Help! '95 SHO bogging down problem

[dfinley]

Hello there,

I have a '95 Taurus SHO 5-speed. It's in great shape with 70,000 miles and I take extremely good care of it.
About six weeks ago it developed a very unusual and intermittent problem.

Here it is: The car stops accelerating as soon as it hits 3,000 rpm. It feels like it has a governor on it and just stops accelerating. Sometimes it will buck a little, but mostly it just kind of decelerates. It does continue to run however. If this happens on the highway, I have to back off the accelerator, gear down and then slowly bring it back up to speed. Needless to say, this is dangerous. It will do about 55 mph, (eventually), and I can run it around town as long as I don't drive it aggressively. If I turn off the car and restart it, the problem usually goes away. It might come back in an hour or a few days. I have had four mechanics, including two Ford dealers, look at it and none of them can figure out what's wrong. Ford couldn't even generate any error codes. I've had a new fuel pump put in the car. I put in a new ICM myself. It's a Borg-Warner part, not a Ford part. The latest mechanic I have working on it got a 219 error code and replaced the spout circuit. All to no avail.
In addition, the car occasionally loses the tach while the car continues to run. The tach just sits at zero for a while and then suddenly it resumes operating. I saw the information on cam and crankshaft sensors on the SHO national Web site and showed it to the mechanic, but he is convinced the problem is not with the sensors. I'm not so sure.
I am really frustrated with this problem as I cannot take my car onto to the highway, so I am essentially without wheels until I fix this.

Can anybody out there give me any advice on this problem?

Thanks in advance, Denis Finley

<small>[ September 05, 2002, 12:53 PM: Message edited by: Bizzy ]</small>

 

[marlonius]

Could be CPS. Do you add coolant often? If so, could be the waterpump leaking onto the CPS. The classic SHO problem...

 

[Goose]

It sounds like the CPS. Mine went with 52,000 on the car. My tach went to zero and it bucked like crazy.... very dangerous on the highway. Power just seemed to stop, even downshifting to hopefully gain some power to get off the highway didn't work. I replaced the sensor myself in about 1.5 hours.

She runs and starts so much better now. thumbs_u

 

[Mick]

I had a similar problem with my 92 MTX, but mine started bucking and sputtering and the check engine light would come on. Is yours doing this?
My problem ended up being the cam position sensor (not the crank position sensor). From what I understand, when the crank position sensor goes the car will stop all together and after the sensor cools off the car will start and run again. The cam sensor made my car buck and surge and drove me nuts for a while till I replaced it. If this is what yours is doing, go to the parts store and spend $25 for a new one and replace it first. Stay away from Bosch parts (I've had bad experiences with their products...just my opinion)
****

 

[sdpatt]

Without another incriminating error code, the SPOUT circuit code is tough to analyze. There could be a ground problem to the DIS module on the intake's crossover tube (check the ground strap to the pass. side, upper rear intake bracket bolt, the two 12mm bolts that hold the tube to the intake plenums and the four screws that hold the DIS to the crossover tube). If the CID (cam) sensor faulted, there should be a code 214 in memory after one of these stumbling episodes. If the crankshaft position sensor (CPS) had faulted, the engine would cut out completely rather than just stumble or lose power. The DIS module itself may be at fault since it is through this part that the EEC monitors the CID and CPS sensors.

 

[aviator22]

I have had the exact same problem and have yet to properly diagnose it. When I get my engine back together. Hopefully tonight, I will let you know if anything I did helped.

SDPATT:

How hard is a CID replacement on this car. I am suspect of this item and my coil if the new wires and plugs dont work.

 

[sdpatt]

I've never had to replace one. Anyone?

Scott

 

[SHOfun 93]

Scott, PHUUULEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

 

[Mick]

Its not bad at all...the key is to remove the expensive ICM before it becomes broken..then (at least on my 92 MTX)unbolt the hydraulic engine stabilizer at the strut tower then move the power steering reservoir and hoses out of the way. Loosen the two small bolts and out she comes! Took 20 minutes and $25 total.