Questions and Answers
GMC Van Craps Out
Q. We have a 1988 GMC 1500 Vandura Van with 30,000 miles. It has P/S, A/C, power locks and windows. The engine is a 350 with carburetor (??). Our problem is that the engine dies for no reason. If we are out on the interstate, it will run great for about 4 hours and then it dies. In town, it might run fine for days and then it will die every 10-15 minutes.
All we have to do is wait for five minutes (almost to the second) and then it will restart and run fine for awhile. On the interstate, we found if we stop for 30-40 minutes, then it will stay running for about four hours again.
The ignition switch must be turned off for it to restart in five minutes. We were coming down Donner Pass when it died once and there was no place to pull over, so I left the switch turned on so I could steer until we came to a place to park. Even though the engine was not running for almost 10 minutes, it would not restart until the switch was turned off for the magical five minutes.
The time (five minutes) is almost set in stone, so it seems this is an electrical problem but I am not an auto mechanic.
Thanks,
Dan and IreneA. Could be lot's of things. Distributor module or pick-up coil, Fuel pump, almost anything electrical. It would be nice to know what the engine doesn't have when it won't start, like fuel or spark. You could take off the engine cover and drive it until it starts acting up. Then pull a plug wire off and see if you have spark.
I'm pretty sure it's throttle body injected. Two other things come to mind. A bad ECM (computer) can act like this. You should have a check engine lite with the key on engine off. Check when it shuts off if it's lit. If not the ECM is a prime suspect. Also, since you are driving it for a while before it acts up, I remember I had a similar problem on a blazer that turned out to be a shorted torque convertor solenoid. When it shorts the ECM has a resetable driver circuit inside it that will open and shut it down. A test for this is to unplug the wires on drivers side of transmission when it acts up and see if it shuts off again.
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