FrankenJeep
01-14-2003, 08:26 AM
Well I thought I could wait a week or two before getting serious about fixing this, but the Chero thought otherwise.
I'm having a problem where the engine is shutting off with no warning. Its like a switch, one second its running the next it quits. It only does it when the engine is warm; not cold; not hot. Most often, its right after I stop at the store for a minute and start right back up. But it's also done it on the highway, and cuising around town.
Most times, I can restart it before it comes to a complete stop. However, this morning it wouldn't start after after dropping the kids off at the sitter's. Once I got it started, it cut off less than 2 blocks later and wouldn't restart. Wait 5 minutes, restart, run for 2 more blocks. After three cut-offs (with no immediate restart), I finally got it to the house and traded it for my other ride.
Here's what I know.
- Happened the first time a month ago. The engine wouldn't restart so I thought I was out of gas (showed 1/8 tank). Happened on the highway at a steady-state 60 mph. Air temp was in the 20's. A friend came by with gas after an hour, and I didn't have any more problems that day.
- During the next few days, it continued cutting out so I thought it might be a clogged fuel filter. Replaced the filter with no improvement.
- When it happened, it would usually do it more than once. Each time I could hit the starter and it would retart immediately. Again, when the engine comes up to full runnning temp, it goes away.
- This morning, it wouldn't start after sitting for 10 minutes at the sitter's. That hadn't happened since the first incident (always occurred after the engine had been running). The choke appeared to be okay. I was getting gas. I could spray in some starter fluid and get it to stumble which leads me to think its fuel related. The second to last time it quit this morning, I was sitting in a parking lot letting it idle. No cough or sputter, it just stopped running. The last incident was on the highway on the way home.
- Seem to take at least 10 minutes from a cold start for the problems to start. It doesn't always happen, and it doesn't appear to be too related to air temperature.
- I've been reading some threads on EGR problems. Does this fit the symptoms? A shade tree buddy of mine suggested that I could pull the EGR and hit it with some silicone to free it up. Is there a good way to isolate the EGR to verify if its the problem?
- Would water in the fuel system do this? It may be a coincidence, but it seems to get worse the lower the tank is. I always thought that water in the system would give me some sputtering.
- Vapor lock? I checked all of my lines and everything seems to be away from heat sources. Air temp this morning this morning was 23 deg F, and the temp gauge was barely in the 'green'. I would assume that vapor lock would be worse at full operating temperature.
- Carb rebuild? I have the Motorcraft 2 bbl, and it does have the typical problem with the accelerator pump. That's usually a stumble right as I hit the gas (when cold). The cut-off problem occurs even when my foot isn't on the gas. I was hoping to put fixing this off and upgrade to a 4 bbl. However, $$$ is tight so it might have to be a rebuild.
- Choke? Everything looked okay on a visual this morning. I think this carb has some of the emissions crap on it linked to the choke, and I think the PO disconnected (or broke) the wires from the temperature sending unit. However, I've been driving this for awhile without problems.
I'm a little stumped here. NAPA online shows new EGR valves at $100+, so I'm hesitant to spend $$ on the little sucker until I know that's my problem.
As always, any help you can give is appreciated.
I'm having a problem where the engine is shutting off with no warning. Its like a switch, one second its running the next it quits. It only does it when the engine is warm; not cold; not hot. Most often, its right after I stop at the store for a minute and start right back up. But it's also done it on the highway, and cuising around town.
Most times, I can restart it before it comes to a complete stop. However, this morning it wouldn't start after after dropping the kids off at the sitter's. Once I got it started, it cut off less than 2 blocks later and wouldn't restart. Wait 5 minutes, restart, run for 2 more blocks. After three cut-offs (with no immediate restart), I finally got it to the house and traded it for my other ride.
Here's what I know.
- Happened the first time a month ago. The engine wouldn't restart so I thought I was out of gas (showed 1/8 tank). Happened on the highway at a steady-state 60 mph. Air temp was in the 20's. A friend came by with gas after an hour, and I didn't have any more problems that day.
- During the next few days, it continued cutting out so I thought it might be a clogged fuel filter. Replaced the filter with no improvement.
- When it happened, it would usually do it more than once. Each time I could hit the starter and it would retart immediately. Again, when the engine comes up to full runnning temp, it goes away.
- This morning, it wouldn't start after sitting for 10 minutes at the sitter's. That hadn't happened since the first incident (always occurred after the engine had been running). The choke appeared to be okay. I was getting gas. I could spray in some starter fluid and get it to stumble which leads me to think its fuel related. The second to last time it quit this morning, I was sitting in a parking lot letting it idle. No cough or sputter, it just stopped running. The last incident was on the highway on the way home.
- Seem to take at least 10 minutes from a cold start for the problems to start. It doesn't always happen, and it doesn't appear to be too related to air temperature.
- I've been reading some threads on EGR problems. Does this fit the symptoms? A shade tree buddy of mine suggested that I could pull the EGR and hit it with some silicone to free it up. Is there a good way to isolate the EGR to verify if its the problem?
- Would water in the fuel system do this? It may be a coincidence, but it seems to get worse the lower the tank is. I always thought that water in the system would give me some sputtering.
- Vapor lock? I checked all of my lines and everything seems to be away from heat sources. Air temp this morning this morning was 23 deg F, and the temp gauge was barely in the 'green'. I would assume that vapor lock would be worse at full operating temperature.
- Carb rebuild? I have the Motorcraft 2 bbl, and it does have the typical problem with the accelerator pump. That's usually a stumble right as I hit the gas (when cold). The cut-off problem occurs even when my foot isn't on the gas. I was hoping to put fixing this off and upgrade to a 4 bbl. However, $$$ is tight so it might have to be a rebuild.
- Choke? Everything looked okay on a visual this morning. I think this carb has some of the emissions crap on it linked to the choke, and I think the PO disconnected (or broke) the wires from the temperature sending unit. However, I've been driving this for awhile without problems.
I'm a little stumped here. NAPA online shows new EGR valves at $100+, so I'm hesitant to spend $$ on the little sucker until I know that's my problem.
As always, any help you can give is appreciated.