) is to watch the tach while your cranking on the starter. You should see the needle move up slightly as it's turning over to know that signal is getting to the PCM.

Next the "Flickering WTS" I don't like... I could be an indication the PCM isn't getting good, solid & consistent, power. Maybe you have a bad connection that's intermittent now (failing completely is a blessing )

Do you have a performance chip in the PCM? If so, remove it as a test.

Fuel -

Is there fuel in the fuel bowl now? Does it refill after cranking? (open the drain level to check)

Could the fuel gauge be giving a bad reading? (are you close to empty?)


Has the "Check Engine" been coming on at all? - Codes would be the fastest way to direct you. Unfortunately, it takes a special scanner to retrieve them...

A new CPS might be worth a try and really, since Everybody should carry a spare in their glovebox anyway, even if it didn't help you'd have the old one as your spare.

Also, the PCM needs to see 100rpm (from the CPS) before it will signal the IDM to fire the injectors. So, don't crank the batteries down to the point where it's cranking too slowly (normal is 150-200) or you're just wasting your time.

[Bigredwelder]

Originally Posted by 700xxmaniac

Can u hear the injectors When ur cranking, ya need to be by the hood to hear them


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app

No I can't hear them firing, but I am by myself so hard to tell. No white smoke at all during cranking and the engine's not even attempting to start during this.

But When I get a solild WTS light, and crank it, it fires right up.

[NoRalPh]

Originally Posted by Bigredwelder

When I get a solild WTS light, and crank it, it fires right up.

If you see an absolute correlation between the WTS and starting, here's what I would do. Unplug the Fuel Heater element in the bottom of the fuel bowl. Maybe look at fuse #22 under the hood, pull it in & out a couple of times to clean the connection and see if that gives you back a solid WTS...

[Bigredwelder]

When you say, "It runs great when its running, just suddenly dies...." do you mean this has happened before? Do you just come back and it will start again but does this to you again sometime later? If so - Replace the CPS.

<<<I have had this happen once before, and the engine started right back up.

A good test of a working CPS (on a pre-'01) is to watch the tach while your cranking on the starter. You should see the needle move up slightly as it's turning over to know that signal is getting to the PCM.

The tack moves and shows RPM when cranking, which is why I was thinking it wasn't a CPS, but I have also seen other instances where guys are having the same trouble, getting the tach to move while cranking, but it was still a bad CPS.

Next the "Flickering WTS" I don't like... I could be an indication the PCM isn't getting good, solid & consistent, power. Maybe you have a bad connection that's intermittent now (failing completely is a blessing )

I've had the same thought. I tapped on the PCM wile listening to the rapid clicking noise I was talking about to see if it made a difference, but it didn't.

Do you have a performance chip in the PCM? If so, remove it as a test.

Fuel -

Is there fuel in the fuel bowl now? Does it refill after cranking? (open the drain level to check)

Yes and Yes.

Could the fuel gauge be giving a bad reading? (are you close to empty?)

Nope. I know I have plenty of fuel.

Has the "Check Engine" been coming on at all? - Codes would be the fastest way to direct you. Unfortunately, it takes a special scanner to retrieve them...

No Check Engine lights at all.

A new CPS might be worth a try and really, since Everybody should carry a spare in their glovebox anyway, even if it didn't help you'd have the old one as your spare.

I was thinking the same thing.

Also, the PCM needs to see 100rpm (from the CPS) before it will signal the IDM to fire the injectors. So, don't crank the batteries down to the point where it's cranking too slowly (normal is 150-200) or you're just wasting your time.

Thanks a lot for your input....keep it coming!