Started experiencing this Friday engine shutting off. The engine would start to race between 45 and 50 mph like it was out of gear the tach and speedometer would peg and the engine would shut down. I would put it in N while coasting and try to restart the engine and it would not start. So I would stop and put it in park and shut the switch off and then it would restart.

Also noticed one time when the engine shut down the odometer had ---------- showing and one time the theft light was blinking.

It started running real rough right before this happened.

checked for codes and there are none.

Any ideas where to start looking.

Thanks for the help

 

What year and engine?

First thing to do is get your battery and alternator load tested. Parts stores do this in the parking lot at no charge.

 

Did you actually hear the engine race up or are you going by the dash readouts of speedometer and tach?
Reason I ask is there are to many irregularities in the description.
Racing, no starts, no codes, PATS indications etc.
Please clear this up to begin sorting it out..
Good luck..

 

It's a 2000 5.4

Now that you ask I am not sure the engine raced I may have just thought it did because of the tach.

My truck started running real rough like it was on 7 cylinders, but no check engine light.

Then it down sifted hard and died i put it in netural and tried to start it but it would not start so I pulled it over and put it in park and tried but it still would not start so I shut the key off and then tried again and it started but was running rough. I pulled off it started running better then when I got up to about 45 or so the tach and speedo pegged and then dropped to zero and the engine was dead.

Got it to start again and headed home got up to around 45 again the same thing happened but this time I noticed the theft light was blinking and the odometer was showing ---------

My son checked the codes but it showed none.

I have no choice but to try to drive it to work tomorrow and i will let you all know what it does for sure.

Thanks for the replys

 

Ok this brings up some thoughts on what may be happening.
Sounds like an electrical power failure.
The dash seems to have an issue if the mileage indicator goes to dashes, tach and speedo winds up.
Now the PATS system is dash dependent/related.
If the motor dies during this sequence, the PATS disallows the motor from starting as a side effect by disabling fuel.
Sort of a tail chasing action until the fault clears.
I would first re-seat all the fuses related to engine control and dash feeds.
Do the relays as well.
As for it being speed sensitive at 45-50mph, it's a guess if it's vibration or an actual fault related to speed.
If speed sensitive it could be as simple as one coil that may be spitting so much interference back to the PCM that it actually stops processing engine control signals on a short time basis, or a vibration from it is causing another fault.
This may be a tough one to crack but be prepared to look at it from more than on perspective and note any pattern that suggest what might be going on.
Above all don't begin to change parts in hopes of getting lucky.
It will cost you money, time, aggravation and possibly another trouble to recognize and sort out on top of what unknowns you already have..
Good luck.

 

When I started the truck today it was running rough just setting there at idle, it had not done that at idle.

Headed for work it died 4 times in the 3 mile trip I payed a lot more attention to what was going on today.

Right before it would die it would down shift the tach would jump but I can understand that with the down shift then it would die, now if I was quick enough and let off it would not die it would up shift but as soon as I got up a little speed it would do it again.

One time when it started it did have a check engine soon light but the next time it died and I restarted it the check engine soon light went out.

After work I will re-seat all the fuses related to engine control and dash feeds.

I will do the relays as well.

Not sure if this has anything to do with it or not but the odometer had started too work only part time the last month or so it goes dark for a while then comes back on but it seems to be keeping the miles correct.

A little more info on the truck it has 136,000 miles I bought it at 49,000 I would guess it has never had a plug change or coil packs.

While driving on the highway it down shifts at just about every hill unless I am running about 55 mph.

Bluegrass thanks for the help.

 

The down shifting is from loss of engine power that would be a normal response to the transmission.
Not previously mentioned is what happens in OD at the speeds you have the issue is the EGR comes into play and may aggravate the situation and be part of the cause on a secondary basis.
The TPS, speed sensor signal (VSS) plus engine rpm all dictate what the PCM does with transmission control.
I think the best course to get a lead on this while driving is trying a Scanner with a trap function to see what live data freezes when CEL sets so you can act on the cause.
You have a complicated issue that requires a lot of diagnostics to put everything together for a repair.
Good luck..

 

Not sure if my sons scanner has a trap function so I will check on that and will let you know.

Thanks for the help

 

You are WAY overdue for new plugs. Factory recommends 100k, and they quite frequently don't last that long.

Check again for codes, you probably have one or more now.

In this case, I'd change the plugs. Use only Motorcraft, do not use antiseize, and torque to 28 ft/lb. Use a small amount of dielectric grease in the COP boots, trying not to get any on the contact springs. When you are at the parts store getting the plugs, get the alt and battery tested.

 

Went to Autozone an had the alt and battery tested not problem.

Also had them scan it codes p0755, p0750, po412 and p1443

 

You have multiple issues. The first 2 are transmission related. The 3rd one is invalid, you sure that's not a typo? Your truck doesn't have air injection. The 4th one is an evap issue.

http://engine-codes.com/p0755_ford.html

http://engine-codes.com/p0750_ford.html

http://engine-codes.com/p0412_ford.html

http://engine-codes.com/p1443_ford.html

Deferring to Bluegrass for proper interpretation of those codes as they relate to your symptoms, they don't make all that much sense to me.

(I'd still change the spark plugs.........)

 

glc thanks for the reply p0412 is the correct code even the guy at Autozone said he did not understand why this code was there.

 

Hmm, almost sounds like a PCM issue - but I do want to hear from Bluegrass.

 

Code 750 is trans solenoid A error.
Code 755 is solenoid B error.
Code 1443 is the EVAP system control valve.
The code 412 is not applicable to your system.
Who knows why it set as all these codes are resident in program just not normally have any 'pointers' to them from the systems being used.
If the program processing is interfered with in some manner anything can happen.
.
The A and B solenoids are not normally being uses in OD so may be some old history.
To be sure there is or is not a problem with these I would clear the codes and see what comes back as the latest history.
Solenoids are electrically monitored by the PCM so could be the harness inside on the valve body or outside.
The fuse 23 feeds all the functions under the truck for transmission, Ox sensors plus more other places.
If this power supply opens you can get a list of codes a mile long that are all over the place until you see they all get power from one source.
Good luck.

 

Code 750 is trans solenoid A error.
Code 755 is solenoid B error.
Code 1443 is the EVAP system control valve.
The code 412 is not applicable to your system.
Who knows why it set as all these codes are resident in program just not normally have any 'pointers' to them from the systems being used.
If the program processing is interfered with in some manner anything can happen.
.
The A and B solenoids are not normally being uses in OD so may be some old history.
To be sure there is or is not a problem with these I would clear the codes and see what comes back as the latest history.
Solenoids are electrically monitored by the PCM so could be the harness inside on the valve body or outside.
The fuse 23 feeds all the functions under the truck for transmission, Ox sensors plus more other places.
If this power supply opens you can get a list of codes a mile long that are all over the place until you see they all get power from one source.
Good luck.