NO START or STARTS AND DIES - CEL Flashes Same As Fuel Pump Relay Clicks???

[KLW]

I'd suggest checking the grounds to the ecm. On some models the ecm grounds come right off the battery terminal. Not sure on this one. Have also seen shorted sensors play havoc with the ecm. You could try disconnecting one sensor at a time.

 

[daffy]

I didn't notice that anyone said this, and maybe it's stupid to suggest, but could the fuel filter be clogged?

I thought I read the pumps have a safety built in that, if pressure doesn't come up after x seconds, they stop trying. dunno, maybe I'm remembering another fuel system.

 

[01EB5.0]

Hey guys,
My 2001 5.0L is doing the exact same thing. it will run ok for about 10 minutes then die. It sometimes coughs and stumbles but keeps going, but sometimes it just falls flat on its face. The fuel pump relay and IAC click rapidly and it won;t start. I do have the PATS system, but it seems to have nothing to do with the issue. I have 152,000 miles and have never had an issue before, but now since my toher car is dead, this is just a major issue for me to have the explorer down too. I can at least drive it for about 10 minutes and usually be ok, but it takes me 20 minutes to get to work...

 

[01EB5.0]

Well, i fiddled with the electrical connections on mine and reset th ecomptuer by disconnecting th ebattery for a few hours and it ran out find for the last 50-60 miles. Who knows what it is

 

[budwich]

probably bad battery connections which "improved" when you disconnected them... try cleaning and check cables for "goodness".

 

[MustangP51]

I had the same thing happen to our 1999 Expedition. My mom drove over a set of train tracks and the engine just died. On the side of the road, I tried cranking it over and over again, tried both sets of keys, but all the engine would do is crank and not fire. The THEFT light was blinking rapidly which indicated that there was a fault with the PATS system.

Even though you don't have the PATS system you are showing the same symptoms that the Expedition did, Good fuel pressure, Jolt Sensor is not tripped, and you hear the fuel pump when you turn the key.

Now the Expedition ended up going to the dealership, it turned out that the PCM was fired along with the Instrument Cluster (thats where the PATS system is on the Expeditions). They found that the insulation had rubbed off of some wires inside the dashboard, and believe this is what fried both computers.

It seems to me that you could have a similar problem with wiring because you say that the CEL looks like it is dimmer then it usually is. This could be from a short, loose connection, or ground issue.

The dealership replaced both the PCM and Instrument Cluster, and patched up the wiring on the Expedition, and it hasn't had a problem since, almost 20k miles now since it happened.

Also since there are no trouble codes given by the computer, it seems like you have PCM problems. Unfortunately the only way to really tell is to have the dealer run the diagnostics on it. In the Expeditions case, it didn't give any trouble codes, and the dealerships diagnostics equipment was unable to even get the computer to respond.

Good Luck

 

[01EB5.0]

Update: My truck started acting up again tongiht after abut 100 trouble free miles. It did throw a code this time. P1299 wich is a manufacture specific code. on my haldheld reader it said there is an issue with fuel/air metering but online i read the P1299 means engine overheat condition?

 

[01EB5.0]

Well, i replaced the coolant temp sensor thinking that was it but it was a waste of $20. any other suggestions?

 

[01EB5.0]

Rich, did you figure yours out yet?