[robert99ranger]

This is on my '95 Taurus GL with the 3.0L. The ol lady and I had been driving around most of the day running errands for at least 3 hours. It was about 94 degrees outside. We left the parts store getting parts for another project. Made it half a mile and the engine started chugging like it wasn't getting fuel. Died in the road so I got to push it (that put me in a great mood in the heat). Got to a parking lot and tried restarting it. Nothing, would just turn over. Temp gauge was fine and the fuel pump switch in the truck had not been tripped. Every once in a while when starting it, it would try but not enough to run. I pulled the coil wire and used a screw driver to check spark and it was fine. Tried starting it for 15 minutes then gave up. Went and got a car dolly to bring it home. 2 hours go by before I get to pick the car up. Starts right up and I put it on the dolly. Get it home and then drive it 18 miles. Not a single problem. The next day I make two trips with a total of 45 miles and not a problem. I put a new fuel pump in the car about 3 months ago. The tank has a lot of pressure or vacuum when I take the cap off. The tank was at a 1/4 when this happened. Do you think the pump overheated in the hot weather?


Thanks for the help.

 

[chartmaker]

This is on my '95 Taurus GL with the 3.0L. The ol lady and I had been driving around most of the day running errands for at least 3 hours. It was about 94 degrees outside. We left the parts store getting parts for another project. Made it half a mile and the engine started chugging like it wasn't getting fuel. Died in the road so I got to push it (that put me in a great mood in the heat). Got to a parking lot and tried restarting it. Nothing, would just turn over. Temp gauge was fine and the fuel pump switch in the truck had not been tripped. Every once in a while when starting it, it would try but not enough to run. I pulled the coil wire and used a screw driver to check spark and it was fine. Tried starting it for 15 minutes then gave up. Went and got a car dolly to bring it home. 2 hours go by before I get to pick the car up. Starts right up and I put it on the dolly. Get it home and then drive it 18 miles. Not a single problem. The next day I make two trips with a total of 45 miles and not a problem. I put a new fuel pump in the car about 3 months ago. The tank has a lot of pressure or vacuum when I take the cap off. The tank was at a 1/4 when this happened. Do you think the pump overheated in the hot weather?


Thanks for the help.

If for sure it has spark, then most likely the fuel pump. I had '95 Sable and it would not start when the engine was warm. No "hummm" from the pump when key on. Fine cold starts but would quit or not start hot. New pump is not always good pump.

However, the ign module keys the fuel injectors as well as the spark. It is possible the module gives the spark signal but not the injector signal.

Key is to hear for the pump to hummm for about a second when key on but not starting. If the pump runs and you have fuel pressure, then must be ign module.

-chart-

 

[robert99ranger]

Positive it had spark. I could see it in front of me as I was having my girlfriend turn it over. I even cleaned the inside of the distributor cap and the end of the rotor just to make sure when I was broke down. I could hear it hum when I cycled the key but it didn't sound as loud as it normally would. After about the 5th key cycle, you could hear the pump bog. I planned on grabbing my fuel pressure gauge from my dad's this weekend and keep it with me in the car in case it does it again. Any way to check the injectors if it does happen again? Would the ignition module be something I'd have to get from the junkyard?

 

[chartmaker]

Positive it had spark. I could see it in front of me as I was having my girlfriend turn it over. I even cleaned the inside of the distributor cap and the end of the rotor just to make sure when I was broke down. I could hear it hum when I cycled the key but it didn't sound as loud as it normally would. After about the 5th key cycle, you could hear the pump bog. I planned on grabbing my fuel pressure gauge from my dad's this weekend and keep it with me in the car in case it does it again. Any way to check the injectors if it does happen again? Would the ignition module be something I'd have to get from the junkyard?

The module is prone to fail, just a matter of when not if. I have had 2 fail, son had 1 fail. I carried a spare JY dist wrapped in a towel in the trunk of my '87 '88, '90. And when mine quit cold turkey, it was in the wrong car. Did a field switch 90 miles from home but made for extra trips and a rental car. My JY check for working was: I unplugged the one on the engine, plugged the wires to the test dist, used clip wire to ground the test one. Key on, spin the test dist and should hear sparks and injector clicks. If so, it is a keeper. Might last a day, might last a year but on the road fail is a pain.

-chart-

 

[robert99ranger]

Is the ignition module the one that has the single wire to the distributor cap?

 

[chartmaker]

Is the ignition module the one that has the single wire to the distributor cap?

The module is a box fastened to the side of the distributer with 2 small screws. Inside the dist is a module that senses the rotation and timing. The outside box plugs into the 3 slots in the inside module. I would go with a new complete dist from RA. Be sure it has the module with it.

If the pump does not sound the same on repeated key on's then it is bad. There is a pressure regulator on the fuel rail on the engine and it can fail and make for bad pressure.

-chart-

 

[robert99ranger]

I got you now. I'll see if I can find one at the junkyard this weekend to keep on hand. Can it be from that generation of Taurus or is it a certain year?

 

[sheila]

Tfi module and pip. Like Chart said, possibly fuel pump.

 

[Jeff K]

Have you run CM codes looking for an intermittent loss of PIP signal and / or a intermittent loss of IDM signal?

 

[repairman54]

Module can fail and still show spark. Module misfires and spark is out of time resulting in no start. Food for thought since this was a common problem.

 

[aerox314]

I got you now. I'll see if I can find one at the junkyard this weekend to keep on hand. Can it be from that generation of Taurus or is it a certain year?

Is the picture posted here of your 95 personally? Im curious as I have had the same issue. I honestly think I am missing the whole piece!

 

[pawpaw]

Your fuel tank pressure / vacuum comment, the fuel level, OAT, miles driven, all make me want to suggest the next time it stalls, try loosening the gas cap to equalize tank pressure, then see if it'll start. If it does, replace the gas cap with a OEM Ford part.
If the tank was at 1/4 remaining, it was 94 deg out & you had driven 20 miles or more, it would probably have taken that long, or maybe a little more at that temp, for the fuel pump to have removed enough fuel to have pulled enough vacuum on the tank from a misbehaving cap not burping to equalize tank pressure, so that the pump couldn't over come the vacuum, thus it sounds like fuel starvation occurred, (from the description of how & the conditions under which it stalled & your pressure / vacuum observation when the gas cap was removed.
I've heard of this happening on two Fords & one Toyota Tacoma & a new OEM gas cap put all three right. Anyway that's what the failure descriptions dredged up from my moldy oldy memory bank made me think, when reading your failure mode. Quick to test & doesn't cost anything to try. More thoughts for consideration, let us know what you find