Engine stalls


HiloDave

GT Obsessed
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 7, 2005
928
Hilo, Hawaii
I have about 3,000 mi. on the car and it normally idles between 700 and 800 rpm. Lately, as I come to a stop in city driving, the engine frequently - but not always - idles down to about 500, feels like it is going to stall and then speeds up again to 700. It has actually stalled twice. The engine temperature is usually under 200 degrees when this happens and the air conditioning is on.

Everything else seems to be normal. Is this something that might be fixed with an adjustment? Should I try a different brand of gasoline (I am using Shell)? Should I just get used to it?
 

LEMANSZ

Gt Owner
Jan 11, 2006
601
SoCal
are you using 91 octane gas? does it only happen when the a/c? If yes,then you might need a flash of the ecu to re-set the idle speed..try it..don't livw with nay small prblems make your Ford dealer fix it right
 

Mod Friendly

Well-known member
Feb 8, 2006
72
Plantation, Florida
Not to say its the answer but just like the 03-04 cobras they have the air idle control valve that would start to stick and would cause it to stall. Adjusting the hardstop works on most if the valve cannot be cleaned, if not replace and adjust hard stop. Ford may have an updated program to take care of it. But dont quote me on that.
 

barondw

GT Owner
Sep 8, 2005
1,109
HiloDave said:
I have about 3,000 mi. on the car and it normally idles between 700 and 800 rpm. Lately, as I come to a stop in city driving, the engine frequently - but not always - idles down to about 500, feels like it is going to stall and then speeds up again to 700. It has actually stalled twice. The engine temperature is usually under 200 degrees when this happens and the air conditioning is on.

Everything else seems to be normal. Is this something that might be fixed with an adjustment? Should I try a different brand of gasoline (I am using Shell)? Should I just get used to it?


Aware of problem. Issue is with the fuel filler pipe. The dealer can run a quick check but the car cannot have more than a 1/2 full tank of gas. They can quickly determine if yours is another with the fuel filler pipe problem.

It is a relatively easy fix once they order the part. Requires right front fender removal.

Dave
 

analogdesigner

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 15, 2005
949
San Clemente, CA USA
What's really going on here?

barondw said:
Aware of problem. Issue is with the fuel filler pipe. The dealer can run a quick check but the car cannot have more than a 1/2 full tank of gas. They can quickly determine if yours is another with the fuel filler pipe problem.

It is a relatively easy fix once they order the part. Requires right front fender removal.

Dave

Dave,

What is the mechanism that causes this problem?

Thanks, Jay
 

barondw

GT Owner
Sep 8, 2005
1,109
Good question and I do not really know except it is a fuel flow issue. Also the check engine light can come on with this problem. The stalling generally occurs when making a stop at a traffic light or stop sign as previously indicated.

Never had it happen when driving.

Dave
 

HiloDave

GT Obsessed
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 7, 2005
928
Hilo, Hawaii
Thanks, Dave. I'll try that.
 

HiloDave

GT Obsessed
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 7, 2005
928
Hilo, Hawaii
Thanks for your thoughts. I am using 91 octane. I will test with the a/c off.
 

analogdesigner

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 15, 2005
949
San Clemente, CA USA
Engine stalls when stopping

A nasty problem just start last night. The engine was warm and I was pulling towards a stop sign. I usually shift into neutral and coast from about 5-8 MPH down to a complete stop. Just as the car was coming to complete stop, the engine just quit! Fortunately, depressing the start button got the engine to fire back up to life. I didn't think too much about this and brushed it off as a cockpit error.

So, today my lady and I went to lunch, about a six mile drive. The engine stalled twice on the way home! The second time was scary, since I was just ready to make a tight right hand turn and lost my power steering (no engine=no power steering). Naturally, at that moment I had only one hand on the wheel. The have about 2,300 miles on the car and this problem only occurs when the engine is warm.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, Jay
 

analogdesigner

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 15, 2005
949
San Clemente, CA USA
 

analogdesigner

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 15, 2005
949
San Clemente, CA USA
Mine too!

In another post, my car just started doing this last night and then twice today!


Jay
 

barondw

GT Owner
Sep 8, 2005
1,109
analogdesigner said:
In another post, my car just started doing this last night and then twice today!


