91 Suburban service engine light came on and engine stopped

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Dtrain

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hi,
my 91 suburban engine light came on and engine stopped, 20 minutes later the engine started again, any ideas as to what happened would be appreciated
Dtrain
 

ajd89

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If you use a paper clip and jump the ob1 connector under the dash. You can pull the codes maybe that will get you somewhere to start with
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

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Get a paper clip, jump the two top right hand pins on the diagnostic connector, turn the key on, and your SES light will flash a two-part sequence three times per stored code. For example, Code 43 will be four flashes, a slight pause, and three more flashes. Report back with the code, as that’ll often give you a clue to what went wrong in these types of situations.
 

Dtrain

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Thanks to Jesse and Ajdemello for your replies , I am ready with the paper clip! I guess I have to wait for it to fail again and check the codes.
Dtrain
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

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You don’t have to unless you disconnected the battery. The ECM stores the last three codes that were tripped.
 

Dtrain

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Great, thanks I will do it soon
 

Dtrain

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Hi,
Looks like the code is 1 2
thanks
Dtrain
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

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Did you go through the entire sequence. I should had mentioned it’ll flash three 12s before getting to the actual diagnostic codes, and it’ll flash three 12s when it’s gone through all the codes you have. That’s my bad. I should have mentioned that.
 

Dtrain

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Hi,
I left the ignition on without starting the car and it just keeps flashing the 1 2 code, I'm wondering if I should turn the engine on but I guess the ses would not flash. my guess is the computer did not store the code.
Dtrain
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

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Are you positive that the light came on before the engine shut off?
 

Dtrain

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No Im not, the engine may have quit first, It just seemed like there was no fuel or spark, an immediate cut off, I immediately looked at my gas gauge to check but I had a half a tank. I guess I will just run it in the driveway until it stops. I wanted to hook up a fuel pressure gauge but it has a hard line up to the TBI , looks like I will have to do a visual to see if the injectors are good or the pump might be gone, it has 134,000 on it so it may be fuel pump time, not sure if it is in the tank or not.
 

Dtrain

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I put a new coil in about two years ago but it turned out to be bad brand new ignition wires. So I think the ignition may be good unless the ig module is failing
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

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That’s always my first thought when a random shut off happens. That or maybe the pickup coil. It’s weird to me that it just started back up and ran normally for a period of more than a few seconds if it was the module.

When you tried to start it immediately after, nothing happened, right? That would be the key moment to check for spark and injector pulse.
 

Dtrain

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I should have but is really hot out so I walked back and got my other car and when I got back it started right up, I should check electrical because it was such a clean shut off, no stumble or sputtering, I just ran it for 20 minutes and no problem something must be getting tooo hot and failing
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

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That’s what I’m thinking as well.
 

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