Rough idle after restart

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Mar 27, 2004 | 03:19 PM

Black Ranger

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From: WI

Rough idle after restart

Here's the problem: I drive my truck for a normal drive either to the store or work, about 10 minutes in normal driving conditions, put it in park and run into the store or wherever but when I come back out and start the truck it has a real problem idling. The RPM's will jump and the voltage meter on for the battery will flucuate. It sounds like it's chugging and sometimes it dies, but starts right up again. If I step on the gas for a minute or so it goes away and works fine. Or if I can get it into drive before it dies I'll drive about 500 feet and everything is normal. Any ideas on what I could check? I just changed the MAF a few months ago so I don't believe that's the problem. I don't think the check engine light is coming on either so I can't get codes from that. Any help, as always, is appreciated.

Mar 27, 2004 | 03:56 PM

Rockledge

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From: Connecticut

One thing that comes to mind is possibly a bad fuel pressure regulator. When this happens, try pulling the vacuum hose off the regulator and see if it's leaking gas. You should also check your fuel pressure.

Mar 27, 2004 | 06:19 PM

Peter94

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From: St. Peter

AHHHHHH oh my god, we have the EXACT SAME TRUCKS and they are doing the EXACT SAME THING. Start it in the morning, its fine, drive it for a while, shut it off, go inside, come back out, truck will idle like its missing or somthing, it will completely die if i dont put my foot on the gas. once i rev it for a while, all is well.

Mar 27, 2004 | 06:41 PM

rangerdriverforlife

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I had the exact problem with my '94 Ranger. If I were to drive it for a while, then shut it off, then try to start it again, it wouldn't start. And if it did start, it would run really rough. Is the problem your having affected by the air temperature? How about the temperature of your engine? What was wrong with mine was one of the relays (I think it was the EEC or ECC relay, something like that) in the power box. So one day this happened (it happened to be 90 degrees that day), I took this relay out, blew on it to cool it off. I popped it back in and the truck fired right up. I didn't have this problem in the winter when things were cold. Only in the summer. So heat definatly had something to do with it. I ended up trading this truck in shortly after I discovered this, so I couldn't tell you if it still does it. I'm not saying this is your problem, but it would be something to check.

Mar 27, 2004 | 06:59 PM

Peter94

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From: St. Peter

thanks for the info, will check out asap. It is greatly affected by temperature, my truck never did this when it was cold, but now that is starting to get warmer out, its starting to do it the first time i start it.

Mar 27, 2004 | 07:23 PM

rangerdriverforlife

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I did some more research. It was the ECC relay that was causing my problem. If I'm correct, it controls the power to the computer. Checking the fuel pressure wouldn't be a bad idea either. Your fuel pump and/or fuel pump relay might be going.

Mar 28, 2004 | 07:51 AM

Black Ranger

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From: WI

Thanks for everyone's info. Peter94 did you determine if the ECC was the problem in your truck? I also think it might be air temperature dependent as pointed out. It's getting warmer here and I noticed it a little more, but I know it still did it in the colder winter months.