Stalling/Hestation 95, 3.0L

[youna]

1995 taurus GL 3.0L, Runs Great, but recently ( within 4 months ) has been stalling / hestating at 30-50 MPH since I don't have an RPM guage on this car.
The car does not always die, but it did twice, all I had to do is open the hood, scratch my head and restart it in 5-10 minutes with nO problem.
If I don't give it 10 minutes, it would sound & feel like No fuel is getting to the engine.
Now the 2 time it died it was:
while moving on the freeway,
I had been driving a long distance 30+ miles
in a some what hot conditions.
first time it died, was Low on fuel (1/4 tank )
last time it died, I had used cheap Mexican gas, while driving in Baja.

I have replaced the Fuel Filter, and the car has plenty of power and very good milage 26 Miles Per gallon and it ideals very nicely and the engine runs quite and very smooth.
I hope no one out either had experinced this problem but if you did and would like to share your out come or can explain what defective components would creat these kind of symtems, I would be thank full

[Dan_in_WA]

So many different things can cause this, that the only place to start is by reading any codes set in the EEC-IV. I've heard that Autozone will do this for free.

If you don't have a code reader, and want to do it yourself, go to www.tempotopaz.com and click on "EEC-IV Codes". Scroll to the bottom of that page for a good tutorial on how to do this. If your car has a "Check Engine" or "Service Engine Soon" light, you won't need the analog multimeter. Just the jumper wire. Even a paper clip will do.

[youna]

Am back with Test results & code #'s, Now What ???
The car's computer says that everything is fine & dandy, passed the 2 tests, egnition on & enging on.
However the computer did remmber the last fault error Codes, which were 172 & 176
the book says 172 is the HO2s sensor is running lean, and the 176 code means the HO2s sensor is or was running lean Allways.

So I had cheap gas, a beautifull warm day and a lean HO2 sensor, what's the next step ??
Thanks for your inputs

[Dan_in_WA]

There's a good chance you solved your problem when you changed your fuel filter. O2 sensors read lean for 2 reasons: 1) Defective sensor 2) An actual lean condition. There are no sensors monitoring fuel pressure, injector spray pattern, or any of that stuff. The car can pass the KOEO and KOER tests, and still have a fuel system problem.

How old was the fuel filter? It was probably due, anyway. It wouldn't hurt to have your injectors professionally cleaned. A shop will run this super strong cleaner through the injectors, and this will help the spray pattern if the injectors have some real miles on them.

It's likely you won't see a return of your problem, though. Let me know if you do!

[pcv]

Looks like you may have a problem with your fuel pump and /or the oxyen sensors. Cheap gas will contaminate oxygen sensors. Now you have to test the O2 sensors to see if the readings are flactuating between.01 to.9 volts when hot. If the reading are not flactuating, then the O2 sensors are contaminated and are rendered ineffective. Take it to a known garage and get it tested. Good Luck.

[pcv]

Good recomendation DAN. Will absolutly help the vehicle.

[youna]

The fuel Filter was changed after the first time it stalled, and just before I took the car on Baja 1000 mile road trip, thinking that could be the cause, but No it stalled twice on that trip with a new Fuel Filter.

Not Sure if should change the fuel Pump yet, or first confirm that the O2 Sensor is operating properly, which brings up the next question, what other symtems are caused by a bad O2s and the Fuel Pump.
Thanks Guys

[mikeo550]

sounds like your transmission is breaking down... i kno i kno how did i come to this one... well the 30-50 mph range is controlled by preset settings for the over drive... better get it checked out

[youna]

Well, another person Emailed me saying they had same problem, and replacing the fuel filter took care of it for that car. I did replace the filter on mine & so far it's been running great, maybe it just take time. However as of 10/3/2003 I did sell my taurus and I hope the new owners will not experiance the same problem.
Thanks Much everyone for your input, hope this thread will help the next one.
Youna

[grants]

I had the same problem and the local Ford dealer replaced 3 oxygen sensors (and they're expensive!). Then, I replaced the fuel filter (which is inconveniently located under the car, in front of the tank.) Nothing ever seemed to work. Then a neighbor explained that oxygen sensors go off when there isn't enough oxygen, not because they're broken!!! Everyone want to blame the sensor...including the bloody dealership! He had three Tauruses, each with more than 150,000 miles. He lifted my hood, reached under the battery and retrieved a piece of vacume hose which was cracked and worn. $2.00 later, the car has been running great for the last two years. Check all your vacume hoses (and there's a bunch of them!) and replace the stuff that's worn and cracked. If you replace every vacume hose in the car, you won't have $20 invested in hoses and you'll likely fix the problem.