Dad's work-van quit on him today. He was driving to work like normal then out of no where it died. He let it sit for a second and started it up. It sputters when at idle and if you get on it, it wont sputter? It recently had a tune-up done, plugs, wires, transmission serviced, etc. Its a Ford E-150 with the 5.8L v8.

 

what year?

 

Its a '91

 

i believe that year still had the ignition module on the dist. that would be the first thing i'd check. and as for the sputtering i'd check the tb to see if it needs a cleaning. and does the temp gauge read normal or low? and how is the throttle responce? if the tps or coolant temp. sensor go bad the computer will dump more fuel into the cylinders, which will result in bad fuel mileage and rich running condition and bad throttle responce and sputtering.

 

Yea the temperature is staying normal. Changed the Fuel Filter on it tonight, that didnt help at all.

As far as the Ignition Control Module, which one is it? There's one for $100 and one for $30.

Here's a link to the 2.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/EW3/Produ...&currentPage=1

http://www.oreillyauto.com/EW3/Produ...&currentPage=1

 

Does it have an IAC valve?

Seems to me the ignition module either works or it doesn't, it won't degrade like that.

 

they both look the same to me. and the part numbers are the same. the $32 one doesnt give as much info and doesnt show pictures like the $100 one does.

could you get more detail on what happened?
was he driving when it died or was he at a stop light or sign?
has it died since?
about how long exactly did he let it sit before he started it back up?
what was the condition of the road he was driving on?
how hard did he drive it?
does he carry a load with him in the van?
was the dist. cap and rotor replaced when tuned up?
have you tried fuel pressure tests?
was it acting up at all before it died?
is it speed density or maf?
i'd have a shop perform a koeo and koer test.

glc- i was saying the ignition module for it quitting not the sputtering. its common for the dist mounted modules to fail under heat out of no where, then let it sit and it'll be fine for a while. and it does have an iac.

 

Wouldn't sputtering at idle but no sputtering off idle most likely be an IAC problem?

 

most likely but if its mass air flow then it could also be an intake gasket leak too. pretty good possibility for the age. but i think his is speed density. i just pretty much want to know why it quit.
i think it was just a coincidence. unless it happened again.

 

I have seen a few ignition modules that do develop an intermittent cut-out problem when they overheat. They'll get hot and shut down, once they cool off a bit they'll work again...and the process will repeat.
I don't remember ever seeing that problem in the 80-90s Fords, but both my '76 390 and the folks' '78 460 had this happen on em. this was with the old-style ignition box mounted on the inner fenderwell though.
I've had it happen a couple times on my old MoPars and have had it happen VERY often with GM HEI control modules...I'd lever leave the yard without a spare module and a 9/32" nutdriver just in case it would take a dump.

The sputtering on the OP's van does sound like it'd be something fuel system related though...usually whn an ignition module cuts out it's without warning...just like you'd have turned the key off.

 

He was idling in traffic and it just died out of the blue. It hasn't ever done it to him.

 

i'd say its the iac then. unplug it and 2 bolts and its off.

 

Problem solved: It was the Coil.

However, I cleaned the IAC valve while we had it apart.