HELP - engine stalled!!!!

[jhennessy]

I was going about 65mph in 5th along 16 and was approaching a red light and shifted to neutral in order to slow down to a stop - the engine then stalled!! I was able to start the engine again while still approaching that red light and immediately pulled over at a gas station. I didn't hear, smell, or see anything out of the ordinary and no unusual check lights came on. The same thing nearly happened again but I gave it a little gas and she came back. The car was warmed up and I had a little less than half a tank of fuel. Any ideas???

[speedfreak87]

sounds like a clogged filter or a bad pump.. maybe even bad gas.

[jhennessy]

sounds like a clogged filter or a bad pump.. maybe even bad gas.

I have over 170 miles on this tank of gas and recently did a dyno run with everything looking good on the air/fuel...hmmm, any other ideas??

[speedfreak87]

pump or filter.. it's fuel related..

[ttowndex]

pump or filter.. it's fuel related..

Sounds like it....you could have picked up a little trash that is restricting the filter just enough to choke it at low flow, or you may be seeing the first hints of a pump going away.....
Obviously, try the filter first..... :happydanc

[jhennessy]

anything I can do without pulling the pump???

[jhennessy]

I don't guess it would help if I were to add fuel injector cleaner and then fill it up, would it?

[ttowndex]

I don't guess it would help if I were to add fuel injector cleaner and then fill it up, would it?

Actually, it might. If you just have a little something gumming up the filter, or an injector, the cleaner might take care of it. I try to run some thru mine pretty regularly....
I'm guessing you have checked for leaks already, right?

[jhennessy]

Actually, it might. If you just have a little something gumming up the filter, or an injector, the cleaner might take care of it. I try to run some thru mine pretty regularly....
I'm guessing you have checked for leaks already, right?

negative contact on the leaks, brother! I am leaving here in a minute to do the injector cleaner deal and then fill 'er up and see what happens. I think tomorrow I will also pull the inline filter and see what it looks like. I too run cleaner through my system and did so just before my last dyno run 3 or 4 gas tanks ago! we'll see what happens!!

[ttowndex]

cool...it's possible you just picked up a little water somewhere, could even have been condensation.
Let us know how it goes!

[jhennessy]

cool...it's possible you just picked up a little water somewhere, could even have been condensation.
Let us know how it goes!

let us hope so!! I cannot afford to replace anything or spend money on labor...not to mention that I would then have to hear it from the wife!!

[Larry03gt]

Most likey there is nothing wrong. With a built performance motor you will get the occasional hicup at idle. if it was to do it all the time then I would recommend check vacuum leaks and to reprogram your idle speed.

[jhennessy]

Most likey there is nothing wrong. With a built performance motor you will get the occasional hicup at idle. if it was to do it all the time then I would recommend check vacuum leaks and to reprogram your idle speed.

I hope so, however, this occured while going from 5th to neutral at approx 65 mph while approaching a red light - the rpm's just dropped from 2300 to 0...

[Larry03gt]

That case I would pull the IAC off and clean it and the IAC passages.

[Darren]

that happened to me the other day...I just started it back up and figured it was just a hicup.

[jhennessy]

That case I would pull the IAC off and clean it and the IAC passages.

how would you recommend cleaning it?? -

[speedfreak87]

how would you recommend cleaning it?? -


brake cleaner works like a charm.

[Larry03gt]

brake cleaner works like a charm.


bingo!!! That's the best wat to do it!! :mick:

[white35th]

I was going about 65mph in 5th along 16 and was approaching a red light and shifted to neutral in order to slow down to a stop - the engine then stalled!! I was able to start the engine again while still approaching that red light and immediately pulled over at a gas station. I didn't hear, smell, or see anything out of the ordinary and no unusual check lights came on. The same thing nearly happened again but I gave it a little gas and she came back. The car was warmed up and I had a little less than half a tank of fuel. Any ideas???
My car does that somtimes and is related to the tune and stage two cams and blower. The IAC valve does not seem to react fast enought to keep the car from dieing when you get that last drop in rpm at a stop. Does not do it when car is in motion just at a stop.There is a lot of differant idle ajustments in the tune on the mod motors I was just getting it close to good with it when I had to send off my motor so I have not got back to it. I have even concidered pulling the cams out and using the stock ones. It seems to be very inconcistant when it happens. I helped mine a lot by setting the manual Idle stop screw for about 500 rpm with the Idle air control unpluged, then plug it back in and it seems to work better.

[TRM8ER]

My car has had a hiccup or two before, I just don't really worry about it too much. I have noticed it only has happened a couple of times when I was WOT and then put it in neutral while slowing down. I now try to brake and down shift alittle if I'm gradually slowing down and seems to work without hiccupping.

[jhennessy]

brake cleaner works like a charm.

I look into doing that today if time permits, thanks for the info!

