E150 -92 stalling,dying while driving

[Woodfiend]

It's done it for a couple months now. So far I have replaced the spark plugs, dist. cap, rotor,pickup coil. It seems to be getting good fuel pressure. I don't know what else it could be. I will drive it and it will work fine for a couple weeks and then all of sudden it will just die. If I try and start it again it turns over and wants to come to life but just dies out again. I had to replace the dist cap twice because the new one was bad and now when I started it in the driveway yesterday it was idling roughly and and acting kind of "coughy" not really sputtering but not running smoothly seems like the idle was kind of inconsistent. I know it is EFI but I don't know if that could be the cause of any problem either.

I am stumped (not that that is hard to do mind you) So any ideas/solutions?
Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

[Cheesphht]

Originally Posted by Woodfiend

It's done it for a couple months now. So far I have replaced the spark plugs, dist. cap, rotor,pickup coil. It seems to be getting good fuel pressure. I don't know what else it could be. I will drive it and it will work fine for a couple weeks and then all of sudden it will just die. If I try and start it again it turns over and wants to come to life but just dies out again. I had to replace the dist cap twice because the new one was bad and now when I started it in the driveway yesterday it was idling roughly and and acting kind of "coughy" not really sputtering but not running smoothly seems like the idle was kind of inconsistent. I know it is EFI but I don't know if that could be the cause of any problem either.

I am stumped (not that that is hard to do mind you) So any ideas/solutions?
Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

Hi,

I sympathize or is it empathize with you because I am in the same boat. My econoline -1992 5.0 FI is doing about the same thing except that it won't start at all now. Went from bad to verse actually, It ran rough - and I mean rough with black smoke and all the bad fuel mileage that you could imagine! I mean actually I saved a bunch of money this weekend because I couldn't go anywhere - do you think a junk yard would actually take this piece of trash? Anyway, I've heard and read different things - I've tried hooking up my voltmeter and getting those "codes" but it's too hit or miss I don't know if it's sending me "33", "133" or 331!

If someone could - help us!!!

Have you tried these error codes No. 1?

Joe

[Woodfiend]

Chees Sorry to hear about yours dying too. I don't know where to proceed from here. I don't have any diagnostic equip so no codes to compare with you. I was hoping this was an easy problem (maybe common) that someone would pipe up and say replace the ignition module or something like that and I would have a lead to follow. Right now I don't know what to do next.

[Cheesphht]

Originally Posted by Woodfiend

Chees Sorry to hear about yours dying too. I don't know where to proceed from here. I don't have any diagnostic equip so no codes to compare with you. I was hoping this was an easy problem (maybe common) that someone would pipe up and say replace the ignition module or something like that and I would have a lead to follow. Right now I don't know what to do next.

Hi Woodfiend,

I thought of something overnight which might work. I know that these things require an "ohm reading" that the computer interprets according to these readings. So, I'm going to do a little digging and see what the range is for these "ohmages" and go to Radio Shack and by the according potentiometers and give the computer a "false" reading. It may work or not but, I think that it will give me a good indicator of what is working and what is not.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Whish me luck,

Joe

[Woodfiend]

I hope it works for you chees.... I am at my wits end. Is there anyone else out there with some advice? Or someone with additional ideas of what to look at next?

[Cheesphht]

Well, I replaced some things. I thought that it wasn't getting enough spark in there but I replaced the coil and the wires - they're new spark plugs so I left them in there. It wants to turn over but it just won't. Found out that my solenoid on my starter was turning to mush so I got that out for the trip to the parts store for it was under warranty so they tested it and exchanged it.

I've tested every sensor except the oxygen sensor and the one that I can't find - the mysterious MAF sensor which is supposed to be in the air housing but isn't or I just can't see it. It's supposed to have a 4 prong plug and I can account for most of the 4 prongers that I see in there and of course the book doesn't have a picture of mine in there - but they do have 2 pictures of ones that look almost exactly alike!

I went out and got an ERG sensor but I don't think that that's what it is but I'll go put on the new one anyway - I know it won't work but . . . since I've got nothing else to do!

Please let us know anyone, if you've had these sorts of problems before but I think that these things aren't much good for quick answers.

Joe

[Cheesphht]

Joe again, (talking to myself and feeling low)

I don't think that there's anything wrong with this emissions systems and dohickies. It seems to be the timing belt or something with the compression. The engine has fuel and spark but yet does not fire. The spark plugs were fouled with soot and gunk so they haven't been firing right or hot to burn this stuff off. Anyone out there that this seems to be a sympton related to the timing belt? I've never had one go bad but I think I do now.

Joe

[Woodfiend]

Originally Posted by Cheesphht

Joe again, (talking to myself and feeling low)

I don't think that there's anything wrong with this emissions systems and dohickies. It seems to be the timing belt or something with the compression. The engine has fuel and spark but yet does not fire. The spark plugs were fouled with soot and gunk so they haven't been firing right or hot to burn this stuff off. Anyone out there that this seems to be a sympton related to the timing belt? I've never had one go bad but I think I do now.

