My engine has started acting oddly in the last couple of months. First thing that I noticed was one morning it wouldn't start. Well, actually it would turn over but it wouldn't stay idle... it would just die. I ran it a few minutes and it wore off. Then it happened again a couple of days later. The only thing I could tie to the events were that I used the cruise control on the previous drives.

Well now it happens no matter if I use CC or not, and its gotten to the point where I can drive it for 45 minutes on the hiway, take an exit ramp where I hit a stoplight... and it dies. Once it happened when I was in traffic ( I commute to downtown ATL for school ) and I've worked out this routine where I shift into nuetral (its an automatic, 4.6L ) when there's no forward progression just so I can keep the tach above 500 RPM.

When the truck was refinanced, I got an extended warrenty. So when it first happened, I brought the truck in right away ( Carolyn Ford in Fayettville). Of course, they couldn't replicate the problem, but suggested to replace the idler mechanism. I went ahead and left it alone as I didn't want to fix something that wasn't broken, plus it wasn't covered under the extended warrenty.

So here I am... the events are becoming more frequent, and I cannot ignore it anymore. Any insight as to what is going on?

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the long post.

 

Sounds like your idle air control valve. Should cost between $60-$80. The valve will not throw a code or trip the check engine light. Search the gas section over at www.ford-diesel.com for idle air control and read others exact problem. You can change it yourself. It should be at the back of the engine. Follow a 1" hose that comes off the air snorkle. It connects to the valve.