OK all you Lightning Vets, here's one for ya. I own a bone stock '04 Lightning with 18K miles. I was entering the interstate yesterday, no excessive speed, just normal driving, the engine just stops running. I coast to the side of the road, and do the normal looky under the hood. No ugly smells, no liquids leaking, no warning lights to tell me anything is wrong. Tried to start, the engine started fine, idled smoothly, then roughly and stopped again. This episode was tried several more times with the same outcome. As I sat there for several minutes trying to decide which rollback to call, I tried it again. Yep, you guessed it, started fine, ran fine, and I went on about my business with no other problems. What do you think, only owned the truck 4 months, and I am sure many of you have more experience with these fine trucks than I. Thanks for your help.

Jim

 

Sounds fuel related. Filter, pump, or plain old crap in the tank.

 

+1, if you are sure there is no chip in it.

 

+1 on that, check and see if a chip is plugged into the PCM, mine would quit on me when the chip was not fit snug on the connector.

 

Yep I would guess some crap got in your fuel...

 

I had my 2001 L shut off on me more than once a few years ago. It was the chip(I know you said your's is stock but it might have a chip?) and the chip wasn't loose. Another(I have three different brands.) chip fixed it.

And, as others have said, it may very well be a partially plugged fuel filter. If it's never been changed in 18K.........


Dan

 

check the fuel pump resistor on the intercooler pump bracket
mitch

 

Check your fuel pressure. I had same problem with my truck and one of the hose in the tank came off the y fitting on the pumps.

 

Hi all ths is my first post but i've been around awhile. I just read, read, read.
Anyway i had this same problem at 18,000 miles on my 04 L. It just quit after i pulled thru an intersection on my way home from work. It would crank but not fire then it tried to fire then quit again. After looking at everything under the hood i could not see anything. The truck is bone stock except for an AFE Cold Air and a Magnaflow Exhaust. In the end i got in the truck and mashed the Throttle to the floor once. (This is what the visor tag on my Chevy Motorhome say to do if the motor won't start.) After this it started right up and has not done this since. I think it was the TPS stickinbg since i used alot of throttle to pull the intersection. After cleaning the Throttle body and seeing how the TPS connects i'm pretty sure the TPS stuck for a second but it has not done it since and i have 75,000 miles now. I love to drive this truck.
Might want to check this out.

Bye JR

 

Okie-Dokie, this weekend I'll change the fuel filter (which it does need), check for a chip plugged into the PCM, the fuel pump resistor, fuel pressure, and the TPS. By the way (being a rookie owner) what is a PCM and a TPS?

It also possibly could have been crap in the tank, as I forgot to mention that I had just filled her up.

I do thank all for your time and help. Here's to many years of happy driving to you all.

Jim

 

POST MORE. It's the guys who read first, post later who generally have the most intelligent things to say.

 

PCM in the trucks computer which is located in the passenger side kick panel. TPS is the throttle position sensor which is on the passenger side of the throttle body.

 

I had the same situation last year. My '03 L died and I coasted to a stop. It would crank fine, then immediately die. I had it towed to the local Ford dealership and they told me the MAF sensor was covered with bradford pear tree blossoms. How the little flower petals got past the bone stock air filter, I have no clue. Anyway, I've stopped parking under bradford pear trees in the spring when they are in bloom and have had no problems since then.

 

when it did this could you smell raw fuel?

every once in a while my truck turns over and wont start, if i push the pedal down it starts right up.

this rarely happens and seems to happen only if i start it and dont drive it anywhere.(as in start it, let it idle, turn it off.. come back to start it up again)

 

As usual, so far I.ve had no other occurences with the engine, however I will check all the items ya'll have told me about. Problem is it won't quit raining long enough to get under the hood. Garage is full of other projects, and I can't get it inside at this time. Shame, but I am sure you know how it is. Thanks again for all the help.

Jim