Looking for some answers to why my 89 ford f-150 starts to stall after getting hot. This happens quite often if i sit in traffic too long. It acts like a vapor lock even if those things aren't suppose to happen anymore. I can pull aside and let it sit about 5 mins and then i can head back down the road and when there is light traffic i don't have this problem. I think this is because i have some air flow cooling the engine. I drove 5 hours straight over the weekend and no problems. I live in phoenix and this happens more during the summer. I have a new rebuilt motor (3000 miles), new fuel pumps, and filters. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Sam

 

Could be your TFI module. With the engine running at idle, aim a hair dryer set to low at it, and see if the engine stalls. If after 3 or 4 minutes it's still running, the module is probably fine.

Might want to check and replace your fan clutch, too.

 

Some of the parts places can cycle them to warm them up now too. I think I took mine to Advance. Rather than just hit it with a quick pass/fail, they let it cycle for a half hour or so while I did some other stuff.

 

Distance to work is 30 miles.---------I've had this problem for some time. During the winter months I'm usually ok. If there is no traffic its ok. Driving long distances is OK.
I changed the TFI, alternator, fuel pumps, hoses, distributor, plugs, wires, relays. In one of the other forums someone had intake air temp sensor. I think i may try and find one of those.
Anyone know if the injector fan comes on while driving?

Thanks again.

 

Did you get this problem fixed and how? I ask as I have the same problem. It's rare and behaves the same as you are describing.

 

What year is your truck eidos? Also, when it stalls how long before it will restart?

 

How old/miles is your cat. It could be clogged. 4 psi of back pressure is all it takes to start reeking havoc. A way to see for sure is to keep a wrench w/ you that fits the sensor & the next time it stalls remove the sensor and if the truck can restart after backpressure is relieved, Bad cat and it never gets better,just more predictable. I worked on a job 70 miles out of town and came home every week end. And more than 1/2 the time I ended up stalling and coasting of the freeway on the same off ramp. One of the main causes is habitual use of fuels w/ reduced combustion propertties. Meaning use of octanes higher than 87 or whatever directed for use by maker.

 

It's a 1994 and usually it only takes a couple minutes for it to be drivable again. Once it took a couple hours though, so it concerned me, but it has been a rare occurance. I haven't had this problem for months, but had it happen a few times over the summer. Before I go attempting to start messing with everything under the hood, I wanted some direction from any others who had this same problem. I'm cautious in messing with everything mainly because I had a van years ago and ended up replacing almost every part of the electrical system as I kept having problems with everything connected to it when I eventially found that it was just a stupid ground cable that was faulty. So a $5 fix to something that caused hundreds of dollars of problems. Go figure, huh?

 

I will check on the cat but I think it should be fine, but who knows. It does have some good milage on it, but mostly highway miles and has been maintained fairly well. I usually do not use high octane fuels either.

 

It's probably one of three things: the PIP inside the distributor, the ignition coil, or the ignition module mounted on the driver's side fenderwell. Most likely it's the PIP inside the distributor, but you have to remove and disassemble the distributor to replace that. For that reason I would try the coil and then the ignition module first. Something like this can be a real bummer to figure out, and you can't really test any of the suspected parts because if they are tested while in a live(running) state they will likely test good. You just got to throw parts at it and hope for the best. I can say "been there, done that". I should mention one test you could do when it quits and BEFORE it will restart is check to see if you are getting spark through the spark plug wires while cranking the engine. That way you could be sure it is in fact an ignition problem. Good luck.

 

In 1994 the Ignition Module (ICM) almost is never the problem unlike the old distributor mounted ones.
But if you do replace it make sure the one you replace it with is the same color as the one you take out. I know just about all part places including Ford will try to sell you a Gray one.
The 1994 should have a Black one. The Gray one will run but not right and will set a code in CM.

I vote also for the PIP sensor (hall effect switch) being bad.