stewdogg

I have a 2003 Express 3500 that has a bit of a funky problem. When starting out in the morning after sitting all night the van starts right up and dies about 10 to 15 miles down the road (seems to do this every day now). Let it sit for a bit and try to restart and it starts right up.... sometimes it runs for a few seconds and dies or it keeps running for the day. Once this happens and I get it running again I can't reproduce the problem. The van pretty much runs normal after that.
When the van dies it just stops running and you lose power steering and all that. It doesn't seem to putter out.
I had a new fuel pump installed 5,000 miles ago along with corroded wires from the sending unit and pump. If it was the pump it wouldn't start and if it was a loose wire it would be more random.... bad sensor of some kind?
Is there any common stalling problems on the express vans?

Thanks for your time

MT-2500

Get it on a scanner and check for codes.
On the stalling check for lose of fuel pressure or spark to the plugs when it does it.

Hook up a fuel pressure gauge and watch fuel pressure when it quits.

How is the fuel filter and tune up end?
How many miles and what engine?

__________________
Remember proper testing gives us the answer to many problems.
MT

stewdogg

There is no malfunction indicator lamp on and I put it on a scanner and it passed.
I will be taking it out in the morning and trying to get it to recreate the issue with the scanner hooked up doing a real time read.
I think that my scanner should have a fuel pressure reading on it.?.
As far as the tune up part of things goes this van is spoiled and has pretty much followed the owners manual for maintinance (oil every 3,000, fuel filter every 20,000, and plugs every 60,000).

2003 Express 3500
6.0 liter 8cyl.
189,677 miles

MT-2500

Scanner will not show actual fuel pressure.
But watch all fuel related readings.
Fuel trims and tempt sensor readings and stuff like that and for los of RPM signal.
You will need a fuel pressure gauge for a fuel pressure test.

__________________
Remember proper testing gives us the answer to many problems.
MT

stewdogg

Well I ran it with a fuel pressure gauge and scanner hooked up today. I finally got the van to recreate the problem on the road. While I was going down the highway the fuel pressure gauge would drop to zero and the truck would barely run with the pedal floored. The fuel pressure would jump back up to around 50lbs then drop to zero again. It died 3 times where the power cut out and the pressure dropped to zero 10+ times. The last time the truck died I got out on the highway and tried to hear if the fuel pump was turning on.... no noise from the fuel pump. This pump was just installed in April of this year so, I took the truck into the shop it was done at and it was still under warranty. I should be getting it back next week.
I always forget just how damn hot it gets inside the truck with the dog house off.
Thank you so much for your help MT-2500

MT-2500

You are welcome.
On fuel pump not running there is a couple of other things to check with it.
Make sure it has spark to plugs at the same time.
If the pcm loses rpm signal or spark it will also shut down fuel pump.

And one other thing I have found on My son inlaws Fed X van's.
Is the fuel pump wiring harness on the transmission cross member loses connection at the connector there.
He had one we had to wire around it to keep it from acting like yours.
Good Luck
MT

__________________
Remember proper testing gives us the answer to many problems.
MT