A little help! 94 fzj80 randomly dies and won't restart for 10 minutes (1 Viewer)

[ampline]

Hello, I bought another 1994 80 this week. I was lucky by finding a California 80 in Kentucky (doesn't appear that it has ever seen road salt). I bought it to replace my current rusting 80 as a DD.

The 80 has been sitting since November. The seller moved to Texas and didn't take it with him. No real maintenance records are available. And I noticed this morning the CEL light doesn't illuminate when key is in on position (so I can't tell if CEL is ON and I also can't get get paper clip codes since it doesn't illuminate.

The last 2 times I've driven it, it starts fine. Idles good. Runs and drives good. Then it will just die at a stop sign, and not restart. It will crank and crank but will not fire up. Then about 10-15 minutes later it will fire right back up. And run and drive fine.

I pulled the plugs. They are not wet or oily in the least bit. They are however a little more tan/white than I'm used to seeing.

I guess my question is....

Does this seem like a fuel delivery issue (filter or pump)?

Is there a way to test this?

Or should I just replace them?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Wyatt Pine]

I would check the EFI relay to see if its getting hot. The CEL might just be out because the bulb is bad. That would be my first shot at fixing it. You could swap another bulb from the cluster temporarily to see if that is the issue. I have heard of really weird stuff like this happening if the Fusible links go bad as well but that doesn't necessarily apply to the CEL

 

[ampline]

Is there a way to test the EFI relay?

 

[Tedward]

Yup.
It's the same relay as the power window relay located in the ds foot well.
Just plug that one in the efi spot and then do burn outs!

 

[ampline]

Yup.
It's the same relay as the power window relay located in the ds foot well.
Just plug that one in the efi spot and then do burn outs!

Thanks for the info. Definitely good to know..

Is it common to have an intermittent EFI relay? Because once it restarts, it will run fine for a while until it stumbles and dies.

Other times it runs fine and has no problems whatsoever. Thanks again.

 

[DirtScaresMe]

When it's "dead":

Does the starter spin, lights come on, stereo on?

I'd check the ignition coil as well (ie: check to see if the spark plugs are firing... pull one out and see if spark flies across when engine is spinning).

I had a bad coil and my spark plugs looked like s***.

 

[ampline]

When it's "dead":

Does the starter spin, lights come on, stereo on?

I'd check the ignition coil as well (ie: check to see if the spark plugs are firing... pull one out and see if spark flies across when engine is spinning).

I had a bad coil and my spark plugs looked like s***.

When it dies it will crank and crank... all lights on dash come on as usual (other than CEL because it's currently not working, just ordered one).

It also doesn't always die. Totally random. I did have a high idle yesterday after driving it.. and when I shut it off it wouldn't restart..

Today it stumbled at a stop sign and died. And wouldn't restart for 10 minutes. Then ran fine.

Thanks for any info. Just don't want to throw unnecessary dollars at it YET! Lol

 

[thatcabledude]

When trying to restart do you smell gas at all?

 

[ampline]

When trying to restart do you smell gas at all?

Yes. I did smell gas today.

 

[thatcabledude]

I had what sounds like the exact same problem with my 94. It would die at a stop and not want to restart, or not crank up if I had just ran into a store in right back out or something like that. It was flooding out. To get it to start I would have to stand on the gas pedal while cranking.

When you do get it to start does it have a high idle like it would normally do at a cold start? Say 1600 RPM or so?

 

[ampline]

I had what sounds like the exact same problem with my 94. It would die at a stop and not want to restart, or not crank up if I had just ran into a store in right back out or something like that. It was flooding out. To get it to start I would have to stand on the gas pedal while cranking.

When you do get it to start does it have a high idle like it would normally do at a cold start? Say 1600 RPM or so?

Yeah. Thanks for responding Pretty much same symptoms. Did you fix yours? what was your issue?

Hoping to order some parts before stealership closes today.

 

[thatcabledude]

Engine temp sensor. ECU was thinking the truck was cold and dumping fuel.

There are two sensors. One feeds the gauge cluster. Obviously you want the one that feeds the ECU if you get one.

 

[ampline]

Engine temp sensor. ECU was thinking the truck was cold and dumping fuel.

There are two sensors. One feeds the gauge cluster. Obviously you want the one that feeds the ECU if you get one.

Ok. Thank you so much. I'll start there. Will reply with results.

Gotta love ih8Mud!!

Thanks.

 

[Tedward]

I'm doing the same sensor. Here's where it is for future reference.
View attachment 606018

Do you have the Part Number? I have same issue and code. Thanks!

EDIT: part number is 89422-35010, and also recommend new gasket 90430-12005

From someone working through an engine stumble. Hope this helps @ampline

 

[namsag]

I just went through that same scenario with my old F-150. It was the fuel pump going bad, you can do the pound on the gas tank trick to help confirm. Good luck with it.

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS]

Personally, I would get the CEL working and check the codes with paperclip, then go from there. If no codes then fuel delivery issue associated.

 

[ampline]

Personally, I would get the CEL working and check the codes with paperclip, then go from there. If no codes then fuel delivery issue associated.

Thanks for responding. I actually just reached the same conclusion about 20 minutes ago.

I'm going to pull the cluster tomorrow morning and swap a bulb in.. And hopefully I can retrieve some codes.

I'm starting to think it may not be a fuel delivery issue because I definitely smell fuel when it dies and won't restart.

Thanks again!!

 

[thatcabledude]

When I had the issue with the ECT sensor it carried on for 6 months or so and didn't trigger the light. When it did finally decide to light up it only stayed on for 20sec or so. Luckily I caught it and was able to retrieve the code later

 

[ccslider]

Just because you smell fuel does not mean you have the correct amount of fuel. Do your self a favor and buy a fuel pressure gauge, stop the speculation! Before buying one I would check for spark after it dies, usually thats the ignition coil after it warms up.

 

[ampline]

Just because you smell fuel does not mean you have the correct amount of fuel. Do your self a favor and buy a fuel pressure gauge, stop the speculation! Before buying one I would check for spark after it dies, usually thats the ignition coil after it warms up.

Thanks. Sound advice...

I picked up my fuel pressure test kit this eve. I lent it out years ago, but forgot who I lent it to. Hope to learn something this weekend. Will report back. Thanks.