It never stops - Stumbling / Stalling

[SHOguy 92]

Cars been running fine, except a loose cord on the positive cable a few days ago. Then today on my war home from work (35mile drive) a dog comes out of the ditch so I get on the brakes and miss him, down shift to 3rd since I am now at like 35mph. And the car has no power at all, I manage to get it to 45mph, but then it drops rather quickly and if I try getting on it it just wants to stall. So I pull it over and it sits there idling at 800-1k rpm's. But it has a little misfire or so it seems. I turn it off, pull the batt cables for a good minute, then give it another shot. It fires up same thing though, then it just drops rpm 1300, 1100, 900, 700, 500 then sits on the verge of stalling and finally does.

So I ran like 3 miles home (since it was 5am when this happened) took a rest then went back with my dad truck to grab some stuff out of the car. I gave it a shot when it was there and it wouldn't even idle, it fires for about a second then just cuts out. Went home, got some rest and came back with my dad to tow it home just a bit ago. Now the car will start, and will hold it's idle for probably 30 seconds without me getting on the gas. If I attempt to assist it I can keep it going for a bit and with some feathering can get 2.5k - 3k rpms out of it, but you can here a little stumbling / chugging the entire time. Then after I let off it'll drop to 500rpms, bounce back to 800 rpms then fall on it's face.

This car is my DD so any help would be greatly appreciated, I have done a search and there are lots of stumbling / chugging posts, but none that are quiet like this. I also pulled the cam shaft position sensor and tried firing just to see if that was it and it wasn't.

-Josh

 

[93rev2sev]

Sounds like a possible wire connection problem or Perhaps the IAB is not operating correctly.

 

['94SHO]

Is your battery tied down? If not, pull the pos one off, and re-attach all the wires securely.. Loose wire before,+ ******* brakes might = loose wire again?

 

[itwonder]

Codes?

 

[SHOguy 92]

Is your battery tied down? If not, pull the pos one off, and re-attach all the wires securely.. Loose wire before,+ ******* brakes might = loose wire again?

Already checked those, no go

Codes?

I'll probably check them tomorrow, suppose to be raining for a whole week here now and the only place I got to work is outside. I haven't had any luck with reading codes before, so hopefully I will this time.

It's just weird though, I went through 5 pages of results and found numerous stumbling / idling issues, but nothing like this.

 

[SHOguy 92]

I just realized I can't check the codes, the car will not run long enough to even move the temp gauge.

 

[justin mccluske]

fuel filter,ect and vacum leak can cause that. you can take the vacume line off the back of the intake and suck on it and if its fuel pressure id think you should have i lean code stored in your computer so try koeo test

 

[SHOguy 92]

Just cleaned out the IAB, I haven't been able to even get it to start in the last 2 days, just keeps turning over, maybe a burble above 500rpms then back to 500rpms cranking over and over.

 

[Denny]

And there are no CM codes?

 

[doclees]

This may be way off thinking but any chance that type of action can suck/dislodge cat material through the Y pipes? Cause a blockage?

 

[St Louis SHO]

Check to see if the DIS is resting on the Rear engine strut. It may have broken a subframe bolt and dropped the DIS into it, breaking it.

James

 

[SHOguy 92]

Denny - I don't know what you mean by CM codes, if your asking if I pulled the codes, I can't because I can't get the car to operating temp.

Shotime1979 - Checked DIS, all is good, wires tight, no movement of the bracket or DIS.

doclees - I suppose it's possible, but back pressure is usually caused by a down shift like 5th to 3rd doing 70 on the freeway, I down shifted to 3rd at 35mph, can't imagine there would be much back pressure at all.

I really wish I could get the codes, this is frustrating, I honestly don't see what could have happened in that 5seconds I was on the brake, I didn't even get close to having the ABS come on either so I wasn't braking that hard.

 

[itwonder]

You may want to pull the KOEO codes even though it is not warmed up. See http://www.shophoenixproject.com/eec/eec.htm. Grabbing at straws, if it will not fire could be crank position sensor, cam position sensor, remote possibility you slipped the timing belt if downshift was hard and belt is old.

