Intermittent cutting out

[Uriel]

I had some problems with a weak idle last week. From over 2000rpm it would drop past idle and either stutter before climbing again or cut out. This seemed to go away by itself.

Now for the last few days it will cut out every now and again. Usually at low revs. I was keeping a close eye on it today and it seems that when I'm idling occasionally the revs will slowly start to drop and it'll stall. Takes a bit of effort to get it started again too. If I'm driving slowly (barley over tickover) and this happens it just stalls instantly.

Last week I (unknowlingly- dodgy petrol gauge) let the car almost run out of petrol. It cut out a couple of times just before I managed to get it to a petrol station.

Could this be caused by crap being sucked though from the tank or do I have something else going on? Especially considering the oil/idle problems I had last week...

Thanks in advance.

[leorest]

Sounds very similar to what I had a few years ago.
Turned out to be a bad contact in ECU.
Has the ECU been disturbed recently? If so then try un-plugging and re-plugging it. Aim to get a posative click when the plug is fully home!
Don't go down this route untill you have investigated the more obviouse issues you mentionedmto do with running out of petrol etc.
Best of luck
Leo

[firefox1712]

If it suddenly cuts it is likely to be electrical. If it fades, then it is probably fuel.

It could be -

Blocked fuel breather pipe - you can spend hundreds of £££ trying all sorts of fixes and it turns out to be this. Try the car with no filler cap on.

You may have a partially blocked fuel line. Running the tank to empty will not have helped. Injectors could be gunged up but this doesn't sound like it - but use a bottle of injector cleaner in the tank anyway

It could be a sticking flap in the airflow meter - I think others know a bit more about this than me.

If it is electrical, then check all ignition connections. Check also immobiliser. Check connections to engine management unit.

If it cuts suddenly and then restarts, or brings you to a halt and then eithr restarts immediately or you have to leave it for 20 minutes then it is likely to be a faulty rotor arm. Maybe even a cracked dist cap or both - but most likely a faulty rotor arm. Check for dust in the distributor.

I think that covers most possibilities.
JJ

[jchase]

You could always chuck the ford engine away and put your corvette lump in it ! is it a 427 driveshaft eater ?

[Uriel]

Thanks for the replies.

The car cut out again on the way home from work last night. Couldn't get it restarted, left it for 5 minutes, it started fine and made the 13 mile trip without incident.

It definitely just cuts out instantly, like turning out a light. Fairly safe to say it's an electrical problem. Took it down to my firendly garage this morning and they think electrical too. They're putting their money on a dodgy coil.

So it's now at the auto electricians who thing either coil or dodgy connection that's heating up and breaking. Should hear in the next day or two.

jchase- how I'd love a small block chevy in the wedge! I adore that engine, not a 427 unfortunately, just a regular 350, but it's never ever given me any problems or grief. Something that I'm starting to appreciate all the more in the last week with all the problems the wedge is having!

[firefox1712]

Yes - coil could be it. But you get various mechanics sayog - "....ooerr your coil is getting hot - must be a problem there" when in fact a coil will get hot anyway - it sits in a bath of oil to keep it cool after all. But then some say an overhot coil will do you no good.

Then there is the story of an overcharging alternator causing problems.

Changing the rotor arm and checking the dist cap for cracks is likely to be the cheapest option to try first.

As it cuts and then takes time to restart on some occassions then this could be it.

JJ

[mark387mw]

Is it the Ford 2.8 V6 engine? Does it have an ignition module? I had the same fault on the Panther and put in a new (second hand) module and it sorted it. Was told its a common problem whereby the module fails when warm and is OK when cooled down.

Mark

[grahamw48]

mark387mw said:

Is it the Ford 2.8 V6 engine? Does it have an ignition module? I had the same fault on the Panther and put in a new (second hand) module and it sorted it. Was told its a common problem whereby the module fails when warm and is OK when cooled down. Mark

Hmm - interesting, as my 280i starts perfectly from cold, even with the tiny battery, but now refuses to start from 'warm', meaning if it's been left more than a few minutes, after a run.

She'll always start after fuelling in a garage, but leave her much longer than that and it's a jump start job.

I'll investigate the ignition module, though there is normally a spark being produced.
Are these fairly readily available ?

[mark387mw]

grahamw48 said:

I'll investigate the ignition module, though there is normally a spark being produced. Are these fairly readily available ?

Same symptoms as the Panther; checked the spark and all appeared OK, but when warm it didn't start although spark intermittent and slaving a coil in didn't improve things. I got my ignition module from a chap that breaks Capri's. Try Martin at [e-mail] and say Mark with the pink panther gave you his name. He might have a module for sale and also try eBay.

Mark

[grahamw48]

Thanks, I'll look into that.