2000 LS stalls when put in gear

After driving for some distance and shutting the car off, it stalls after restart when put in gear - drive or reverse makes no difference. This doesn't happen on short hops around town. It also doesn't happen consistently. If I apply the brake with my left foot, rev the engine, and then put it in gear it goes. Not the safest thing to do. It will continue to die at stoplights etc., for a while and then run fine. Kind of scary in city driving. I thought it was the TCC solenoid but the dealer says I don't have one on this car. Any ideas???

Is your LS a V8 or V6? If V6, auto or manual transmission?

First, check for vacuum leaks. Does the engine seem to run smoothly at idle in park? I believe the PCV hose is a common source of a vacuum leak on the LS.

If you don't have any vacuum leaks, then how many miles are on the car and when is the last time you performed a tune up? Pull a spark plug or two and check the condition. During this process, inspect the coil and plug well for signs of oil.

Also, check the air filter to make sure it is not nearly plugged. Inspect the throttle plate for build up, and check the Idle Speed Control motor. With the car at idle, turn on the A/C. Does the engine speed increase, or does the engine bog and/or stall? If the latter, then your ISC may be suspect.

Inspect the EGR valve for proper operation. If the EGR is not completely closing at idle, it can cause stalling. I would expect that you would experience a rough idle if the EGR is sticking.

-Rod

It's a V8 automatic with 90,000 miles. It really doesn't idle well on restart - shows very low rpms but it's not rough. It was last serviced about 3 months ago. Due for an oil change soon so will have it checked then. Air conditioner does not affect it. Just seems strange that it does it only after highway driving and then not all the time.

SPer the Ford service manual, your car does have a torque convertor clutch solenoid. "
The torque converter clutch (TCC) solenoid is a pulse-width-modulating type solenoid that is used to control the apply and release of the TCC."

Do you happen to have any friends at a local tranny shop that could hook their scan tool up to your car to see what the tranny is doing, or know someone with a high-end scan tool that could do it?

-Rod

EDIT:
Well, I should clarify that this info was taken from the 2002 Lincoln LS service manual. I believe some changes were made to the tranny or tranny programming for 2002. This may not apply to your 2000.

Thanks Rod!! I'll think I know someone who can do that. I felt like a fool when I asked about the TCC and they told me I didn't have one. My research indicated this could be the problem. Our local dealership is famous for doing the most expensive thing first!!