engine stalling at traffic lights

[texas mongrel]

OK
since my daughter arrived home from college and comandeered my wife's car (who in turn comandeered my car) the GT has been my daily driver, rain or shine. This past week, in maybe one out of twenty traffic stops, as I come to rest the engine revs drop way down, then it revs up and goes back down to a normal 600rpm idle. Sometimes this happens across a range of only 400-800 rpm, but sometimes its down to almost zero and back up to 1000. More often than not, when it drops so low the car stalls. This happens whether I am coming to a halt with the engine on 'overrun' or with the car in neutral. Everything else is fine, performance is normal otherwise. This is really no big deal at the moment (apart from people behind me thinking i'm a d**k who doesn't know how to drive when it stalls), but is this a pre-curser of something more serious or just an idiosyncracy of the vehicle? Any ideas out there?

 

[Empty Pockets]

'Sounds like the infa-mus gas filler pblm may have struck again...

'Any "codes" pop up?

 

[robt777]

Had a car that did that once (not a GT) turned out to be a small vacuum leak. The engine would "hunt" at idle and occasionally die.

 

[HHGT]

Also check the fuel type you may have used recently and if it had the seasonal additive.

 

[Shadowman]

OK
since my daughter arrived home from college and comandeered my wife's car (who in turn comandeered my car) the GT has been my daily driver, rain or shine. This past week, in maybe one out of twenty traffic stops, as I come to rest the engine revs drop way down, then it revs up and goes back down to a normal 600rpm idle. Sometimes this happens across a range of only 400-800 rpm, but sometimes its down to almost zero and back up to 1000. More often than not, when it drops so low the car stalls. This happens whether I am coming to a halt with the engine on 'overrun' or with the car in neutral. Everything else is fine, performance is normal otherwise. This is really no big deal at the moment (apart from people behind me thinking i'm a d**k who doesn't know how to drive when it stalls), but is this a pre-curser of something more serious or just an idiosyncracy of the vehicle? Any ideas out there?

As shared by others it does sound like the filler neck is the culprit; have any codes been thrown aka the check engine light?

From a mechanical standpoint this situation causes no issues however from a safety issue it could if she stalled in a less than ideal situation.

I encourage having the problem confirmed and corrected

If I can be of assistance let me know

Takes care

Shadowman

 

[2112]

Bill, Are you still working on a replacement filler neck?

BTW, I keep forgetting to ask, Did Borla come thru on the replacement piece?

Michael

 

[Shadowman]

Bill, Are you still working on a replacement filler neck?

BTW, I keep forgetting to ask, Did Borla come thru on the replacement piece?

Michael

Hi Michael

Yes on the filler neck and yes on Borla; I do not have the system in house yet however they updated me a few days ago and it will be within the next couple weeks.

All the best

Shadowman

 

[andymlow]

Does it seem related to the amount of fuel in the tank? Mine had a stalling problem after a fillup. I thought for sure it was the filler neck, but could not get the dealer to agree or do anything about it. In the meantime it seems to have corrected itself (at about the same time the fuel gauge died).

 

[KMCBOSS]

OK
since my daughter arrived home from college and comandeered my wife's car (who in turn comandeered my car) the GT has been my daily driver, rain or shine. This past week, in maybe one out of twenty traffic stops, as I come to rest the engine revs drop way down, then it revs up and goes back down to a normal 600rpm idle. Sometimes this happens across a range of only 400-800 rpm, but sometimes its down to almost zero and back up to 1000. More often than not, when it drops so low the car stalls. This happens whether I am coming to a halt with the engine on 'overrun' or with the car in neutral. Everything else is fine, performance is normal otherwise. This is really no big deal at the moment (apart from people behind me thinking i'm a d**k who doesn't know how to drive when it stalls), but is this a pre-curser of something more serious or just an idiosyncracy of the vehicle? Any ideas out there?

Mine stalled twice on me (when coming to a stop) on Saturday. The car is at the Ford dealer now being looked at. I suspect the clutch may have someting to do with mine as the clutch does not seem to disengage completely when depressing the pedal (car moves a little when clutch depressed and pushing the start button). I looked through the forum for info on this situation and found some folks had fluid that turned to jelly in the clutch fluid reservoir - sure enough found some of that stuff in mine also. I will pass the info about the gas filler on to the mechanic at the dealer.

 

[Hydra GT]

I had a similar problem too. No codes found when i checked. It may coincidental, however, I changed my mass air flow sensor and idle air speed valve on the engine and the problem went away. If you have K&N air filters or oil bath filters, they may be getting an oily residue on the mass air flow sensor. Just an idea, but that problem drove me nuts. Good luck and report back.

 

[2112]

I periodically spray the MAF sensors with CRC cleaner for that very reason.

Hi Michael

Yes on the filler neck and yes on Borla; I do not have the system in house yet however they updated me a few days ago and it will be within the next couple weeks.

All the best

Shadowman

Thank you my friend :thumbsup

 

[texas mongrel]

car is box-stock mechanically so wouldn't be a filter-related problem? No engine codes coming up, no check engine light coming on. I slid back the filler 'valve' and the flap looks intact and in position. Funnily enough, it is pretty much since my last fill-up, although I'm now down to about half a tank and its still doing it. I went round all the visible vacuum lines etc and they all looked fine. Car has 6000 miles - any things that might need replacing/adjusting? all I've done since my ownership at 2000 miles is change oil and drive it.

Finally, thanks to everyone for the fantastic and quick repsonses. I read the forum daily for about one year before buying my car and knew it was a great Group of folk - this was a not-insignificant factor in buying the 2006 GT versus the brand-new Porshe Turbo!

 

[2112]

Could it be bad fuel?
.

 

[tmcphail]

You could also as a test pull the negative battery cable for awhile and clear KAM to remove any learned corrections to see if that impacts it any.

 

[fjpikul]

Have you checked your battery ground wire and made sure the contact is good?

 

[KMCBOSS]

Ford dealer said no error codes - they are flushing the clutch hydraulic system and giving me the car back to see what happens.

 

[2112]

Ford dealer said no error codes - they are flushing the clutch hydraulic system and giving me the car back to see what happens.

Which dealer did you go to? How do they ensure they get out all the "jelly"?
.

 

[Mullet]

change O2 sensors

 

[KMCBOSS]

Which dealer did you go to? How do they ensure they get out all the "jelly"?
.

Parr Ford in Bremerton - good question about the jelly - don't have an answer. I know how the car felt when I took it in..so I'll be watching.

 

[texas mongrel]

Car now back to running flawlessly without me doing anything! Here's my theory; after reading everyone's posts, I went to investigate the possible dreaded gas-flap failure, I popped the cap, pulled back the the 'slider' and peered in at the flap. These actions either caused the flap to somehow re-seat itself from a previous slight mis-alignment (I poked at it with my finger) and/or vented/neutralised a pressure/vacuum condition in the gas tank. Any of this make sense? I certainly will be sure to repeat the finger-poking routine if I ever get into a 'stalling behaviour' again.
Thanks again for all the repsonses to my initial query.