hey guys new to the site but i have a 96 2500 that will run then just die sometimes it will start up right away but then die i left it over night (with the threat of the scrap yard in its future) and it started right up and ran no probs got home (10) min drive then just did it again any ideas btw when it dies there is a funny smell from the exhaust

 

Check the IAC passages in the throttle body first. If they are filled with crud, pull it, remove IAC, and clean it. (leave battery disconnected while you are doing this, resets the PCM.)

If that doesn't help, check the throttle position sensor. Procedure for that is in the service manual, and you can grab one from the faq section here. (yep, we even have the 96 manual. )

If none of that does any good, have a long hard look at the pre-cat O2 sensor. If yours are original, probably wouldn't hurt to replace them anyway.

And make sure to check out the plenum thread stickied at the top of this forum.

 

ok i checked all the stuff that you have mentioned and all check out. I found out that when it dies it loses spark until it is cools off (pick up in the dist ?) I have a running parts truck i will take parts from to see if it is the culprit

 

Pickup coil in the dist has nothing to do with ignition on these trucks, its used for injector timing, and that's it. Try the crank sensor on the passenger side back of the block.

 

ok the the p.o.s. ran all day then on the way home 5 mins out just died so tommorrow i will put the crank sensor in (in the pouring rain)

Hey you thanks for all the help on this issue

 

Where do you live? It looks a lot like monsoon season here......

 

Check your battery voltage as well. I have a battery on order for pick up tomorrow as mine stalls intermittenly at night and running accessories. Leave it over night, battery recovers and fires right up. After a 10min drive stop, go back to the truck and it will start and die and not idle. I read somewhere the PCM can loose it's memory of the idle setting. If I two foot it and keep the rev's up over 1000 it is fine. Checked my battery and it is reading 11.99 Volts even after a long drive. What is amazing is this battery is on its last legs and it still sort of runs the truck. My Volvo would not allow the car to start if the Volts were below 12.3 to protect its ECU.

 

I live near you I'm in canada (windsor area) and yeah monsoon aint the word i have about 7" of water in the back yard