Joe

I have the exact same symptoms. It wants to turn over but it won't or won't stay running. My plugs were all covered in gunk and that's why they were the first thing to get replaced but that didn't solve the problem. I keep hoping someone will give us some advice since I am sure this problem has come up before.....

Helloooo??? Anyone????!!!!

[Cheesphht]

Hey,

It's too bad I didn't catch you online Woodfiend we could have chatted. If you come online again look me up on the Yahoo pager or telephone - you can leave me a message if you want.

I've got a question though because of the sequence that the events happened to me. I ran out of gas first then almost immediately my car fizzled and then after a couple of really rough starts and having to idle it high to keep it running I backed it up to where it is and there it sits waiting for me to replace the next thing.

I seriously thinking about the gas now. Maybe I just got some bad gas - and that's why it won't start now. It never ran great (Ford 90's car from what I understand) but it always did start. What do you say? Did you just fill up? Has it been rough starting for a while or did you just start to experience this?

Well, that's all that was on my little mind.

be in touch,

Joe

[outlaw420]

I had a similar problem with one of our E-350's it turned out to be th Idle Air Control Valve. Other than that I would check fuel system for any problems. sorry thats all i have.

[Woodfiend]

Originally Posted by outlaw420

I had a similar problem with one of our E-350's it turned out to be th Idle Air Control Valve. Other than that I would check fuel system for any problems. sorry thats all i have.

I think the fuel system has been pretty much ruled out. Tested a couple of times and there is good fuel pressure every time. Idle air control valve.... hmmm.... I may have to ponder that one. Thanks. Any leads right now are better than being stumped.

[Cheesphht]

Yes, I too have good fuel pressure but . . . do I have good fuel? I don't know and frankly I don't think so if the plugs are fouled what about the injectors? I would think so since the port that is in them is much smaller than that of the plugs and they don't get all that hot and burn the fuel off of them like the plugs. I am trying to expunge the fuel and clean the injectors at the same time. I only have a 1/4 tank thankfully and I added some heavy duty fuel cleaner - gum out etc.

Have you checked your injectors? Of course not have you seen what it takes to get them out of there? It is quite a little work so I figured I'd handle it this way. Try to start and if it doesn't at least I'm cranking some fuel injector cleaner into it at the same time. Let it sit and try to fire it up some more. It can't hurt and it only takes a little time. If it works I guess I'll bite the bullet and get them professionally processed but . . . it all depends.

I'll let you know.

Joe

[Woodfiend]

One thing I have noticed is that when I am driving and let off the gas it seems like the van wants to slow down. Not coast and gradually slow down like normal but like I am almost applying the brakes. I don't know if pressure or compression would affect this I am just throwing another symptom out there.

[Cheesphht]

Hey,

I finally got mine going! It did turn out to be bad gas. It's always the simple things. I still think that I have some bad stuff in there because it still acts like it but at least it starts and runs halfway decent.

One think that I did do that made a lot of difference to how it ran was to unplug the MAF sensor which was bad. It immediately ran a lot better and the service bulletin said that if it did - it was a bad one. Unfortunately it also can't be cleaned out so I went and bought a new one.

You know I should have suspected bad gas all along - I've already had these conditions/symptoms years ago in my other van but yet all this emissions stuff had me thinking that that's what it was but what I learned was that a lot of it doesn't even enter into the picture until it's a little warmed up and it shouldn't ever stop it from starting. I burned up two (not one but 2) starters this week trying to get this thing going and that alone should tell be that it didn't have explosive gas in in. I emptied the tank of about 1/2 a gallon and after a few turns it started - not well but it turned over and started to clear itself out.

Oil well, live and learn.

On your "applying the brakes" problem was it downshifting into low gear too fast? I wish mine would go into low gear on it's own but it only does it after I really kick on the gas pedal going up a hill. Let's face it the computer's on these things are from the early 90's construction and engineering - in other words they were experimental at best! I would like to take them off myself and go back to a carb I've wasted more gas from when these emissions things quit working than they ever saved me in the first place!

Or is it because it's just not firing right and the engine is running in a "drag" condition against the standard freerolling of a normal engine? In either case I would first test that stupid MAF sensor if you know what it is. Mine was on the passenger side of the engine compartment right by the heater and sitting atop the air chamber.

Good luck!

Joe

[Dantheman67]

Hey Guys Im Dan

Newbie, but i have same problem i have a 92 E-150 5.0 It will stall and shut off while driving, i found out from the person i bought it from He told me just to wiggle the green fuse 30 for the fuel pump in the engine fuse box. Now I have replaced fuel filter,Sparkplugs, im thinking about the wires, and cap. Its been doing this about once every week now its almost every day. Any help appreciated and i hope i don't have to replace the pump also I dont know about ICV or PVC or Idle Air Control the status on those is undetermined but its a re built engine with 80K on it.