Engine shuts off after running twenty to thirty minutes

Tiny
DOUG STRATTON
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 CHEVROLET ASTRO
  • 4.3L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 170,000 MILES
My van will run a good while but will shuts off after 20-30 minutes of just running on its own. When I think it's going to run just fine, I hop in, put it in drive and get about a block away then it will shut off and not start for a day or two. New pump and filter. I'm at a loss.
Friday, January 10th, 2020 AT 5:43 PM

8 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
When it cuts off, does it restart right away or do you have to wait a bit?

I am thinking we need to monitor fuel pressure while this happens just to make sure it is not dropping. Then I am thinking the Idle Air control valve could be your issue.

Also, this could be a PCM issue but we need to start eliminating things before we get there.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/idle-air-control-valve-service
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Friday, January 10th, 2020 AT 6:37 PM
Tiny
DOUG STRATTON
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
It will start right away but then hit shuts off sooner than it did the first time and it only does it twice and then it won't start for quite a while.
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Saturday, January 11th, 2020 AT 1:20 PM
Tiny
DOUG STRATTON
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
I am right now going to try to my best to give it a fuel pressure test I wanted out I went out and rented a kit and hopefully I can get some from that. Because I got nothing.
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Saturday, January 11th, 2020 AT 1:21 PM
Tiny
DOUG STRATTON
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Also and not this has anything to do with what's going on for sure, but I do have a disconnected but seems to be vacuum hose coming from the transmission from top of transmission. I don't know if that's an issue or not, but it's not connected to anything. Looks like it's been cut off and I have no idea where it goes.
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Saturday, January 11th, 2020 AT 1:21 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
If by vacuum hose, you mean a rubber hose that they use for vacuum line, then more than likely this is a vent line.

I looked for any vacuum lines that may come off the transmission but didn't find any. Plus transmissions don't require any vacuum lines so I am sure it is a vent.

If you want to get a picture of it, maybe I can recognize it. Let me know what the fuel pressure is and we can go from there. Thanks
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Saturday, January 11th, 2020 AT 7:24 PM
Tiny
DOUG STRATTON
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
I will send you a pic of that tomorrow. I didn't get to do the test because of a drained battery that is only 2 months old.
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Saturday, January 11th, 2020 AT 10:17 PM
Tiny
DOUG STRATTON
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
I'll be back there tomorrow morning and then the battery should be fully charged. I think it has something to do with the alternator, and the fact that the van was sitting (stored) for 10 years.
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Saturday, January 11th, 2020 AT 10:23 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Oh my. Yes. If it has been sitting that long then we would need to start there. Let me know how you make out and we can take the next step.
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Monday, January 13th, 2020 AT 2:00 PM

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