[Gjpitts]

Here is the deal.. bare with me...

I got off work at 11:3030pm... it was crazy cold 20degrees, started truck up and let it idle for about 10 minutes. I then drove it to my house half a mile away... as I was pulling into my drive way, I was downshifting and it died on me... tried starting and it would just turn over but not catch.

I waited an hour and tried again... it started just fine... I let it idle for 20 minutes then turned it off.. the next day I went out started it and idle for a few minutes, when I put it in gear it died and wouldn't start again.

I then waited a few hours, it started, I let idle and it I put it in gear and it was fine. Right before I left for work I tried to start it and it wouldn't start just kept turning over.

So I was thinking fuel pump or fuel filter.... took off filter and blew it out. Seemed fine not very dirty, turned key and pump pumped gas out... I put filter back on and tried to start it... wouldn't.

We then checked air filter it was pretty clean... took it out and truck started... idle a little weird but started just fine... drove it down the road and back... this was yesterday... today it started fine, but idle a little rough.

Does anyone know what up or what's what??? I don' like not knowing... I'd rather know something is wrong and be able to fix it...

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[JackE]

First, welcome to the forum! Hope we can be of help and you can share your knowledge as well.

I guess crazy cold is relative. 20* would be welcome to some of us! Negative digits is quite common for a lot of guys on here!

I would suggest getting a fuel pressure gauge on it when it is in the no start situation. If 20 is crazy cold for your area, it's very possible your fuel blend isn't mixed for freezing temps. What you are describing is very symptomatic of water freezing in the fuel lines. Go get a couple bottles of HEAT from the parts stores if they sell it where you live. If that doesn't fix what ails ya, get checking the fuel pressure when it won't start.

 

[Gjpitts]

Thanks for the help... but let me add more to this....

Yesterday it started up fine and idle fine, then I drove it to work fine...

After work, it started fine. It wasn' freezing cold..it was probably mid to let 30s....I let idle for about 10 minutes then put it in gear and it died... and wouldn' start back up.... just kept turning over.

Thoughts?

 

[RayVoy]

Yeah, old Ford's will do that!!!

 

[Gjpitts]

Yeah, old Ford's will do that!!!

Not a ford... it's 2000 Sonoma.

 

[xPosTech]

I've heard that. I think carbed Oldmobiles did it, too.

Ted

 

[RayVoy]

Not a ford... it's 2000 Sonoma.

That's the kind of info that we needed in the 1st post, including the engine info.

You post suggest it is a manual shift; but again, I'm guessing

 

[Gjpitts]

That's the kind of info that we needed in the 1st post, including the engine info.

You post suggest it is a manual shift; but again, I'm guessing

Yeah sorry... I assumed that since I was posting in the s10/son ma forum it was a given... but yeah manual shift.. 4 cylinder

 

[RayVoy]

You'd be surprised how many people pick the wrong forum, anyway, we have the info.

Can you hear your pump running, it's inside the tank?

 

[Gjpitts]

You'd be surprised how many people pick the wrong forum, anyway, we have the info.

Can you hear your pump running, it's inside the tank?

Not sure... my father-in-law was under the truck when we had the filter off and he told me to turn the key and it was pumping gas out when I turned it.

 

[RayVoy]

OK, then pump is likely working.

S10 pumps have a high failure rate, at least that has been my observation.

Get a can of starting fluid and the next time it won't start, try a little square into the throttle body, let us know what happens

 

[Flyinfool]

Just because the pump can squirt fuel does not mean it is making enough pressure to make things work. I do not know the pressure requirements for your engine but on my last truck it needed 60psi to start and 55 to keep running 50 psi and it would just crank even though the pump could still squirt fuel across the garage. Get a pressure gauge on there and let us know what you got.

 

[Gjpitts]

Hey guys sorry I took so long to reply... I end up taking the truck to the shop and it turned out it was the intake manifold gasket....

But now I have another small problem... heater is not working.... I started truck this morning, idled for a few minutes... took my girls to school... it heater for abo it a minute then stop started blowing cold air.. I drove it across town to allow it more time to hear up but nothing.... thoughts anyone?

 

[RayVoy]

If the gasket was just changed, suspect an air bubble in the system.

If the gasket was changed a while back and your just having the problem, check the coolant level, you could have a leak.

 

[Gjpitts]

The coolant level was little low. I topped it off before I left the house for the second time this morning. It warmed up a bit but then went cold again

Manifold gasket was changed about 5 days ago.

It shouldn't have any leaks, it has a brand new radiator, no milky oil on dip stick, and a newish radiator cap.

When I got back home and shut the truck off, I did hear some bubbling likke the coolant overflow tank was boiling or something.

I'm going to wait a few hours and let the truck cool down and check coolant again.

 

[RayVoy]

The key word is it shouldn't have any leaks; but, I may just have some that needs to get out.
I usually have good luck by Parking up Hill and let it idle with the cap off