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2001 Mustang GT, manual trans, 163,000 miles, no significant mods.
It was a hot day, 108 or something, and I'm driving at the peak of it. I'm cruising at the usual 67 or 68 mph. Suddenly it just dies. I attempt to start it in neutral while still coasting. It cranks fine but doesn't fire. I have the good sense and opportunity to stop under an overpass in the shade. I begin to call my brother when it does fire up nicely, about 30 seconds to a minute (I think) after coming to a stop. I decided I'd get the mile or so to my brother's and then figure out what's going on. I join freeway traffic and then I wait through a light cycle at the freeway offramp. The light turns green and I make it maybe a quarter mile until it kills. I THINK at this point it just killed while I was stopped at another light.
Eventually two guys help me push it to a bus pullout. I screw around for a while, pressing the fuel pump reset button (which by the way didn't seem to have any push to it...?), and trying to start it. As per before, it cranks fine but doesn't fire. Finally I decide to see if there's fuel pressure in the rail by depressing the schrader valve thing. There is, but 1) the key was in the "on" position the entire time and 2) it started up right after that.
I had a suspicion that it was the fuel pump. Perhaps because it's the original it just overheated and needed to cool down before working again. The O'reilly's guy said that didn't sound right to him. I figure the O'reilly's guys are like the home depot guys; sometimes they really know what they're talking about, and sometimes you might as well just do the job yourself. But in a way, I could see how he may be right; it seems to me like a modern fuel pump would either stumble, or just not work, but not work intermittently.
If it just cuts off like you turned off the ignition it's electrical.most likely
Crank sensor
Or
Cam sensor
Might be fuel related it could be a fuel pump or fuel pump relay. Get a fuel pressure guage and hook it to the Schrader valve in the fuel rail if it's got one.
If it were a MK4 VW, I'd say it's relay 109 (happened to me twice). It's the relay that supplies electricity to the ECM and it's known to have a questionable solder that disconnects when it gets too hot. It's possible you may have a similar issue. I would check a Mustang specific forum to see if others with your generation and motor/transmission have similar experiences. Did the engine just shut-off or did it sputter a little? It's typically either an air, electrical, or fuel issue.
Is it throwing any codes ? (you can have it checked for free at most auto parts stores.) There are so many possibilities, could be fuel, could be electrical.
I, too, and building an 04 GT, and when we tried to fire it up for the first time it wasn't kicking on the fuel pump. Turned out to be a bad ground.
I would have it scanned and see what that tells you.
. Finally I decide to see if there's fuel pressure in the rail by depressing the schrader valve thing. There is, but 1) the key was in the "on" position the entire time and 2) it started up right after that.
Ideas? Thanks in advance.
Pushing on the Schrader valve is pointless. What you deem as fuel pressure might be a drop in the bucket as far as what is necessary to fire the injectors. An old GM Vortec engine needed smack dab between 55-61 PSI to fire or it's not happening. No more, no less.
Either way, you need fuel,spark and compression. Compression seems good, fuel is uncertain and spark isn't certain. I'd figure if you were losing can or crank sensors, you'd be saddled with rough running and the computer guessing with default values. Had the magnet in my F150's cam sensor break. It just stumbled badly at idle. You may have some bad grounds or other bad electrical connections.
01 Mustang, they had issues with the windshields leaking and saturating through PCM in the worst case scenario. PCM on the fritz due to moisture... causes a whole slew of problems.
Say it runs great cool but craps out hot. Cam or crank sensor.
Unless it has a DPFE (California emissions) and they'll crap out and do the same thing but idle horribly if at all.
Don't take stabs at it. Go get a real scan tool not those junk over the counter ones made in china. One that does pid graphing, monitor your cam and crank signal and tap gently on the CMP sensor and see if the car stalls or starts skipping.
Or... pay the hour diag, that's what us ford techs are for
Far as it being a fuel pump, they're going to develop a whine and depressing the Schrader valve isn't going to yield anything.
The fuel pumps don't run continuously like say old MPI 302/351s. Those are duty cycled by the PCM to build fuel pressure. Not like the old days where if you leave the key on you'll burn the fuel pump out from running continuously...
Trying to remember if they had a FRP sensor on them back in 01... I know for sure 3 valves do.
So when was the last time the fuel filter was replaced? How many times has the car been run to almost empty? Is the exhaust stock? Does the engine use any oil? Have the O2 sensors been changed? Has anyone ever run Seafoam or other oils thru the intake?
Sorry for the delay. Put in a fuel filter even though I didn't think it was the problem because it was cheap and easy. Drove home, and only stalled twice...lol.
I have a fuel pump coming in tomorrow. I ordered it because many with these cars say I'm lucky it lasted this long, so I figure even if it's not the problem it'll be good to have a new one.
Last fuel filter? Can't remember, but definitely too long ago. Stock everything except for short throw shifter and underdrive pulleys. Burns no discernable amount of oil, I pretty much baby it. I don't recall O2 sensors ever having been changed. It does get run lower than I'd like more often than I'd like... No seafoam or anything.
Immediately after I get that in I'll take it to get any codes pulled. I'll let you know then! Thank you all!
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