as you can see by the title I am not a mechanic. I am learning as I go. I have an 87 pickup minitruck that is my daily driver. Lately been having some problems. I will do my best to describe the little quirks and problems with hopes that maybe some of you can lead me in the right direction.
1.) when on highway... around 55 mph give or take a few mph it drops out of overdrive, then picks back up overdrive... in and out of overdrive, revs real high then kicks back in. Doesn't always do it but if I'm in the car long enough it will surely do it at some point in my driving.
2.) after driving on the highway at decent speed for a while and then coming to a stop on an off ramp or at a light it dies.
3.) after it dies as mentioned above often times it restarts ok and off I go. However sometimes it doesn't start or if it does it turns back off again. If I push the gas pedal down and start it that seems to help but it sputters hard and shakes and sometimes a puff of dark smoke will come out the exhaust while it tries to start.
Even had to push the gas down to start it today... hold it down to keep it from dying.... then put it in drive while the gas was still pressed down so I could get it home.
A side note... I notice gas dripping from near the gas tank but it doesn't appear at least that it's coming from the tank itself, I'm thinking I have a leaky gas line. Not sure if thats common or maybe it's something else. I don't believe the actual leak to be the problem that I described above but figured I'd mention cuz ya never know.
Also, the check engine light comes on... especially when it starts to die at the stop lights as mentioned above and also it comes on on the highway on and off usually when it does the drop out of overdrive thing.
So sorry for the long long post and I thank you if you have read this far. I would like to get these things sorted out before winter as I will use it to daily drive all winter long. Hopefully I can avoid taking to the toyo dealership and fix some of the things myself. Would appreciate any mechanical advice possible. Even a phone call if it sounded like a for sure problem and someone could talk me through a few things.
Sorry if this isn't appropriate for this forum.
Thanks much I appreciate all your help.
Matt
1.) when on highway... around 55 mph give or take a few mph it drops out of overdrive, then picks back up overdrive... in and out of overdrive, revs real high then kicks back in. Doesn't always do it but if I'm in the car long enough it will surely do it at some point in my driving.
2.) after driving on the highway at decent speed for a while and then coming to a stop on an off ramp or at a light it dies.
3.) after it dies as mentioned above often times it restarts ok and off I go. However sometimes it doesn't start or if it does it turns back off again. If I push the gas pedal down and start it that seems to help but it sputters hard and shakes and sometimes a puff of dark smoke will come out the exhaust while it tries to start.
Even had to push the gas down to start it today... hold it down to keep it from dying.... then put it in drive while the gas was still pressed down so I could get it home.
A side note... I notice gas dripping from near the gas tank but it doesn't appear at least that it's coming from the tank itself, I'm thinking I have a leaky gas line. Not sure if thats common or maybe it's something else. I don't believe the actual leak to be the problem that I described above but figured I'd mention cuz ya never know.
Also, the check engine light comes on... especially when it starts to die at the stop lights as mentioned above and also it comes on on the highway on and off usually when it does the drop out of overdrive thing.
So sorry for the long long post and I thank you if you have read this far. I would like to get these things sorted out before winter as I will use it to daily drive all winter long. Hopefully I can avoid taking to the toyo dealership and fix some of the things myself. Would appreciate any mechanical advice possible. Even a phone call if it sounded like a for sure problem and someone could talk me through a few things.
Sorry if this isn't appropriate for this forum.
Thanks much I appreciate all your help.
Matt
Good time to learn. Getting started is the harder part. Never think you cannot do it