Is There an Auto Mechanic in the House?

beamer · #1 02/19/2006, 08:46 PM

My husband has a 1985 Ford F 150 pick up that stalls when I'm at a stop. It will kind of surge a bit and then stall. Sometimes it will die as I'm coming to a stop after I have braked to slow. The car idles just fine. That has been adjusted a couple of times in the past as well as some other things being replaced and adjusted. We've had the same mechanic taking care of the truck and bmw for years and are very pleased with him. However, he is stumped now on what it could be. I'm getting tired of having to take it in so often. When something is done to the truck it might be fine for a day or two and then it starts stalling again. The problem is an intermitent one.

Does a truck this old have an O2 sensor. A friend has an older mercedez and that took care of her problem.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Maybe you guys have some tips that I can pass on to my mechanic.

Also, almost every automotive site I've gone to requires you to pay the person that answers your question. Thank goodness that doesn't happen here cause I would be broke for sure!lol.
I found one forum that is free but I also havent' gotten any answers yet. I knew I could depend on you guys! Do any of you know of some other automotive sites where you can easily get good info without having to pay?

Cindy

jpfelix · #2 02/19/2006, 08:57 PM

fuel pump?

beamer · #3 02/19/2006, 09:03 PM

I don't have a clue. I was hoping that a mechanic might happen to be on board tonight. Thanks for the suggestion though. If it was the fuel pump wouldn't it be giving me problems other than at a stop? I guess I need to take a Lady Know YOur Car Course 101.

Cindy

Scuba_Dave · #4 02/19/2006, 09:12 PM

I had a 78 Monte Carlo that did that
Turned out it was a vacuum hose
It was collapsing & cutting off air - I think to the carb
sort of like a sensor -
Not sure of exact problem - saw the tube collapse when Iw as testing it in the driveway - revving the engine
It was fine after that

Ron S. · #5 02/19/2006, 09:14 PM

What engine does the truck have? Carb. or fuel injected? Possible dirty throttle body or idle speed motor. Have had a few with bad Throttle position sensors. Very hard to diagnose with out having the vehicle to test on.

beamer · #6 02/19/2006, 09:28 PM

Thanks guys! I had read somewhere else about it possibly being a vaccumn line. I don't know if he has checked it or not. I know he said he cleaned out the ports and throttles that were all gunked up and thought that would take care of the problem. And he adjusted (I think

the IAC or something like that. Seems like he was going to replace it but when he saw the ports gunked up he decided a new one wasn't needed. I'm sure I'm getting this all turned around. Seems like the truck has been in constantly for one thing or another. He replaced the brake booster and master cylinder the other day. There's always something with an older car.

Do old trucks have oxygen sensors? I know my bmw does and he just recently replaced it.

The truck is fuel injected.

Cindy

michaelm2431 · #7 02/19/2006, 09:33 PM

Did you try the forum on www.fordtruckworld.com

michaelm2431 · #8 02/19/2006, 09:39 PM

Wouldn't the check engine light come on if it was a sensor? I had the same problem on my 92. My mech. changed the fuel filter and the catlic convertor. Haven't had any more problems.

beamer · #9 02/19/2006, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by michaelm2431
Wouldn't the check engine light come on if it was a sensor?

I'll check tomorrow but the truck is so old that I don't think it has a check engine light.

Thanks for the site, I'll give it a try and see what I can find.

Cindy

Hoggn · #10 02/19/2006, 11:28 PM

85 should have a check engine light on it. Very simply one for an 85. Kinda hard to tell what is wrong without seeing the truck. I've seen torque converters stall out cars, TPS sensors being bad as well. I would think you mechanic could rule out a bunch of sensors using a meter and he should have if he is a real mechanic... I would take the truck to a dealer and let them work on it. They most likely seen the problem before and should be able to fx it.. And yes it should have an O2 sensor on it...

beamer · #11 02/20/2006, 10:11 AM

Yes, he is a real mechanic. I will take my BMW to him any day before taking it to the BMW dealership. WHen BMW was taking care of it I was there constantly with some very big bills. Once he started taking care of the BMW then my problems stopped and I have more money in my pocket. Of course with it being an older car there are things that will happen from time to time. He saved me from a $3000.00 bill for service that BMW wanted to do. WHat he did was just a small fraction of that and it runs better than before. I'll be taking the truck back in to him. He has one or two more tricks up his sleeve then I probably will be taking it to the dealership. When and if I do he will call the dealership for me so he can tell them the history of the truck and what he's done. He's a really good guy.

THanks for the suggestions and for the Ford Truck site. It has been very helpful. THey have also given me a site that gives diagnostics. I've printed that off for my mechanic...and no it won't bother him one bit for me to take that to him.

Cindy

rvitko · #12 02/20/2006, 10:13 AM

I would say either vacuum- I would check the PCV or the EGR valve connections and verify the valves work. EGR is the more likely culprit, this valve lets exhaust into the intake to reduce combustion temperatures and lower NOx emmisions, it is onlyy supposed to operate at certain times and if it is stuck exhaust will enter the engine when their is less fuel and air entering and the engine will suffocate.

