Lost power, engine died, no codes

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 286

It's been a while since I've had any problems with either of my lib's, at least up til today. Was driving on the highway trying to pass someone while going up a hill. Not having any issues when suddenly I lost power; no response when I pushed the go pedal??? I managed to get over to the shoulder and as soon as the forward motion ended the engine died. No CEL, engine turned over just fine with the starter, just nothing in terms of it catching or running.

So I pulled out my BT code reader but was having some issues with Torque Lite and the new Android release update. After fiddling with that for a few mins (and not getting anywhere) I tried starting the engine again; it started right up and everything seemed fine. I was a bit nervous but ran thru the rest of my errands (about 5 more stops and short drives, plus a long drive up the mtn to home). Uninstalled and reloaded Torque and looked for codes, none, neither active or pending.

So I am scratching my head, wondering what happened. From my readings on the forum here, this might have been a crankshaft position sensor going flakey. Seems to fit the symptoms (just dies for no reason then will start and run fine later). Could I suppose also be an issue with the cam position sensor, but I have had those before and they always threw codes (and usually left the engine running) for me.

Anyway, thought I would ask here and see what folks think. Ideas?

geordi · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:07 am

Not the crank sensor - the engine would quit instantly, not just lose power first. What you are describing sounds like a bad filter, when's the last time it was changed?

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:14 am

Several years ago, mine did the same exact thing, just suddenly lost power and quit running while going down the road. It put me on the side of the road and would not restart.
So I dug out my Inova scanner, connected it up, and no codes. Set there a couple of minutes while I was fiddling with the scanner and tried to start it and it cranked right up like nothing had happened. Drove it on home and went and got a new crank sensor the next day from AutoZone (Bosch part in AZ box)
Installed it and it has never missed a beat since...

Replace your crank sensor, they are notorious for stopping the engine from running and never setting any codes. :wink:

thesameguy · **Joined:** Sat Oct 01, 2016 8:24 pm **Posts:** 652

Just a point of clarification - while heading up the hill, did the engine just return to idle or did it keep RPMs up?

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 286

Thanks for the replies.

I am not sure my explanation of the event are really complete; basically I was tooling along passing up a hill when suddenly no power. At that point I was concentrating mostly on getting thru traffic to the shoulder rather that noticing details like what did the tach read, and could I hear the engine firing at all. Would have been nice, wish I had my wits about me enough to note those things at the time. But I was going at a pretty good clip and momentum let me continue up the hill for a ways, slowing down all the time. I did notice that as soon as I came to a stop that engine was dead, and I had not turned it off. It could have died at the beginning of the episode or slowly while it was going on, just don't know.

I am leaning towards the crank sensor, only because after a couple of mins it started and ran just fine the rest of the trip, including going up a pretty big hill to get home; I would tend to think a clogged filter would be showing more symptoms with that sort of power being pulled from the engine. But it does not hurt to put a new filter in.

Actually, probably will get a new crank sensor too, and throw it in when weather permits. Any other thoughts?

thesameguy · **Joined:** Sat Oct 01, 2016 8:24 pm **Posts:** 652

Hah..... I understand that "panic get out the way" ... my '67 Fleetwood does not appreciate the hills around here, and a couple times on the engine has just died. It can go unnoticed for a minute or two because the long, straight, downhills are just a pleasant coast... but then you need the brakes or the steering and it's PANIC!!!!!

I installed an electric fuel pump which cured that particular issue.

It definitely sounds like crank sensor to me. Often, but not always, a tell-tale sign is all the warning lights on the dash lighting up since you've got a key on/engine off scenario. I don't know if the CRD behaves that way, but if you did notice all the lights on, I'd say for sure crank sensor. Even if not, it's a cheap part and an easy experiment.

I have a hard time believing it's the fuel filter in general - it's not gonna suddenly get better. I'd be more inclined to blame the fuel pump, but probably not a mechanical one like the Jeep. Electrical problem? Bad alternator dropping system voltage at the right time? Physical damage to a battery terminal resulting on no power? Crank sensor seems way more likely to me.

PZKW108 · **Joined:** Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:23 pm **Posts:** 461

Steve777 wrote:

It's been a while since I've had any problems with either of my lib's, at least up til today. Was driving on the highway trying to pass someone while going up a hill. Not having any issues when suddenly I lost power; no response when I pushed the go pedal??? I managed to get over to the shoulder and as soon as the forward motion ended the engine died. No CEL, engine turned over just fine with the starter, just nothing in terms of it catching or running.

So I pulled out my BT code reader but was having some issues with Torque Lite and the new Android release update. After fiddling with that for a few mins (and not getting anywhere) I tried starting the engine again; it started right up and everything seemed fine. I was a bit nervous but ran thru the rest of my errands (about 5 more stops and short drives, plus a long drive up the mtn to home). Uninstalled and reloaded Torque and looked for codes, none, neither active or pending.

So I am scratching my head, wondering what happened. From my readings on the forum here, this might have been a crankshaft position sensor going flakey. Seems to fit the symptoms (just dies for no reason then will start and run fine later). Could I suppose also be an issue with the cam position sensor, but I have had those before and they always threw codes (and usually left the engine running) for me.

Anyway, thought I would ask here and see what folks think. Ideas?

Sound like it could be the crank sensor.

They can cause a lot of problem, in doubt replace it !

CATCRD · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:32 pm

Crank sensor x3

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

My wife got in her CRD last week and fired it up. She made it halfway out of the garage and it died. No codes. Would crank until the battery was dead but didn't fire.

I figured it was the crank position sensor. Replaced it and it still would not fire. Wasted $80.

I then decided to check the fuel primer. Pumped on it and saw fuel squirting out around the fuel heater plug (original fuel head). I had a spare fuel head and did a quick swap. It has worked fine ever since.

Moral of story: check the basics first. Fuel needs to get to the engine. If you are still running the original fuel head, start by giving it a few pumps to see if it stiffens up and does not leak. If you are not getting fuel to the filter, then you might have a leak back at the tank.

If you were running in freezing weather and your fuel filter hasn't been changed lately, you could have experienced gelling which can temporarily plug the fuel filter with wax. If you warm the filter, the wax can dissolve and it runs again.

Lost power, engine died, no codes

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