96 HARDBODY RUNS POORLY, STALLS, BLACK EXHAUST, SOMETIMES RUNS OK

[JLEE0008]

1996 HARDBODY 2400 ENGINE. SOMETIMES IT RUNS OK, THEN IT WILL START STALLING AND HAVE BLACK EXHAUST. WHEN IT STALLS IT WILL START RIGHT UP AGAIN. SO MANY SENSORS WHERE DO I START.

[nismopu]

Dont be overwhlemed by EFI, not that many sensors really play a huge part in the operation of the engine. For most people though more than one is alot, lol. Anyway, run the codes on your ECU and it will help diagnose your problem better. Most common codes for porblems like this might be AFM, CTS, and possibly CAS. I am guessing just from your description thats its the CTS or Coolant temp sensor for the ECU not the gauge. However they're very close to eachother so its easy to get them confused if your no knowledgable in what your looking at. Grab a voltmeter and switch it to OHMS, then look at the upper radiator hose where it comes into the engine. Theres gonna be a sensor with one wire and another with a connector plug into it, I think its green on your year but it could be red too. The one with the connector is the one you should be concerned with, now remove the conector and take both leads on the volt meter and touch one to each prong on the sensor itself. It should read about 2-3ohms when the engine is cold. Check the ecu codes first. peace.

[Desert Rat]

Good advice given, and turn the caps lock off