Hi All,
I have a 1990 - 4.0 - straight six w/160 K miles.
I jumped it off another truck and it started but the cd player made noise and the starter made a growling noise. And if you are wondering, I DIDN'T cross the negative to positive and the positive to the negative by mistake. Wouldn't start, My mechanic replaced cracked distributor cap and module. Still runs badly for about 3 minutes then shuts off. He has checked EGR system, and thought it might be the PCM so he switched it out with another truck of similar year. Didn't make a difference. He said he checked all the sensors. He said the system is drawing in way to much fuel. What would make it do that? He will take any possible suggestions.

 

Is it throwing any codes?
It sounds like the IAC actuator and/or the ECT sensor are not functioning properly but that is only a very rough guess. Pull the diagnostic codes before you change anything else.

 

Hi StrangeRange,
Thanks for viewing my problem. I will send it to my mechanic. He said the computer does not thro out codes to read. It is a 1990. Is this because he doesn't have the right scanner? Someone else said it might require a scanner that reads an OBO1 computer?

 

An OBD-II scanner will not work on an OBD-I vehicle like yours. But you don't need a scanner to pull OBD-I codes. you can do it with a paper clip. If you search this forum you will find instructions.

 

O'Reilly's has a scanner for OBD1, and I think some other parts stores are now doing it too.

 

My mechanic says the computer is not throwing out any codes. I am going to buy a remanufactured one and hope that is the problem...

 

Also, he has both the OBD 1 and the OBD II scanners.