Jay


Jay take into the dealer and they can run a vacuum check in the fuel filler pipe. This has happened to several cars. But you must have between 1/4 and 1/2 fuel load. If over 1/2 or less than 1/4 they cannot get a good vacuum reading.

Dave
 

analogdesigner

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 15, 2005
949
San Clemente, CA USA
barondw said:
Jay take into the dealer and they can run a vacuum check in the fuel filler pipe. This has happened to several cars. But you must have between 1/4 and 1/2 fuel load. If over 1/2 or less than 1/4 they cannot get a good vacuum reading.

Dave

Dave,

Many thanks, I will let you know how things work out!

Jay
 

analogdesigner

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 15, 2005
949
San Clemente, CA USA
Error code P0457 for this problem

Dave,

Yes! Perfect call. I will go to a local Ford dealer today and discuss the problem.

Here is the error code that I was able to read with my new OBD-II scanner last night. You may note that the vehicle selected was a 2003 Ford Explorer since this most closely matches the GT until Ford releases the Extended Codes to public, Jay:

GT%20code.gif
 

barondw

GT Owner
Sep 8, 2005
1,109
Some cars with the problem also can have an intermittant check engine light come on, as did HiloDave.

As previously posted they remove the fender and change the filler pipe.

Dave
 

analogdesigner

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 15, 2005
949
San Clemente, CA USA
Dave,

Yes, the Ford Emissions Manual states that after enough "stalls" (8 times, I believe) have accumulated, the check engine light may come on. I was only at stall #3! Thanks again, Jay
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,176
Jay,

I too hope it is part of the already known problem with the fuel hose and therefore can be repaired easily.

However, just to point out that the car's ECU will run "leak detection tests" under certain conditions and not others. Your car could be stalling when the ECU is trying to run this test (and something else is wrong) causing vacuum in the tank or another weird scenario. All of this to tell you that a seemingly random problem may not be random. If the problem persists, try to take careful note of the level of fuel in the tank as well as how long you have been driving. This info can be very useful to narrow down to the leak detection circuit being the culprit.

Again, I hope all is fixed with the known remedies, but just in case...
 
Last edited:

analogdesigner

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 15, 2005
949
San Clemente, CA USA
nota4re said:
Jay,

I too hope it is part of the already known problem with the fuel hose and therefore can be repaired easily.

However, just to point out that the car's ECU will run "leak detection tests" uder certain conditions and not others. Your car could be stalling when the ECU is trying to run this test (and something else is wrong) causing vacuum in the tank or another weird scenario. All of this to tell you that a seemingly random problem may not be random. If the problem persists, try to take careful note of the level of fuel in the tank as well as how long you have been driving. This info can be very useful to narrow down to the leak detection cercuit being the culprit.

Again, I hope all is fixed with the known remedies, but just in case...

Thanks for this info. While this is fresh in my mind, I had just filled the gas tank and the stalling first began the next day with a full tank of gas. Seems that now that I am down to 2/3 full, it's been behaving fine. I am driving to my dealer right now. Thanks again, you guys are the greatest! Jay
 

barondw

GT Owner
Sep 8, 2005
1,109
nota4re said:
Jay,

I too hope it is part of the already known problem with the fuel hose and therefore can be repaired easily.

However, just to point out that the car's ECU will run "leak detection tests" uder certain conditions and not others. Your car could be stalling when the ECU is trying to run this test (and something else is wrong) causing vacuum in the tank or another weird scenario. All of this to tell you that a seemingly random problem may not be random. If the problem persists, try to take careful note of the level of fuel in the tank as well as how long you have been driving. This info can be very useful to narrow down to the leak detection cercuit being the culprit.

Again, I hope all is fixed with the known remedies, but just in case...

Ford needs the fuel level between 1/4 and 1/2 full in order to run their diagnostic. I thought I had previously posted this piece of information. If more than 1/2 full you need to burn off gas before testing.

Dave
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,176
Ford needs the fuel level between 1/4 and 1/2 full in order to run their diagnostic. I thought I had previously posted this piece of information. If more than 1/2 full you need to burn off gas before testing.

Hi Dave. This is the opposite scenario that other manufacturers run their leak detection tests. "Usually" it is at a full tank when there is less air volume in the tank and therefore easier to test....