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Weird problem! Starts, shuts off, repeat

63K views 21 replies 9 participants last post by  Sugar1969 
#1 ·
Ok so last year we replaced the fuel pump; check, worked good.

Now, the truck dies after it's initially started.

The pump DOESNT whir like it use too, but I don't understand how it'll start (I did it four times in a row) and THEN shuts off.

When the pump would go out before, it wouldnt start at all. Now the engine turns over, but it stalls out within 2 seconds.

I switched around all my relays, and replaced 3 fuses in the side of the dash, the fuel related ones (cant recall the technical term).

I pulled the pump and everything LOOKS good, which I know doesn't mean much, but nothing looks faulty and it's not even a year old. The tank is full, as shown by the gauge that decided to work (didn't work before I put the pump back in and replaced a fuse, must have been the floater got stuck).

So to sum it up, I need advice on this...

Why would an engine start, then stall out, REPEATEDLY, within 2 seconds if the pump doesn't whir but the relay is good?

I'm boggled.
 
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#2 ·
I had the same problem. Will it stay running if you keep the
RPM's up by keeping your foot on the gas? That's what I had to do or it would die. Turned out to be the battery as it wasn't putting out enough juice to the PCM. For some reason it messed up the engine settings and the fuel flow settings or something. All I know is the minute I had a new battery installed it never happened again.
 
#4 ·
Well the Dakota turned over very nice!

Then I tried it a second time after and..!!!

Nothing.

ARGHH!@$)U!@$

This inconsistency is mind boggling

Edit: I tried to rev it up, but it just died quicker. It's not getting fuel consistently, but the pump should be fine and the relays have been swapped around so many times, I may as well replace them all! geesh.
 
#5 ·
Well apparently not good enough. ha ha However, what would it harm to clean battery terminals? Also if your battery is older than 3 years it could really be the problem. You never know. Getting nothing the 2nd time kind of sounds like dead battery or one with bad cells. Could you have a clogged fuel filter? That might keep it from being able to keep running too, wouldn't it? In fact, putting a demand on your gas supply and having it die quicker when you try giving it gas would point to that. Maybe I should stick to making Reeces brownies. That I know about without guessing. But I am just sharing problems and cures to those problems I have had with my cars in the past.
 
#8 ·
sounds like the ASD relay is kicking on for some reason making it shut down. if you have proper fuel pressure at the rail i almost wanna say u have a bad coil.

forgot to mention i had this same issue with a 96 dak v6. would start run like shit and die. do it all the time. turned out being the wiring from the fuel pump to the PDC fried causing the pump to also go out. some new wiring and a new fuel pump fixed it.
 
#9 ·
i had one at work do the same thing even after replacing the battery i found the belt tensioner was seized so i replaced that and the problem went away my guess on it was that the belt was slipping at the alt and the alt wasn't able to provide the proper voltage to the pcm
 
#11 ·
very good guess but in his year truck (98) transponder keys werent invented yet. it was just the plan old key.
 
#13 ·
Hello there might not be the same problem you are having exactly, but a few days ago my truck would start, run, then stall and repeat. Ripped apart the truck checking for things and turned to find out it was my IAC valve 50 dollars from advance. Hope this helps if not i wish you luck man !
 
#14 ·
hey, thanks all. ive considered those things, especially the iac. it could be stuck closed, literally choking the motor.

the fuel pump not whirring, yet somehow initially firing occasionaly, makes me think its a hit and miss in the wiring somewhere, but ive checked with my naked eye a hundred times and cant see anything blatantly wrong.

how can i rig up a hotwire to the pump? ive been told before but cant find the thread/info i had.
 
#15 ·
ok so i swapped my jeep batter and dakota battery... now in the jeep it starts up fine, and runs my two amps and all the lights, etc etc, but it doesnt even turn over the dakota.

more weirdness!

ive got a toggle switch i can wire up to the fuel pump but now i cant get any power draw from the battery... can anyone help me out with that?
 
#16 ·
So the Dakota is still dead. Never got any feedback or help on this issue. Had a mechanic come out and look at it, and he was actually irritated because he thought it was the battery. He tightened up the terminals and it still wouldnt start, so he started scratching his head and long story short, the Dak is still dead.
 
#19 ·
UPDATE: Ive been busy, so my dad had a couple mechanic friends check it out. They did just what I thought of, wired a wire straight to the fuel pump. It turns over now, and will run, but new problems.

Now, it'll randomly misfire upoin acceleration at various times (Cleaned the IAC, still does it) and we have no brake lights or turn signals.
 
#21 ·
start and stall

i replaced the battery and the alternator and it turn out to be a dirty throttle body a 10 dollar can of cleaner take the air breather off and clean the throttle body the butter fly flaps the springs spray all the parts with carbon build up there is not a proper air flow
 
#22 ·
2004 Durango start problems

I'm having a similar issue. Truck starts then cuts off. But I have a viper remote start and was able to use that to start my 2004 Durango got in and put the key in the ignition and it ran fine. I got to work turned the truck off and it would not start again with the key but remote start works for now. Any suggestions out there for this??
 
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