 

[SHOguy 92]

itwonder - unplugged cam sensor and it didn't change anything so doubtful to be that. crank sensor I never heard of instantly going, is this possible? Also like I said down shift was to 3rd at 35mph from 5th, 2rd at 35 is maybe 2k rpm's if that. I guess I'll give the KEOE a shot in the morning, but I'm assuming rseults won't be too great.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

CM = Continuous Memory codes. These are fault codes that are stored in the computer's memory for 40-80 vehicle cycles. The car does not need to be running, much less at operating temperature to pull these codes. They are unrelated to the KOEO (Key On Engine Off) or KOER (Key On Engine Running) tests, and are stored codes from prior sensor/system faults.

Check the grounding straps - the rapid deceleration may have pulled on one to the point that it has damaged the cable. Also check the throttle cable for binding or fraying. I had very similar symptoms when my throttle cable went bad (Enroute to Carlisle, stranded in Knoxville, TN).

A (at-idle) binding throttle cable messes with the IAB/computer's adaptive idle strategy, which makes engine start and post-start idling problematic. Try disconnecting the MAF sensor harness and see if it will start (that's how I got mine to start). If that doesn't work, you can pull the battery for 10-15 minutes which erases the adaptive strategy, and then restart. But be forwarned - you will have to manually control the idle rpm with the pedal for 5-10 minutes while it re-goes through the adaptive idle memory re-learning process.

What did you mean when you referred to, " .... a loose cord on the positive cable .... " ? And, are you getting Check Engine, battery, or any other idiot lights before it stalls?

You didn't mention if you got off onto the shoulder or remainded on pavement, in avoiding the dog (next time, run the damn thing down you'll probably do less damage to your SHO).

Denny - I don't know what you mean by CM codes, if your asking if I pulled the codes, I can't because I can't get the car to operating temp.

Shotime1979 - Checked DIS, all is good, wires tight, no movement of the bracket or DIS.

doclees - I suppose it's possible, but back pressure is usually caused by a down shift like 5th to 3rd doing 70 on the freeway, I down shifted to 3rd at 35mph, can't imagine there would be much back pressure at all.

I really wish I could get the codes, this is frustrating, I honestly don't see what could have happened in that 5seconds I was on the brake, I didn't even get close to having the ABS come on either so I wasn't braking that hard.

 

[SHOguy 92]

Ok I ran the KOEO and I assume after the 1 blink then the CM is whats running.

I got a 63 for the KOEO then a 11 for the CM, 11 I believe means nothing is wrong, and 63 I believe is for the TPS, which I just went and bought a new one and tried it out, no go, so I doubt thats it.

I checked the throttle cable it looks good, checked back grounds on pass side of intake they look good on firewall and intake ends, and checked the crossover tube connections for the piece on the side which also looked good :/

I had already checked the MAF before and that didn't help.

The coord on the positive line I don't really know what to call. Best way I can describe it is, on the negative battery cable there is a smaller line that runs off, well my positive has that too, it runs down to the wiring harness on the passenger side of the radiator.

Also not getting any idiot lights, can't get it started now just turns over, but I didn't get any then.

The dog part really made me laugh, I slowed down enough for him to run off to the side of the road, I barel had to turn around him.

 

[turbo79]

Don't know if this will help, but I bought a used SHO, it ran poorly, hard to start, no throttle response unless you worked it up slowly to a higher RPM (sounds a bit like your symptoms) and part of the problem was a TPS, according to the codes. I replaced the TPS and it didn't change a thing. I had it serviced at a Ford dealer, and they still found a code indicating that the TPS was bad, but they found that somehow the wiring on the TPS was shorting or that the wires were reversed (did you follow the instructions in installing the TPS, where it says that you have to rotate the TPS into position rather than just plug it in? This is from the Chilton manual.)

Yes, a crankshaft position sensor can fail suddenly, with no warning. Mine did...

 

[itwonder]

Are you getting a spark? Test by pulling a plug lead, putting a plug in it and hold threaded part to ground. Have somebody crank it and watch to see if spark is jumping the gap. Should spark in regular pattern, every other revolution. Do you hear fuel pump run when key is turned on? Do you get a strong squirt of fuel when you depress schrader valve on top of fuel rail?

 

[St Louis SHO]

Smack the CCRM while cranking?

 

[dpsutphin]

Had a similar problem about a year ago. Turned out to be the connector to the Throttle Position Sensor. Engine movement can cause the wiring inside the connector to break or get loose, causing what you are describing.

Have someone wiggle the wires on the connector while you try to start the car. If it starts, then dies when you let go of the wires, you have found the problem. The bad news is that like lots of stuff, you can't buy the connector from Ford. You will have to find one at a junk yard, or try to redo the one you have.

Good luck.