Suddenly dies on freeway... help
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Torrance, CA
Suddenly dies on freeway... help
'94 XLT 5.8.... motor suddenly dies on the freeway
1st time it happened was about 3-4 months ago on the freeway about 70 mph, had the a/c on and engine suddenly dies... not sure if I let off the gas or not. Almost about to panic, but shoved it into neutral turned the key back to off and to ignition and rock and roll.
2nd time it happened was about 2 days ago.... same deal as the first, on the freeway 70mph - but no a/c, but not sure if I let off the gas when it died... think i didn't
3rd time it happened was today about 65 mph, no a/c and pretty sure that i didn't let off the gas....
So is it the coil? Rotors and caps were done about 18 months ago..... same for the plugs and wires.... do i need a new distributor?
FYI the alternator is new (bought a rebuilt one at napa) and the battery seems fine. Oil isn't that old, oil press is OK and eng temp is OK.
Please help...
1st time it happened was about 3-4 months ago on the freeway about 70 mph, had the a/c on and engine suddenly dies... not sure if I let off the gas or not. Almost about to panic, but shoved it into neutral turned the key back to off and to ignition and rock and roll.
2nd time it happened was about 2 days ago.... same deal as the first, on the freeway 70mph - but no a/c, but not sure if I let off the gas when it died... think i didn't
3rd time it happened was today about 65 mph, no a/c and pretty sure that i didn't let off the gas....
So is it the coil? Rotors and caps were done about 18 months ago..... same for the plugs and wires.... do i need a new distributor?
FYI the alternator is new (bought a rebuilt one at napa) and the battery seems fine. Oil isn't that old, oil press is OK and eng temp is OK.
Please help...
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,285
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From: Bend,OR
i would say its tune up time for starters. wires are probably fine but plugs,cap/rotor check timing with spout removed and change fuel filter as well. next i would check the fuel pressure at the rail
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Torrance, CA
kemical - i'm sorta ignorant here.... can you send me some links on how to check the timing? and what is the "spout"
I did the fuel filter while back....
I also have a hunch its grounding (electric)
I did the fuel filter while back....
I also have a hunch its grounding (electric)
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,285
Likes: 12
From: Bend,OR
get yourself a haynes manual. it will tell you everything about your rig. fuel filter awhile back as in??
if you think its ground related. swap out the neg battery cable for a new one along with the positive cable. make sure that the neg cable has good clean contact with the block
if you think its ground related. swap out the neg battery cable for a new one along with the positive cable. make sure that the neg cable has good clean contact with the block
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Joined: May 2005
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From: Philly
I once had a camaro when I was younger that did the same thing. It turned out that a small wire going to the starter had burned through on the headers and everytime it hit that spot it grounded out and the car would die.Maybe something similar is occuring with your ride?
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I had this happen on my '87 a some years back and it drove me and a mechanic nuts. It wouldn't happen in the shop and only seemed to be a problem when driving down the freeway. It turned out to be the module that mounts to the side of the distributor. When the car was hot and traveling this thing would fail and leave me stranded.
A couple of years later I had it happen again (the symptoms) and changing the module didn't help. This time it was one of the small wires that hook to the ground side of the battery. One of them was corroded a little and would lose connection if you shook it. Cleaning it up and reseating it fixed the problem this time.
Now I check the wiring around the battery each time I put water in it and keep a spare module in the center compartment. I change out the module every three years or so just to be a little more comfortable.
Yes, I've had this truck since it was a baby and have probably changed everything in it at least once.
A couple of years later I had it happen again (the symptoms) and changing the module didn't help. This time it was one of the small wires that hook to the ground side of the battery. One of them was corroded a little and would lose connection if you shook it. Cleaning it up and reseating it fixed the problem this time.
Now I check the wiring around the battery each time I put water in it and keep a spare module in the center compartment. I change out the module every three years or so just to be a little more comfortable.
Yes, I've had this truck since it was a baby and have probably changed everything in it at least once.
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Torrance, CA
thanks guys.... plugs, cap + rotor will be done this weekend...
Also there was something else... I also noticed a drop in power. esp when the tranny upshifts (e4od). tranny was rebuild less than 10k ago.
Also there was something else... I also noticed a drop in power. esp when the tranny upshifts (e4od). tranny was rebuild less than 10k ago.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Bend,OR
how fast are you going? unless your going over 55 keep the od off. its easier on the motor and tranny. but see how it performs after the tune up. have you serviced the tranny since it was rebuilt? if not go right away because a new rebuild should always have it done at 5000k and then gone to a 30k intervals
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Senior User
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From: Torrance, CA
the drop in power i don't think is od related.... i've had the lift for more than a year and it is just recently that this is happening.....
well this is what it all feels like.... like one of the plug wires had a bad connection and is intermittent causing one or two of the cylinders to fail for a short time. i'm not saying this happens, just feels like it.
btw i have the tranny serviced, filter and all by the folks who rebuilt it every year.
well this is what it all feels like.... like one of the plug wires had a bad connection and is intermittent causing one or two of the cylinders to fail for a short time. i'm not saying this happens, just feels like it.
btw i have the tranny serviced, filter and all by the folks who rebuilt it every year.
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Senior User
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From: Torrance, CA
btw can a bad starter really cause this though? I mean if the starter was faulty and shorted the entire electrical i can understand it, but if the starter is bad wouldn't it just not start....
whats crazy is that i'm driving down the freeway at around 65, engine dies, i carefully change the gear to neutral, turn the engine off, and ign the presto magic... pretty scary esp if you have corporate guests in your car.
man those folks from overseas were pretty scared when we were going to the computer convention
whats crazy is that i'm driving down the freeway at around 65, engine dies, i carefully change the gear to neutral, turn the engine off, and ign the presto magic... pretty scary esp if you have corporate guests in your car.
man those folks from overseas were pretty scared when we were going to the computer convention
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,285
Likes: 12
From: Bend,OR
what gears are you running with those large tires. should be at least 4.56 front/rear. running stock gears will have an impact on both the tranny and engine basicly sucking the life right out of them. checking all grounds , battery cables, and even the remote mounted tfi module. also scan for codes there might be something there
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Do you have a hard time starting it from park? Check your nuetral switch alignment and all of your tranny linkage. Do a search and you will come across some good threads about how adjust and tighten all of these components up. Next thing I would check is the module on the distributor. They have been know to degrade and cut out at highway speeds. To much heat from the engine will cause this component to fail. Ford knew about this problem but did not fix it till 96 I think. My 96 has it located on the drivers side inner fender well to keep it away from the heat. Just some suggestions, good luck.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Torrance, CA
thanks for the replies.... i'm not sure about this module on the distributor... i took a peek at the distributor... didn't see any module.
as for the neutral thing, i had two instances in the past that the car actually died while it was in neutral. once in line for the car wash, and once when i was waiting at the light and the car just died....
the weird thing is that the car starts right up....
i still think its grounding....
as for the neutral thing, i had two instances in the past that the car actually died while it was in neutral. once in line for the car wash, and once when i was waiting at the light and the car just died....
the weird thing is that the car starts right up....
i still think its grounding....