blackbok

Hi there, new here. Just looking for some insight on a problem I had a year ago, and popped back up today.

Last year in August I was driving back to Los Angeles from Vegas. I filled up at a cheap station off the strip. About 80 miles from home my truck started losing RPM, sputtering, and choking out. I pulled to the side of the road and it died. I tried to start it again and it struggled and kept choking. Finally it turned over and stayed on. Drove another 5 miles and again... so luckily there was an offramp with a gas station. I filled up at a shell, and cautiously drove the rest of the way home no incident. I called the service dept at my dealer and asked (the only) knowledgable guy I've dealt with there about it. He said could be a lot of things, but if it didnt do it any more, in the next few days, let it go. So, everything was fine... until...

Almost to the year, and even weirder, in the SAME SPOT on the 15 S. Im talking, the same exit... driving back from Vegas, engine sputters, starts choking out. I couldnt believe it. I pull off the freeway, its coughing and dying. I pull into a "Pilot" gas station and fill up with 89 octane (usually do 87). Drove home, no more issues.

???

I have had NO occurances like this except the two trips home from Vegas in the heat (today was 112). I filled up off the strip at what I thought was a chevron, till I pulled in and it said "Standard". Bad gas... again? I did have an issue when I pulled into town on Saturdeay and was stuck on Flamingo Rd for 20 minutes in construction... temp was 119 and I had the AC on the whole way. Started to see the temp move past normal and I shut it off for 5 minutes (first time Ive ever seen it get hot). went back down, but when I parked the engine bay was HOT. I topped of the antifreeze before going back home (was a little low), but man, did not expect the sputter again. My truck HATES the heat.

Fuel pump? injectors? bad gas? ghosts?

I know my '04 has no serviceable fuel filter, so...


Man, I am FREAKED to drive through that desert again.

Sledgehammer

bad gas likely. I have also heard of 1 engine getting hot enough to bend a fuel line as the rubber softens and cutting off the supply.... due to the outside temp.

Btw you know you should NOT turn off the car when overheating takes place right..... It is one of the worst things to do for the engine as the coolant and fans will no longer work to cool it down quicker

blackbok

Yeah, I turned off the AC and turned up the heater to bring it down.

67Motorcat

If you know that you are going to encounter very high ambient temperatures during a planned road trip,fill up with the highest octane gas you can get.

Excessive AIT's will tell the computer to pull so much timing that the engine will run like absolute crap.The engine is essentially trying to save itself from self destruction due to detonation....so it wants to shut off.

Higher Octane helps tremendously.

blackbok

Good to know.

gasman1964

having the same problem with my 04 -computer says left bank is running too lean-suspect problem with fuel lines under the hood-was told to wrap them with insulation