Shuts Down

[Donny Rogers]

My 2002 Sport Trac occasionally shuts down completely. This has taken place several times during the past six months, happens within 30 or so miles after filling the gas tank, and always while driving slowly (25 to 30) and under light throttle pressure, i.e. not coasting. The on-board computer displays no codes. Thankfully it starts right back up (so far). My Trac has just 36,000 miles on it, and I always use a top tier gasoline. The fuel filter was replaced about 7,000 miles ago, just before I bought it from the orginal owner. I phoned the local Ford dealership and the service manager there had never heard of this happening. Any ideas?

 

[Vic Sorlie]

Here's a WAG: I think you may have debris in the fuel tank that gets stirred up when you gas up. Fuel filter gets plugged up, shuts down engine. With engine off, dirt falls to bottom of filter, allowing you to restart. I'd change the fuel filter and cut open the old one to verify condition. If that didn't help I'd check fuel pressure at the rail and go from there. Fuel pump fuses clean? Think there's one inside cab on driver's side fuse panel, and one in the relay box in engine compartment. Your description sounds like fuel supply problem, not electrical.

 

[scott degroot]

When it shuts off does it act like someone just turned the key off or does it kind of sputter and then die? If it sputters and dies then chances are it's fuel related, if it acts like someone just shut the key off then it's an electricial issue.

 

[Donny Rogers]

It dies suddenly with no warning, no sputtering. When I go to restart it (while coasting in neutral) it always starts but not quickly like usual, i.e. it kind of labors to get running again. But once it does (takes a few seconds), it runs fine with normal power and a smooth idle. As I wrote before, no codes. Probably needs another fuel filter change, and maybe a gas tank cleaning. Thanks guys for your quick responses on this.

 

[Yardsale]

Has it done this more than once per fill-up (i.e., at 30 miles after and then again maybe at 40 miles) or only once?



Is it after 30 continuous miles without stopping or two 15 mile drives, for instance?



Is the engine temp usually the same each time?



Were there any services performed, or other notable events, just prior to this?

 

[Vic Sorlie]

What stands out for me here is you've got a 14 year old car only 36K miles on it. You found a gem, but I think your issue is fuel supply. Fuel tank cleaning will be a PITA - if you do it, take all safety precautions.

 

[scott degroot]

I wish I could drive this because I think my definition of instantly shutting off is different than yours.



If this ONLY occurs after about 30 miles of driving after a fuel up and will not occur again until the next time you fill up I suspect that you have an evap canistor that is fuel saturated. What happens is that after you fill up and drive for a bit the pcm senses that the you put fuel in the tank by looking at the fuel level sending unit. When this happens the pcm will run a quick large evap leak test while you are driving. i suspect that fuel is being drawn up the vacuum hose to the evap purge valve and causing the engine to flood and die. You started that it "labors" to get running again which I am thinking that it is clearing the extra fuel out from being flooded before it runs smooth again. This problem typically will not set any evap, or any other codes. If this is indeed the case I would replace the evap canistor, once they get fuel in them they are shot, and also the evap purge valve. The fresh air filter for the evap canistor is also worth a look to see if it is plugged up at all (a spider web in them can cause enough of a restriction to consider them plugged)

 

[Vic Sorlie]

SeaTrac, you just got a snootfull of good advice from l1tech.

 

[Donny Rogers]

I agree with Vic that I1tech gave me some super info. His explanation sounds totally logical. So, next step for me will be checking the evap canister air filter, and if it doesn't appear plugged, then I'll replace the canister itself.



I agree Vic that I found a gem of a rig - bought it from the original owner, in August 2012, when it had just 29K on it. Except for when it stalls, it drives like new.



To answer Yardsale, it only stalls once per fill-up but not every fill-up, more like 1 out of every 2 or 3 - after the stall it runs perfectly the rest of the tank.



Thanks guys for the great feedback. I'll keep you posted.