I have a 97 f150 4.6 5sp supercab xlt, today on the way to work my tach started to jump up and down and the engine surging, then all the gauges go dead, the truck dies, and then it starts back up again. It continued to do this the last 5 min to work, by the time i got there I had to shut the truck off completely for a couple minutes for it to restart, just so I could park it. I left it at work goin back tomorrow to try to firgure it out. Any help would be greatly apprecaited.

 

funny things like that happen to a running truck when the battery is going dead. possibly you have a bad ground? if it restarts, dont seem like the battery would be low.

 

The exact thing was happening to me and it was a pain. 2 batteries, 3 alts, 3 differnant mechanics and I was finally able to get it fixed. It turned out to be a short in the airbag that was draining the battery very quick. Good luck.

 

crowndog1 were u getting any check engine lights or airbag lights? just wonderin if i might have same problem


I forget to say it was restarting itself a couple times. Then i had to stop and let it sit to start. Gota go pick it up todaygotta love to hate these things.

 

I had a ford that did the same thing, turned out it was a body to engine, engine to frame greound problem, the ground strap was bare and corroded to the point it crumbled apart, check the grounds when your under there.

 

Yes Lurch460, the airbag, check engine light, 4X4 light all lit up. The tach and speedo went crazy and eventually died. The transmission would start jerking. Pretty much everything in the truck that is electrical either went crazy or stopped working.