dzl_damon

Truck has been shutting off once awhile while driving! SEVERAL times while coming home on my trip from Connecticut back home to Maine. Luckily the PO must have not wanted to change the NSS, so he hard wired a pushbutton start. I just jumped the FSS and drove home watching my speedo drop and pick up several times while my O/D would go off too. However, lights and all that were fine. It's just like my ignition was going off.

Ground? Ignition switch? is this a common problem? Hope to dive in tomorrow and see whats up, but I was beat driving back then loading up and moving the girl in!

ebteckx

you may wanna check the connections on the auto shut down solenoid. I have heard that they can cause shut down while driving problems... I know mine did once!!!

dzl_damon

That may be a bingo then. My ASD relay is brand new but it was still throwing a Check Engine Light. Just noticed several minutes ago the red wire going into the harness has a split that I JUST noticed and just a little bit of corroded, green wire is there.

I'll splice in some tomorrow and see if thats it (hopefully). Would this cause my ignition to shut off (GPS via 12v shuts off, all gauges go flat, but lights stay on). Thanks a bunch!

ebteckx

make sure we are talking about the same thing... im talking about the fuel shut off solenoid on the back of the ve. if the wire wiggles loose it shuts the fuel off just as if you were to turn the key off... the gauge issue maybe something else entirely, of course if the engine stops then the crank sensor wont read and the pcm will freak out. others will chime in soon!!! good luck!

SOOT4BRAINS

If it is the soleniod, and it keeps doing this, it will tear the rubber off the end. Its flowing quite a bit of fuel while cruising and then it just stops causing some serious stress on it. SMKHZRD's truck was doing the same thing. The wire was just loose at the pump. Fixed the wire, but the rubber tip was already shot.

BearKiller

Regardless of whether your situation is the solenoid wire/connection, it should be addressed before it does shut you down.

Take a length of at least 14AWG wire and solder on a #10 ring-terminal.

Un-plug the original solenoid wire from the Fuel Stop Solenoid.

Using an 8mm wrench, put the ring-terminal under the nut that is on top of the solenoid.

Trace the factory wire to a point that is past the hidden troublesome splice located sort of in the corner of the engine and firewall; this splice is prone to corrode and cause intermittent connection.

Once ahead of that splice, solder the new wire into the KEY-ON source wire and just clip-off/insulate the old wire at the point where it leaves the problem splice.




Better yet, install a kill-cable and "gut" the fuel-solenoid; it can never ever give you trouble again.

ebteckx

I agree with that, after the KDP thats next on my list...

12valve@heart

If your GPS shuts off, you may have something other than just the fuel shutoff solenoid connection acting up. It sounds like a loose connection but with your description, I'd certainly check some of the wiring inside the steering column under the ignition switch. Mine got pretty toasty under there and eventually cooked the wires killing the power to the ignition and half the fuse block.

Let us know if you come up with more clues.

dzl_damon

Shoot. when you said Auto Shut Down solenoid I thought you meant the ASD relay (on the fender).

There is nothing wrong with my Fuel Shutoff Solenoid (FSS). I hot wired it to get home. Like I mentioned before, after I hotwired it I would see my gauges go flat and my GPS shut off then come back on a bump or two later, but at least my engine kept running.

Guess I'll have to look in my ignition switch. All fuses looked good the other day on the side of the road. I was hoping anyone knew of a typical troubled ground that would do this. Thanks for the replies.

BearKiller

The fuse-links located on that "duck-foot" on the main alternator charge-wire would also be suspect; they are notorious for intermittent connections.

I just recently cut that whole mess out of one of our trucks and re-routed all of the circuits through circuit-breakers and fuses.


Another often over-looked suspect is that corrosion bottle-neck called a "bulk-head connector"; the terminals in there, and there are a BUNCH of them, are much too small to carry the current demands placed upon them.

hmknight

You should definitely check out the fusible links. My 92 had the same problem - I would hit a bump, and the truck would shut down. Not fun coming through Boston in traffic in a snowstorm. Then changing said fusible link on the side of Rt 1 in said snowstorm.

dzl_damon

Fusible link or just fuse? I guess I was unaware of a fusible link?

I took off the hot wire today. Dad used his window and the truck shut off. Started right back up. I used my window and it did the same thing... If I remember correctly, one time when I rolled up the window and held the button too long it did this as well. The window will yank my Voltage gauge down a bit too.

This thing definately has electric gremlins. All sorts of wires running EVERYwhere under the hood and truck. Spliced in here, there. Electric boxes on fenders not going anywhere! Wires cut not going anywhere! Right now I'm trying to figure out why the voltage is all around. I guess I'll do the voltage regulator, but I'll have to show you guys a picture of my set up first to determine whats been done. There is a box with a 3 plug looking thing surrounded in red on my fender that is next to the altenator... nothing can plug into it?!

12valve@heart

I'd suggest starting with the simple and cheap things. Your comment about the window shutting off the truck makes me wonder about basic corrosion on the battery cables and the primary ground connections. If it were me, I'd thoroughly clean the battery post and cable ends and the main ground points (cable to engine, engine to chassis, etc.) I recall another member not too long ago who had corrosion near the battery terminal cause a similar problem for him on his way to Alaska. No doubt that the other electrical needs to be cleaned up too but start with the basics IMHO.

dzl_damon

x2-6 month old batteries and cables are quite new. I shined everything up there when I put them in. Headlights and everything work no problem, and are bright. They don't flicker or anything. I see the ground that goes from the battery to the engine and this is the one I cleaned up.

I'll roll in the shop later today and look harder, but does anyone know off the top of their head where the Body to Frame ground is? I was looking for it quickly on the side of the road and couldn't find it. I'm thinking I'll add a new jumper either way as they never hurt.

Thanks for the help guys. Odd thing is I ran the truck yesterday a few times back and forth between the girlfriends house with windows up and down without issues... and plenty of bumps along the way. Very confusing.

dzl_damon

Shut off a few times today when I bumped the windows, and again when I touched the BLINKER! Each time I watch my volt gauge go WAY down. Swapped ASD relay and still pretty low voltage with big voltage swings when using blinker or windows. No drops when using lights though ????