[jhennessy]

My car does that somtimes and is related to the tune and stage two cams and blower. The IAC valve does not seem to react fast enought to keep the car from dieing when you get that last drop in rpm at a stop. Does not do it when car is in motion just at a stop.There is a lot of differant idle ajustments in the tune on the mod motors I was just getting it close to good with it when I had to send off my motor so I have not got back to it. I have even concidered pulling the cams out and using the stock ones. It seems to be very inconcistant when it happens. I helped mine a lot by setting the manual Idle stop screw for about 500 rpm with the Idle air control unpluged, then plug it back in and it seems to work better.

yeah, this happened while in motion...the idle is, however, set around 800 rpm I think and this does fluctuate when sitting at idle for a while

[jhennessy]

My car has had a hiccup or two before, I just don't really worry about it too much. I have noticed it only has happened a couple of times when I was WOT and then put it in neutral while slowing down. I now try to brake and down shift alittle if I'm gradually slowing down and seems to work without hiccupping.

this is what I ended up doing for the remainder of my little trip home that day and had no problems...Hiccups I can handle!!

[Josh]

Since you are cleaning your IAC valve, go ahead and clean your MAF sensor with some electronic parts cleaner and make sure all your hose clamps on your CAI are tight. The stalling out while coming to a light happens when you are getting too much air before the maf and it reads incorrectly causing your IAC to not open. I know this becuase I battled it for 3 months. Good luck

[jhennessy]

Since you are cleaning your IAC valve, go ahead and clean your MAF sensor with some electronic parts cleaner and make sure all your hose clamps on your CAI are tight. The stalling out while coming to a light happens when you are getting too much air before the maf and it reads incorrectly causing your IAC to not open. I know this becuase I battled it for 3 months. Good luck

I appreciate the info!! How often did this happen to you during those 3 months??

[Keith Mach 1]

I second the too much air theory.

My Mach does this when I am going and start stopping fast, no gas with a lot of air still going in. Your case even more since the blower still pushing.

I would bet if you gradually let off gas it wouldn't happen.

Could be IAC also

[jhennessy]

looking into the IAC theory right now - it appears fairly dirty and I will be cleaning it here in a minute!!

[Keith Mach 1]

tap it also.

Don't over do it, they are $100 from Ford.

[white35th]

Since you are cleaning your IAC valve, go ahead and clean your MAF sensor with some electronic parts cleaner and make sure all your hose clamps on your CAI are tight. The stalling out while coming to a light happens when you are getting too much air before the maf and it reads incorrectly causing your IAC to not open. I know this becuase I battled it for 3 months. Good luck
+1 on the maf this solves a lot of problems. Brake cleaner does work well. It occurs when your K&N filter oil gets on it. I would accually try this first.

[jhennessy]

just now finished running around and picked up both a fuel filter and TB cleaner...we'll see what happens!!

[jhennessy]

Quick question - this TB cleaner says 'Do not use on Supercharged Cars!!' any reason why??

[speedfreak87]

Not a clue.. but to clean the tb, you have to disconnect the tube to the tb, so it has no effect on the s/c what so ever...

[ttowndex]

Quick question - this TB cleaner says 'Do not use on Supercharged Cars!!' any reason why??

Because it has been known to explode under the increased pressure caused by the s/c....most cars run on vacuum at idle, s/c makes it positive....if you don't rev it you should be fine...but don't rev it up during or immediately after cleaning. I used to have some pics of what happened when an idiot revved his car up to about 4000 to "suck in more cleaner and get it done faster".....picture what the engine would look like if you put a stick of dynamite under the middle of the intake....it blew the intake off, warped both heads, shattered the top of the block....in short, it was ugly!

[jhennessy]

Because it has been known to explode under the increased pressure caused by the s/c....most cars run on vacuum at idle, s/c makes it positive....if you don't rev it you should be fine...but don't rev it up during or immediately after cleaning. I used to have some pics of what happened when an idiot revved his car up to about 4000 to "suck in more cleaner and get it done faster".....picture what the engine would look like if you put a stick of dynamite under the middle of the intake....it blew the intake off, warped both heads, shattered the top of the block....in short, it was ugly!

I think I would have cried and then shot myself...I didn't bother cleaning the TB, only the IAC after taking it off the plenum. I will be looking at the fuel filter tomorrow and more than likely replacing it.

[TrueBlueVenom]

had that issue with my '02 GT. it was a hose that had a slight crack in it (from the hose sucking in). From what I remember it was the hose that led to the PCV valve. I know for sure it was in front of the TB and ran across the top of the intake.

[jhennessy]

did the TB cleaner thing and have had no additional problems but I remain paranoid as usual...I should (assuming dry weather on Wed.) be changing the fuel filter on Wed. as a precaution and will feel better about the situation upon doing so...LONG LIVE THE MUSTANG!!!