Engine starts up and dies

I have a 2000 VX. Recently engine started to act up more. I would start it up and it would startup and die immediately. Once as I was driving on the highway, the engine just turn off and I had to coast to the side of the road and start it up again. It was happening very infrequent so every time I talked to a mechanic or Isuzu rep, they told me they can't figure it out unless it happens all the time. I'm glad they were all honest and didn't take my money, but it's been happening more often now (though still not every time). Doesn't matter if it's hot, cold, rainy, nice weather, driven daily, sitting for a week. Sometimes I have to keep my foot on the gas ever so slightly to keep the RPM's up so I can drive so that it doesn't stall at a stop light. Most of the time it's ok after driving for a while. Every once in a while it doesn't get back to normal until I park the car, take the key out pump the gas once or twice, and start up again. Then it's fine. Sometimes when I start up, the RPM's will be high above 2300 RPM's and stay high which is opposite of starting up and dieing immediately. I even called into a couple radio car shows and they couldn't figure it out. It started about 3 yrs ago. Only happened once that year so thought it was a fluke. Then it happened again 2 times in one day about a year later. Then nothing for another few months. Then maybe once every 2 months. In the last 3 months, it's happened about 5 times.

Check the air hose behind the air filter to see if its lose
If it is doing it under load this maybe the culprit
Load = enough space to let the mass air sensor to drop
Unloaded = slips back into place and starts to run again
Had this happen to one of my cars once
But I would describe it as feeling like bucking when it cut in and out

It almost sounds like an electrical gremlin.
Things to check:
Fuel pressure regulator(yes I know its not electrical), fuel pump harness, fuel filter, spark plug wires!! I had old wires in a bronco that would randomly shut off. Replaced plugs and wires, problem solved.
Not sure how many miles or what maintenance you have done.

My 1st guess is FPR as well.

Bart

i had a similar issue about a year after i got my vx. replacing the fuel filter and fuel pressure regulator completely took care of it. not sure which actually solved the problem, but both of them together was only about 60 in parts and i was able to do installation myself

Fuel filter.

I had this issue with my '69 Z28.

Long story short the connection for the tach had worn at the firewall and every once in a while it would short out. I found it by a fluke and once I fixed it no more issues.

Just a thought.

What MileHigh said. I would definitely replace the fuel filter (and possibly pressure regulator) as they are cheap and easy to do, but this has happened to a couple of people on the site and they found out that it was one of the wire looms passing through the firewall (I think) that had been worn through and was shorting out.

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Originally Posted by Marlin

It almost sounds like an electrical gremlin.
Things to check:
spark plug wires!! I had old wires in a bronco that would randomly shut off. Replaced plugs and wires, problem solved.

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:confused: When the HELL did we get spark plug wires?

And WHY wasn't I notified???...:upsetgray...:laughing:

Mine was doing the same thing. Took it to the Mechanic multiple times without ever solving the problem. I finally had him check it out one last time, he found gunk in the throttle body, cleaned it out and the problem was resolved. Now Gill's is doing the same thing. We have yet to take it in, but will keep you posted.

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Originally Posted by VXIRONwoMAN

Mine was doing the same thing. Took it to the Mechanic multiple times without ever solving the problem. I finally had him check it out one last time, he found gunk in the throttle body, cleaned it out and the problem was resolved. Now Gill's is doing the same thing. We have yet to take it in, but will keep you posted.

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Touche old man....check the coil packs and associated wiring:) Maybe take em off, clean em up...

I would check Idle control valve and throttle position sensor. at least on GM cars - Idle control valve gets dirty, gets stuck open/close- either idles high or stalls at traffic light. Throttle position sensor - wear at one spot - poor signal to ecu - ecu cuts off fuel...

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Originally Posted by Marlin

Touche old man....check the coil packs and associated wiring:) Maybe take em off, clean em up...

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Good GOD man, first we have plug wires, then you mistake my little sister for an old man?...:confused:

Check the condom you store your wine in for botulism...SOON!...:yesgray:

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Originally Posted by Ldub

Good GOD man, first we have plug wires, then you mistake my little sister for an old man?...:confused:

Check the condom you store your wine in for botulism...SOON!...:yesgray:

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*sigh*, wrong post quoted, score 2 for Ldub :whiteflag:

I am recently having the exact same issues as Baldwin describes here. I was wondering if you ever figured out or resolved this issue. Any guidance or additional info is greatly appreciated.

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Originally Posted by VXSetter

I am recently having the exact same issues as Baldwin describes here. I was wondering if you ever figured out or resolved this issue. Any guidance or additional info is greatly appreciated.

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More often than not from what I've seen this type of issue on a Vehicross has been solved by replacing the fuel pressure regulator. You could start off with an easier replacement project and change out the fuel filter first to see if that solves the problem though.

If you've ever gotten a bad batch of gas (watered down), the fuel filter would have captured that water and still have it inside. When there is water present in the fuel filter, fuel supply can become inconsistent.

Something else you could check would be the fuse/relay for the fuel pump. Similar symptoms used to occur on cars with mechanical fuel pumps because the diaphragms in those would develop a leak and they would not be able to supply adequate/consistent fuel pressure, but since we have an electric fuel pump, inconsistent power from a loose fuse/relay might cause similar symptoms.

I will throw something else out there. Have your alternator checked. Isuzu cranks off the battery they shifts to the alternator once it is running. If it is bad it will die right after cranking.

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Originally Posted by Buffy

I will throw something else out there. Have your alternator checked. Isuzu cranks off the battery they shifts to the alternator once it is running. If it is bad it will die right after cranking.

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And on that note, checking other simple things like your battery connections couldn't hurt either.

I got the problem, starts and dies every time, can keep it running with acelerator pedal held partially down, make it idle like that. Very sudden but a total failure, I am going to check TPS and other things mentioned herein =(

new TPS sensor solved it quickly, simply device, just caput in an instant, worry about reliability if I'm out on the road far away without tools, never threw a code

You absolutely must check (or just replace) the FPR and the vacuum line to the FPR from the port back behind the engine. This vacuum line is kind of hidden and is subjected to a lot of heat that make it fracture and fail - If this line doesn't hold vacuum to the FPR, it will cause the exact problem you are having. Good Luck.