Engine Stalls Shortly after Startup

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

The CRDs are running pretty well, but I am seeing one odd problem that I'd thought I's ask about here:

My driveway is about 120' long with a straight downhill run to the street. I typically go down it with foot off the go pedal (idling) and brake until near the end where I slow/stop before heading out into the street. 99% of the time this all goes just fine. That other 1% the engine stalls at the bottom of the drive when I am braking. If this were a manual tranny I'd say I just forgot to push in the clutch pedal; that's what it feels like, engine engaged to drivetrain and brakes on. But this is an auto and the torque converter should disengage, no? Engine typically restarts just fine after this happens and all seems well when I drive off. This probably happens maybe once every two months or so.

Just wanted to run this by the folks here, any ideas what might be going on? Does the tranny sense the brake pedal being pressed to disengage and maybe that switch is failing?

Thoughts?

TURBO-DIESEL-FREAK · **Joined:** Sat Apr 17, 2010 3:29 pm **Posts:** 1167

Do you have an in-tank fuel pump installed?

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

No in-tank fuel pump. Have not needed one before (or so I thought).

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Tue Oct 11, 2022 1:59 pm

Your issue is one of the typical problems with this vehicle. It is caused by worn bores and worn out plungers in the front pump assembly in the transmission.
This typically happens when you first start the engine and drive a few hundred feet in drive and let off the go pedal. The torque converter lockup clutches will engage and stall the engine just like it were a straight shift when you forget to depress the clutch pedal when coming to a full stop.
A temporary work around is to bump the transmission into neutral before you come to a complete stop or anytime you hear the clutches trying to engage.
A permanent fix is to remove the transmission and replace the front pump assembly. Most upgrade their torque converter at the same time and install a TransGo Kit to increase the line pressure to help with torque converter lockup clutch holding power. The TransGo Kit also improves shifts to make them a little more crisp with is better on the life of the bands in the transmission.

This is a writeup I put together a few years ago to explain the issue in detail.
:SOMBRERO:

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

Thanks WW. Looks like some tranny work is in my future.

Could this issue be triggered by low tranny fluid levels?

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Tue Oct 11, 2022 10:12 pm

Steve777 wrote:

Thanks WW. Looks like some tranny work is in my future.
Could this issue be triggered by low tranny fluid levels?

It certainly could aggravate it. Many owners including myself keep the fluid level a little over the full mark by adding an extra quart of ATF+4.
These are big transmissions, and they are most happy when slightly overfilled. There is plenty of room so overfilling will not harm anything and actually helps.

I personally added a deep sump oil pan to increase ATF volume to help with fluid temperatures when towing heavy loads in real hot weather. :wink:

Engine Stalls Shortly after Startup

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