99 Suburban Dies While Driving?

Neumonic2006 · June 22, 2009

My brother-in-law called me yesterday to pick my brain, he has a 99 2wd suburban 1500 that dies while he is driving? He said if the engine is cold it starts right up but after it has been running a while it will just die and not re-start until it cools down again? He said he replaced the fuel filter a year ago when it started doing this every once in a while but it has progressively continued to get worse.

Any feedback would be appreciated

Thanks

John

Draenor · June 22, 2009

Any DTCs?

bill190 · June 22, 2009

The basic tests are air, spark, fuel.

Air...

Slightly press on the accelerator and see if it starts.

Check for spark...

Unplug a spark plug wire. Lay it next to a metal engine part, have someone crank the engine and see if there is spark.

Fuel...

While someone is turning the key to start, spray some starting fluid into the throttle body.

Combo...

Slightly press on the accelerator and spray starting fluid into the throttle body.

Neumonic2006 · June 22, 2009

The basic tests are air, spark, fuel.

Air...

Slightly press on the accelerator and see if it starts.

Check for spark...

Unplug a spark plug wire. Lay it next to a metal engine part, have someone crank the engine and see if there is spark.

Fuel...

While someone is turning the key to start, spray some starting fluid into the throttle body.

Combo...

Slightly press on the accelerator and spray starting fluid into the throttle body.

The basics have been covered, it seems odd to me that it will die while driving and not restart no matter what until it cools down?

bill190 · June 22, 2009

Need more information than that!

Is it getting spark?

txab · June 22, 2009

+1

You've never answered the question about trouble codes being set. Does this engine have a distributor?

superjim · June 23, 2009

Fuel pressure regulator.

Neumonic2006 · June 26, 2009

Fuel pressure regulator.

No engine codes at all, sorry to respond so late, I like the idea of the fuel pressure regulator. Thanks

and as far as the spark question, it has to have spark or it wouldn't run most of the time then out of know where die while driving I would think.

distributor was replaced with a brand new GM unit just over 2 years ago.

bill190 · June 26, 2009

Never assume anything. Test these things to see what is working and what is not working. (When it dies and will not start.)

If you don't get spark, it will die.

If you don't get fuel, it will die.

If it does not get air at idle (via the IAC valve), it will die.

Troubleshooting and repairing vehicles is a matter of testing various things to see what is working and what is not working. You would find the general area of the problem (fuel, spark, air), then go from there to find the specific problem.

These days there are a lot of "electronic computer modules" and electrical devices which can fail when warm/hot. These control air, spark, and fuel. So could be any of these things.

Also if you are just "guessing" and start replacing things, it is possible to get a wrong replacement part or install something wrong, then now you have TWO problems! And if you have replaced a lot of different things, this could become a nightmare to troubleshoot!

Neumonic2006 · July 14, 2009

Never assume anything. Test these things to see what is working and what is not working. (When it dies and will not start.)

If you don't get spark, it will die.

If you don't get fuel, it will die.

If it does not get air at idle (via the IAC valve), it will die.

Troubleshooting and repairing vehicles is a matter of testing various things to see what is working and what is not working. You would find the general area of the problem (fuel, spark, air), then go from there to find the specific problem.

These days there are a lot of "electronic computer modules" and electrical devices which can fail when warm/hot. These control air, spark, and fuel. So could be any of these things.

Also if you are just "guessing" and start replacing things, it is possible to get a wrong replacement part or install something wrong, then now you have TWO problems! And if you have replaced a lot of different things, this could become a nightmare to troubleshoot!

That makes allot of sense, thanks!

[email protected] · July 15, 2009

Never assume anything. Test these things to see what is working and what is not working. (When it dies and will not start.)

If you don't get spark, it will die.

If you don't get fuel, it will die.

If it does not get air at idle (via the IAC valve), it will die.

Troubleshooting and repairing vehicles is a matter of testing various things to see what is working and what is not working. You would find the general area of the problem (fuel, spark, air), then go from there to find the specific problem.

These days there are a lot of "electronic computer modules" and electrical devices which can fail when warm/hot. These control air, spark, and fuel. So could be any of these things.

Also if you are just "guessing" and start replacing things, it is possible to get a wrong replacement part or install something wrong, then now you have TWO problems! And if you have replaced a lot of different things, this could become a nightmare to troubleshoot!

That makes allot of sense, thanks!

Its probably a fuel pump

DGrun22 · July 15, 2009

i agree with bill alot of eletronic parts, and with age they can get more tempermental to heat, so start with basic and you can eleiminate whole systems, another thing i would check though i have seen a few times when the cats get hot they stop letting air down the exhaust till they cool down, usually noticed with a large loss of power and possibly dying, just one of many possiblities though.