Experience at driving, slipping tranny and stalling engine

Well, Ive done it. I got my license and drove about a hundred miles since last friday. Ive have 44 bucks worth of gas and half a tank to go.

I however have had some problems and shocking experiences.

Well to start with, I am surprised at how much gas you need to give a car to stay up to speed on any road. I had no idea as a passenger how the grade changes suddenly in what seems like a level road. I can squeal tires at a rolling position with minor throttle, however on i295 after the richmond air port exit I went from 65-45mph and thought my engine had cut out. I gave it gas, heard it up shift and got back up to speed.

I also discovered an annoying habbit of my engine cutting off at every other stop sign or light. I just shift it to nutral as I coast and put it back in gear at the light. I unplugged the temp sender for the engine and air intake and that seems to limit it. I know I wont know of an over heating situation and may burn more gas, but I hate to spend any more money for another reason.

Onbroad street the other day I slowed for a cross walk with no light and an elderly person walking across it. I hit the gas slightly to accelerate to the next stop light and I just sat there and 3 seconds later, thump and I started to squeal tires as my tranny slipped. I was just coasting from light to light in afternoon traffic. I turnd off OD, which helped, but it still slips, but does not squeal tires. I added some lucas oil for slipping to the tranny and so far for 7 miles it seems to be working.

I forgot to mention that when I got to 44 bucks with of gas, gas started to run out the front of the tank behind the drivers seat, so I quit pumping and it quit leaking.

Also I just spent the weekend switching out the mechanical thermostat and flushing it. I run off a bolt and had to take the front end apart to reach it and grip pliers it out. I still have some minor leaking, but whats a few drops from 4 gallons of fluid?

I just hope my wheels holds up so I can get a second job and maybe a better car. I wouldnt mind trying a junkyard tranny, but installing it in the mud and sand of my parents yard would make it difficult. The tank and idle problems are easy to fix.

So?

You need to post the make, year, model, engine and transmission type. Many of such symptoms are a result of specific problem that specific range of models are susceptible to.

Oh, sorry. Guess I need to add that to my sig string?

96 ford e250 econoline cargo van. Extended body, automatic 4 speed with OD, inline 6 gas 4.9l. No ac, just ps and pb.

I think it may have a band adjustment, but I would think with 199 thousand miles on it, its likely SOL.

The engine was rebuilt at 22 thousand miles ago. The mechanic at work told me it was the throttle idle thingie. I tried to unplug it and sure enough it dropped to the stalling speed. I had hoped if I unplugged it at high idle at startup it would stay open in thet position, than drop off.

It sounds as you might need a TPS (throttle position sensor)

rycen said:

It sounds as you might need a TPS (throttle position sensor)

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or the idle air control valve

fix the idle problem first.
if it drops too low the pump in the transmission will not produce enough pressure to stay in gear.
and flush out that lucas additive asap!.
my olds will do that in the summer with the ac on if the isc gets stuck.
i have seen the idle drop to 130 rpm at times.
the oil,alt lights come on and the transmission goes to neutral.spec is 550 in gear.
if you have 200k on a 4r70w its gonna need a rebuild soon but idle speed is more likely.
that thick snot in a bottle is for delaying the inevitable.i doubt your trans needs it.

Actually I think even the 1996+ Ford trucks use EEC-V engine management, so this problem is easily diagnosed.

Is the CHECK ENGINE light on? If so, get yourself a copy of a Haynes or Chilton manual and a generic code reader. The code reader plugs into a port, and on Fords it's under the dash to the driver's left. It looks like a big serial port, except it's made of plastic. Your code reader may be powered by the port, but even if it's not the key needs to be in the ON position (engine not running).

You can read the code numbers off your code reader and look them up in the Haynes/Chilton.

There are a million different OBD-II code readers out there... use your judgment when selecting one. If you can get one that's Ford only it'll probably have the proprietary codes and not just the standard SAE codes.

cobb said:

I also discovered an annoying habbit of my engine cutting off at every other stop sign or light. I just shift it to nutral as I coast and put it back in gear at the light. I unplugged the temp sender for the engine and air intake and that seems to limit it. I know I wont know of an over heating situation and may burn more gas, but I hate to spend any more money for another reason.


So?

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Cobb,

if US cars work the same way euro cars do, I´d recommend visiting a dealer / mechanic who can plug his laptop to your OBD-interface.

Dunno about cost on your side of the pond, but most dealers over here are willing to do this for free if given a small tip

I´d bet one of your sensors ( engine temp, intake temp, throttle rheostat, lambda sond ) is misbehaving, making your carb / fuel-injection electronics run in "fail-safe"-mode.

