Starts, runs, stalls and cannot restart...arg!

gramurai · **Joined:** Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:12 am **Posts:** 10

Hi fellow CRDers. This one is driving me nuts: 2005 Liberty CRD with 88k miles, bought it running and has never run more than 3 minutes since. No codes though it set low fuel pressure code at first.

Timing belt done shortly before I bought it from the looks of it and all the marks line up (except fuel pump. Can't tell because small part of inner injection pump sprocket flange with mark is missing.

It will always fire up and run, but low power and some extra, sort of like bad rod bearing noise, then stalls after 30 seconds to 3 minutes and will not restart.
Wait one to three hours, starts and runs again.

I had another Crd so I swapped several parts to try and narrow problem (started with new fuel filter and full tank of fresh diesel): crank sensor, map sensor, injectors (all four), others I cannot think of right now.

Sitting right now with the three timing pins in...about out of ideas!!

Suggestions please?

Thank you!
Graham

nissanfrontier · **Joined:** Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:09 pm **Posts:** 145

You have not done your reading! Fuel filter head is leaking at fuel heater plug. Get new filter head, pull darn relay that controls it. Maybe you could cut plug end off,glue in place,until new part comes. Push prime bunch times,be up and running. Chrysler screwed this big time

Jay ne Ohio · **Joined:** Sun Dec 12, 2010 5:49 pm **Posts:** 216

gramurai wrote:

sort of like bad rod bearing noise, then stalls after 30 seconds to 3 minutes and will not restart.

Extra noise is not good. The noise could be as simple as a bad alternator (or alternator pulley) or as serious as a broken valve that fell into the cylinder. A cylinder compression test is the most non-invasive to do next and will tell you if there is something wrong deeper in the engine. Since it is running poorly, I would be looking at rockers. While you are in that deep, you can check to see if the valves are working freely.

LMWatBullRun · **Posted:** Fri Aug 30, 2013 6:59 am

start with the simple stuff and then progress. I would not get into the head just yet; this really sounds like a fuel problem to me.

WHich fuel filter head does it have? if the old one, replace it.

If new FF head is on, check for air in the fuel head. If the piston is spongy, means that air is getting into the line somehow. Fixes include in-line pump, replacing the fuel line flex hoses, wrapping and sealing the FL joints, and probably some others. You can test by putting a brake vacuum on the fuel pump side of the filter and try to suck fuel through the system, which is what the IPP is going to do. No air and good fuel flow, no problem

(You may well have rocker wear, but typically rockers don't make it not run. I know a lot of folks have run VERY worn rockers and never noticed them until a) a rocker actually failed, and even then sometimes the beast would run, or b) they checked them.)

You might also try using a positive pressurization temporary tank; run a line to a small temporary fuel reservoir held above the motor and to the filter inlet and see if that makes the engine run continuously. If that solves the problem then you KNOW it's fuel.

If it isn't fuel then I would check airflow. Getting any smoke? You should be able to put a shop vac on the discharge of the IC and get good airflow with no hissing. common problems here are clogged air filter, broken turbo intake hose (check right at the bottom of the inlet, hard to get at)

If you do these and get nothing, then I would think about taking the engine down, but not before.

Jay ne Ohio · **Joined:** Sun Dec 12, 2010 5:49 pm **Posts:** 216

I agree with checking the simple things first. I'm not sure about the fuel head being the problem, but it is worth checking. Usually, if enough air gets into the system to cause the engine to stop running, then it won't restart without priming. The original poster does not say that he has tried purging the air, but he does say that he changed the fuel filter, so I assume that he primed it at least once.

Other things to check:

1) FCV closing would cause the engine to run out of air and stall. Try unhooking the power to it and see if anything changes.
2) EGR valve stuck open would cause the engine to run poorly, but really shouldn't cause it to stall unless the FCV is closed.
3) Accidentally put gasoline in fuel tank? Early detonation from the gasoline would cause some engine knocking/noise.
4) Mouse nest in air filter?

Hexus · **Posted:** Fri Aug 30, 2013 10:16 am

Alright, I'll ask the question. What fault codes are you pulling out of the computer?

Nothing tends to make me think it's mechanical. I had a crushed lifter and no check engine light.

Check it again.

The low fuel pressure does tend to leads towards air in the fuel line. 1st generation fuel head or 2nd?

Where are you located?

nissanfrontier · **Joined:** Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:09 pm **Posts:** 145

If its not fuel check crank sensor get damaged by crappy mehcanics

Every crd has bad fuel filter head from factory, is fuel heater plugged in? Is relay in place?

Take a picture

Also prime system pump pump by hand little hockey puck thingy on f head,start

gramurai · **Joined:** Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:12 am **Posts:** 10

Thank you for the reponses!
Fuel head not an issue: I tried a gravity feed tank to bypass that problem.
Fcv I had not thought of and will investigate.

It shuts off so digitally...just like turning off key. No check engine light ornstored codes, though, as I mentioned, there was a low fuel pressure code the first time I checked but I can no longer remember the number.

Oh, one more weird symptom: the ac fans run when the engine does with heater control in ANY position including off.
I have checked all the grounds I can find.
I am a pretty experienced mechanic and did the head on my first Crd but this has me stumped.
Will look at Fcv and report back.

Thank you all

gramurai · **Joined:** Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:12 am **Posts:** 10

Oh, and I am in Central coast of California and it does have first gen fuel head but have eliminated that as a cause.
Really appreciate you all responding...

Billwill · **Posted:** Sat Aug 31, 2013 4:49 am

You say it switches off so digitally, like turning the key off.

You sure you do not have a SKIS chipped key system installed that allows it to run for a few seconds before powering down if the chipped key is not recognised?

Hexus · **Posted:** Sat Aug 31, 2013 6:39 am

Alright, change out the relays in the engine compartment. Also check the wire harness behind the ECM where they go through the firewall, they have been known to chafe and short and cause all number of crazy electrical problems. Also have your battery tested.

Starts, runs, stalls and cannot restart...arg!

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