engine cutting out while driving...

bigcletus94

Registered User
I guess I am about due for something to break since its been about 12k miles since the last batch of problems.

I have been getting really bad mpg and now, intermitently when I am pushing on the gas, it justs cuts out like its not getting any fuel. I am guessing fuel pump? No check engine light and haven't scanned for codes yet. Just trying to get some ideas on what the problem might be, but at this point its probably near impossible to determine the problem since it is very random. It seems to mostly happen when going slow around 10 to 15 mph.

It also has a hard time restarting the motor if it has been driven. It cranks forever like its not getting gas but it always starts. Any ideas?
 
sounds spark related. Could be a bad cam/crank sensor. when it takes forever to crank, is the upshift light on? and when it cuts out, does the tach do anything crazy?
 
Yeah, the tach takes a fast dive. Like a jerking motion. Crank sensor was new with my new motor 12k miles ago. Cam sensor is not new, but not the original either.

I have never seen the upshift light come on. Maybe a bad bulb :) My coil pack is new too as the plugs and wires are fairly new.
 
Change the fuel filter first, located under the pass side rocker planel, only $10 -$15 and easy to do yourself. Good luck
 
i had a similiar problem awhile ago. My car only shuts down going slow, either stopping or moving from stop. At first i taught that it was the crank sensor. But even though the car sometimes took awhile to get started again, the up shift arrow never came on. So people on the site said that it could be a bad cam sensor and it turns out it was.
Easy fix, hope that helps.
 
Bad crappy gas mileage is an early sign of o2 sensors going bad. Rough idles, rough running, and stalls are also symptoms. You won't necessarily have a code yet either.
If the cam sensor goes out, you will get a check engine light as the engine tries to find #1 cylinder to restart the firing order, then it will go out once everything is in place.
I'd look at those o2 sensors first.
 
Randeeofdawoods said:
Bad crappy gas mileage is an early sign of o2 sensors going bad. Rough idles, rough running, and stalls are also symptoms. You won't necessarily have a code yet either.
If the cam sensor goes out, you will get a check engine light as the engine tries to find #1 cylinder to restart the firing order, then it will go out once everything is in place.
I'd look at those o2 sensors first.

I actually installed brand new ford o2 sensors a few months ago. And at that time, it really improved my mpg. But now it has gone to hell again and I also have this new problem of it cutting out. I will scan the codes soon to see if it reports anything. I also plan on a new fuel filter as I haven't changed it in a while. If I am still having problems, I will replace the cam sensor.
 
I had a problem that sounds similar... the car would cut out when it was in the low revs, and then stopped firing when trying to start it. ended up being the MAF sensor. I think that should come up if you run codes though.
 
I just called the local ford dealer to see how much they wanted for a cam sensor. They said $76 bucks! I remember paying something like $30 bucks before. Doesn't that see really high?
 
Yes, that's high. Call a couple of other dealers. You may be able to use aftermarket Cam Sensors.
$30. is about right, the last time I got one, it was about $45.CDN from Ford. Try to ontact Dan Neuman for a fair price.
Good luck
 
Cam Sensor

is $34 at Autozone. Easy swap out.

If you change fuel filter, be sure to de-pressurize system. Remove the wire harness from the fuel shut off relay in trunk and crank the engine a few times to relieve pressure. Be sure to have something to catch the fuel under the car. My 94 requires a special tool to remove the filter...but I didn't know the first time and used brute force to remove the filter and then pulled the retaining clip out of the inside of the fuel line. That was 100,000 and 10 changes ago and no problems. You should be able to get that tool at Autozone too if needed on yours.

Good luck.
 
when mine did that it was the fuel pump it would run an hour or 2 until it got good and hot then it would quit and restart
 
I called Autozone and they told me they had a Cam Sensor in stock! I thought that sounded too good to be true and I was right. When I got there (left work for this) the guy pulls out a crank sensor and says "here it is". "Uh, no. Thats a crank sensor. I need a cam sensor." It must be hard for them to read their computer or something. I ordered the cam sensor since I was there and I should get it Wednesday

I also scanned my codes and got a 511 which said "read only memory failure". That sounds bad. The second code group said 111 "pass".

Then I did the KOER test and got a 167 which said something about TPS sensor error during test. I think I might have messed up the KOER test.
 
Sorry Dude

Next time check out Autozone on the web...they will show if your store stocks it. Get the part number from the web and ask if they have one...can save some trouble.

On code 167, when you do the KOER test, there comes a time after the engine has run for about 2min when the CEL flashes. That's the signal to press down on the accelerator for the TPS to be checked. If you don't do that, code 167 every time.

Good luck.
 
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