OBD logs will give away which sensor is defective.

Seth

P.S.: I guess you checked the "usual suspects"?

- gap size on spark plugs
- clogged air filter
- leaking vacuum-hoses
- valve-train needs adjustment ( if your engine has no hydro-lifters )

I drove it hard through the county today and it was fine. I wuzzled through the city and yup, it did it twice. Once going over a bump seemed to trigger it.

I out accelerated everyone at every light to 45 with no slip. I wuzzle from block to block and VROOOOM, it will just coast then catch when it starts to rev back down. I try not to VROOOOM it as that leads to tire squealing and a sudden thumb throughout the body.

Yeah, its terminal I am thinking, considering the miles on it and age of truck chassie. I just want a quick and easy fix to milk it along. Can I adjust the bands or unplug something to make the computer revert to a default setting, like cold warm up mode or something? I dont want to spend more than a hundred bucks for a fix, I rather sell it as is that needs work and a tranny.

No warning lights unless it stalls, then I get the usual cluster for oil, temp, amp, air bag, etc. No warning lights when running.

The idle causing the slipping problems is interesting.... I notice today the two times it stalled and did not slip it seemed it chugged down in a lower gear and did not upshift like it is suppose to as I came to a stop. I basically stop twice now, once before the line and if the amp meter dips suddenly I let off the gas and re brake a foot later and it stays idling.

sticky tcc solinoid can cause stalling but that is more common with the gm trannies.it leaves the converter locked up and is like stopping in a manual without pushing in the clutch.

If you have an Auto Zone nearby, I believe they will read the codes for free.

Could it be that easy???? Just go down to autozone, borrow a scanner and get the fix on the screen?

Sounds like a TCC (torque converter control solenoid) in the trans. That will cause the stalling. Your auto acts like a manual without giving you a clutch pedal. If it's slipping, then there's more problems too.

EDIT: ya I was beat to it.

cobb said:

I forgot to mention that when I got to 44 bucks with of gas, gas started to run out the front of the tank behind the drivers seat, so I quit pumping and it quit leaking.

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I'm going to go out on a limb here and mention that nothing matters except fixing that gas leak! You're gona die in a ball of fire and you're worried about it stalling? Perhaps some higher power is trying to tell you something...

Kevin: Ouch! I didn't catch that. Good point! Didn't ford have a recall on their gastanks in trucks/etc leaking?

Seems like they all (Ford trucks) pump from one tank to the other to some degree.

My 90 F350 was slow back to front. Dads 91 F150 is FAST from front to back.

Dads tranny lost reverse yesterday. It is an E4OD and seems terminal. What a PITA!

Of course how it's been driven has more than a little bit to do with it...

OH SNAPP!!!!!!!!

I dont know what the leak is, I am going to assume it was the over flow unless I find out otherwise.

Gas tanks dont normally cause problems with pulling out into traffic like slipping trannys do. If I pull out into oncoming traffic and it slips without catching, I may have to deal with, if I have a gas leak. Regardless, Ive assumed gas will leak as most tanks have a few hoses, not to mention the large diameter hose that connects it to the exterior of your car to pump it in. You cant compress a liquid, so that gas has to go somewhere and not many cars are equipped with fuel cells.

The ONLY vent for a gas tank vents to the filler tube. If you look underneath you'll find the main filler hose has a smaller hose running parallel to it. This smaller hose is the vent. The vent hose terminates in the filler tube above where the end of the fuel nozzle would be when inserted into the vehicle. Overfilling should cause gas to spill from the filler tube receptical only. Everything else should be air tight. A leak ANYWHERE means you have a dangerous leak that should be fixed yesterday. Seriously man, this could be ka-boom, game over, no more flashlights.


Cheers. :buddies:

A 96+ vehicle applies vacuum to the tank to control hydrocarbon evaporation emissions, which is why the CHECK ENGINE light should come on if you haven't tightened the cap fully. There obviously should not be any gas leaks ever for any reason in a modern car because that could produce literally more emissions than 500 new cars, and then what would be the point of having emission controls?

If you have a massive vacuum leak through the tank (are you sure the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT hasn't burned out from being on permanently?) the engine will tend to stall at idle and any vacuum modulator for the tranny (if there is one) will always think you are at WOT and shift funny.

So fixing the tank first may solve more than just the "venting with flame" problem.

BFG- Forgot about that, my bad.