The other likely culprit would be a clogged intake screen in the fuel tank or a clogged fuel filter, Ford Diesels at least are notorious for fuel filter issues.

Q-ball · #13 02/20/2006, 10:39 AM

My jeep wranger did that exact same thing...I had to replace the throttle position sensor, cost me about $70 and 30 minutes of work in my driveway. Dunno if it'd be the same in a ford, but thought I'd give you the idea as I don't see it specifically mentioned above.

minireefer03 · #14 02/20/2006, 04:14 PM

dOES THE TRUCK HAVE OVERDRIVE???pOSSIBLY THE TORQU CONVERTER CLUTCH SOLENOID IS STICKING WHEN HOT.DOES IT FEEL LIKE A STICK SHIFT YOU LEFT IN GEAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP??COULD BE THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE IF FUEL INJECTED.GOOD LUCK

beamer · #15 02/20/2006, 06:11 PM

Thanks guys!

I went by my mechanic today and he listened under the hood. THere was some wire he was fooling with under there (I didn't understand the name of it with the engine running) and when he messed with it the truck started to stall. He also tapped around a bit with the handle of a screw driver in the same area as the wire and it kind of did the same thing. It only did it that one time....of course!

Anyway, he feels now that is the problem and will be easy and inexpensive to fix. I asked him where the IAC was and he showed me. He said he just recently replaced it so we know its not that.

I take it in wed for repair. I'll ask him then exactly what it is he's replacing. I'll also give him the other suggestions.

Thanks again, Cindy

beamer · #16 02/20/2006, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by minireefer03
dOES THE TRUCK HAVE OVERDRIVE???pOSSIBLY THE TORQU CONVERTER CLUTCH SOLENOID IS STICKING WHEN HOT.DOES IT FEEL LIKE A STICK SHIFT YOU LEFT IN GEAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP??COULD BE THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE IF FUEL INJECTED.GOOD LUCK

Minireefer, The truck does have overdrive. No, it comes to a stop nice and smoothly. Often times when it dies while I'm coming to a stop I don't even know that it has died until I stop and notice how quiet it is.

The IAC was just recently replaced.

Thanks, Cindy

beamer · #17 02/20/2006, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Q-ball
My jeep wranger did that exact same thing...I had to replace the throttle position sensor, cost me about $70 and 30 minutes of work in my driveway.

Seems like I recently remember him saying something about the throttle something or another. I don't remember if he replaced it or what he did.

Roger...what is PCV or the EGR valve connections? Its strange that this morning going to the office it didn't even attempt to stutter once. ..it ran beautifully, But once I left the office it died several time on me. Doesn't seem to matter if the engine is cold or hot, or if the weather is cold or not.

The result of all of this is that I'm going to start learning about my truck and my BMW so that I can talk intelligently to someone about it and be able to ask questions that don't sound so stupid and so when there is a problem I can describe it better and understand what the mechanic is trying to tell me.

Thanks again for the help! Cindy

beamer · #18 02/28/2006, 10:43 AM

Hi! Sorry it took me so long to get back. I took the truck back to the mechanic and he checked and replaced a defective throttle position switch assembly and cleaned the throttle plates. So far so good! That seems to have taken care of the dying situation. Hope I'm not speaking too soon!

Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions!

Cindy

beamer · #19 02/28/2006, 12:45 PM

THat's right q-ball...you were the one that guessed it!

Prize? Hummmm...let's see...I guess you can have my bully Hawk Fish but you'll have to come get it!

That's wierd...how did my post get posted before your post when my post was a response to your post?

Cindy

Q-ball · #20 02/28/2006, 01:34 PM

Do I win a prize for being right about the throttle position sensor/switch?

rvitko · #21 02/28/2006, 01:51 PM

Hi Cindy,

The EGR is a valve that comes off the exhaust manifold and feeds into the intake. It is actuated by vacuum. Their will be a vacuum line that pulls out a diaphragm letting exhaust enter the intake. The point of this is to lower the combustion temperature in the engine which reduce nitrous oxide emissions. If this valves sticks open which they tend to do over time, the engine will choke on its own exhaust at low speed.

The PCV valve is a valve that lets the gases escape from the engine, inside the engine you get some blow by and some oil vapor that has to escape or the pressure builds up in the engine and shuts it down. This valve can get jammed with gunk. It usually is in the valve cover and it vents the vapors back to the intake to be burned. In the old days this vapor just poured out on the highway from a downdraft tube but now it is reburned. When this is partially jammed, often you can still move at full throttle but the engine sputters and stops at idle.

Anyway, it sounds like you got it fixed.

beamer · #22 02/28/2006, 09:49 PM

Thanks for the explanation Roger! My husband commented tonight that the truck hasn't died at all on him so I guess its finally taken care of. Now my BMW is in the shop. Somehow or another the gas tank has a crack in it so we are having to order a new one. I just found that out today. I was hoping that it was just a leak in one of the lines. Also the motorcyle shop came by to pick up my Yamaha. For some reason it won't start. Everything on wheels seems to be falling apart on me.

Cindy