my car shut off and wouldnt crank when stopping at a red light. its not the battery or alternator & since then ive noticed brown liquid with a gassy smell leaking from underneath. once the car sits for a while it will crank again but idles down like it will die when its not getting gas. i crawled under it today & i feel like the leak is coming from a little black hose but i dont really know... any ideas???

 

It sounds to me like the main gas connection might be loose. It's behind the coil packs. Wait for some more responses, gas can be dangerous stuff. When you prime the truck(before starting), do you smell gas?
This happened to me, however I was not able to start or drive the truck.

EDIT: Since you said you're able to drive it around it may be some kind of leak. But I wouldn't drive it.

 

First off we need to clear up some terminology.
Cranking means turning the engine over with the starter.
Firing or starting means the engine is running.

SO you saying that the engine wouldnt crank at a stop light what exactly are you saying?
The engine will not start or it does nothing when you turn the key?

As for the brown fluid leaking from underneath, check your coolant level.
You are leaking engine coolant, it is brown instead of orange because it is way past time to change it.
There are lots of black hoses in the engine bay, we need more info on that too.

 

When the car shuts off it happens when I am not pressing the gas and happened twice when stopping at red lights. When I attempt to crank the car it will turn over but will not fire. After sitting for a while 12 hours or so, the car will crank.

It is not leaking coolant. The leak is coming from a small black corrugated hose and smells like gas.

 

You know little or nothing about your truck and mechanical terms, read both of you post then reply being a lot more exact about what you are saying or mean to be saying cause so far none of what you have said means anything.
Stop using shuts of, cranking and any other term and speak english in a mechanical sense.

 

Ok, that helps.

You are going to have to find the gas leak, it could be stalling out from a lack of fuel.
It could also be a bad crank shaft position sensor, but look into the fuel leak first.
No fuel and the engine will not run.
the crank sensor controls spark.

 

You are right, thats why I am on here trying to figure it out. Unlike you, I am not a mechanic. Thanks.

 

thanks so much. will do!

 

To me, starts+warms up+plus dies+starts a few hours later when cool=Crank position sensor.
This is a common enough issue with the DII that I would check it first. You may have both a CPS issue and a gas leak. The CPS is always my first guess when those type of symptoms are described.

 

just want to say thanks!! it was the CPS.